Hey got a 10 gallon with few trimmings of rotala rotundifolia, jave fern, and crypt. retrospiralis (All clippings from my main 29 gallon). I currently have these plants under 2x19 watts of cfl rated 5000K and in just plain regular gravel. I will be dosing excel every other day as well. MAIN QUESTION: Can I grow glossostigma under these conditions??? Help and advice would be much appreciated.... thanks!
The light is enough. Many of us are against excel, since it contains Gluteraldehyde (a componant of embalming fluid, antifreeze, and is used to sterilise lab equipment. It is a 'biocide'.).
Glosso does much better in sand. In gravel, it won't make a uniform 'carpet' effect.
Ohhhhh I see, I might just stick with excel since it is more affordable for me. But thanks for the info on that, I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Do you believe that it could be possible to achieve a carpet look with glosso while planted in gravel?
Well, we don't use excel OR co2. There's plenty of co2 from the bacteria and fish to grow many plants. Microswords, dwarf sag, and flame moss can all make nice substrate covers, and don't need supplemental co2 or excel.
If the tank isn't already set up, there's always the "dry start method" too.
Glosso really does better on sand. Dwarf sand, microswords, crypts, and mosses will all work in gravel.
Could Hemianthus Mircranthemoides work instead??? It was my first choice for a carpet plant but I thought that it looked a bit too closely to rotala. It is still a beautiful looking plant though...
HM does carpet, and is not as demanding as HC. HM is actually a misnomer for a plant which is actually Hermianthus Glomeratus.
one plant often sold as HM is the giant baby tears, micrathemum glomeratum. (sorry for any bad spelling). Giant baby tears will not carpet.
Personally for low-med light I prefer microswords(so gets to 3in though) or dwarf hair grass belem (only one that stays short). dwarf sags are great for some larger tanks (as some really grow wayyy too tall.
You can also try some species of small low lying crypts (which will be more costly)
I've also seen moss carpets, by tying the moss to driftwood and laying the woods on the floor of the tank. ofcourse mesh also works, but IME, moss prefers to attach to wood.
Oh one last thing, I actually find upwards growing glosso to be quite attractive
wow thanks for being so informative and offering information on other kinds of carpeting plants aokashi:-D I might try out glosso and see how it works. For my 29gallon (2x24 watt t5 ho lighting, dirted bottom capped with gravel, excel dosing) I will probably plant micro swords in there for a carpet effect. Thanks for your input, much appreciated!
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