# Carpet plants



## trrturne (Jan 17, 2009)

I'm looking for a nice plant that will "carpet" the bottom of my tank. Is there a recommended WPG for these type of plants? Any recommendations on an easy one to maintain?


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## Ghost Knife (Mar 12, 2008)

I have been wanting the same type of plant to cover the gravel, but I can't seem to find any. Maybe there's some seeds you can buy online and plant or something like that.


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## gil_ong (Apr 15, 2008)

i got some HM from JOM a while abck. killed them when i nuked my tank for snails. they did pretty good. needs moderate light.

i'd spring for some HC is i had more light.


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## fishboy23 (Feb 18, 2006)

There are a number of carpeting plants available, but options are limited at low WPG ratings. As mentioned above, HM (Hemianthus...long name with an M  ) and HC (H. Callitrichoides) are both good carpeting plants, HC the more demanding of the two. HM probably looking about 2-2.5 WPG. 
Marselia species (particulary minuta) are unique carpeting plants that I personally think look interesting, may be worth a try if you're going for a unique look. 
Echinodorus tennelus, the dwarf chain sword, is probably the most popular "carpeting" plant, but can grow fairly high (6", maybe up to 8") in low light (~2WPG) but will stay as low as 2" in high light (3.5-4 WPG). 
Another one, that I actually have been doing well with lately, is what I got as "dwarf sagittaria" (dwarf sag), which for me is staying about in inch tall and spreading runners, thickening nicely. 
Another plant I had that did OK till I messed around with it, was dwarf hairgrass (Eleocharis sp.). Looks a little more grassy than dwarf sag or tennelus, but a neat plant. I'd like to get a hold of some again, actually.
These are pretty much your basic carpeting plants. For those with bigger wallets and more WPG (3-3.5WPG+), oddball things like Rotala "Goias", Ranunculus Inundatus, or even downoi. 
Hope that helps.


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## Cacatuoides (Feb 2, 2009)

It helped me for sure!


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## gil_ong (Apr 15, 2008)

great info, fishboy. i'll be sure to refer back to this thread when i'm ready for some ground cover again.

one problem i did encounter when i had HM was vacuuming when doing a water change. can't seem to really clean out the gravel under the ground cover well. and having shrimp just complicates matters even more. they just don't seem to know to get out of the way.


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