# Carpet plant recommendation/advice needed



## Kenta (Apr 28, 2010)

Hi all,

Im starting a planted/shrimp tank and am looking for some advice on plant choices for a carpet. I'm keeping it low tech and simple... and plan to only have one type of plant in there, which is the carpet. I understand that carpet plants are not ideal for low tech tanks, but I'm hoping that the low depth of the tank will compensate a little. I love the look of HC but I don't think it would have the results I'm looking for.

I was looking at Marsilea Minuta... thoughts???

Here are the specs of the soon to be set up tank:

Tank: ADA 60F, 2'x1'x7" (9 gallons)
Lighting: ONF flat nano, 15W 1300 lm
Filtration: Eheim 150 classic 
Substrate: ADA aqua soil

No CO2 or ferts at this point.

Thanks for reading


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## Dou (Dec 4, 2015)

Marsilea species will be your best bet for on a carpeting plant that won't immediately die in a low-tech and will potentially flourish (it takes a long time for other plants like dhg or mc to do the same).


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## Kenta (Apr 28, 2010)

Cool thanks for the input. Do you know where I could get my hands on some.

Also, dry starting with marsilea would work?


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## _noob (Oct 30, 2016)

I actually think hc may work. I have a 60p no ferts, or fo2 also using ada soil. It grows slow but does carpet.


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## arash53 (Aug 13, 2011)

For low tech carpeting plant I would suggest Staurogyne Repens, but with your tank's dimensions and lighting ,I believe if you dry start dwarf hair grass it will work.


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## kivyee (Oct 15, 2016)

I've had good results with dwarf sagittaria in a low tech tank. Took a few months to get established but it's "shooting" everywhere after that.


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## rwong2k10 (Dec 27, 2010)

in burnaby, I got some Marsalia, tropica 1-2 grow from April's Aquariums recently


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## Hammer (Apr 22, 2010)

Staurogyne repens. Google it. I got one of those little tissue cultured pots from Aprils just before Christmas. In one and half months, it has really started to cover well. I just divided it into little stems and popped them in. They developed quite a root system in that time


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## fireweed (Jan 7, 2013)

Lilaeopsis brasiliensis from the 1-2 grow cups has been the fastest thick carpet low tech for me. Shrimp love it. 
Staurogyne, for some reason always dies for me and I don’t think I’m alone, but worth a try in a mixed carpet. Adds texture with wide leaves.
Sagittaria subulata will do well but once established grows tall, 6” or even taller. Jungle. 
Marsilea I find doesn’t grow thick low tech, I find best in a mixed species carpet. And round leaves predominate instead of clover leaves once it adapts to submersed life. 
I’d suggest fert, root tabs may be enough in a tiny tank.


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