# Foreground Suggestions



## digital_gods

I'm frustrated with my current foreground in my tank and ready to replace it. In my 90 gallon with high lights, CO2, and nutrient rich substrate; SAGITTARIA SUBULATA grows very rapid and tall. I end up trimming the carpet and pulling up all the runners frequently. I just bumped my lighting from 2x96w CF to 4x96w CF bulbs. I'm afraid this problem will be greatly increased. I would like something that will stay low and grow slow. Does anyone have any suggestions that would fit my growth requirements? Attached is a photo of my tank from last night after I did major mowing of my tank.


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## fishyjoe24

micro sword- it needs high light, c02 would be good for it too.
or NARROW leaf mirco sword it does good with medium light and is a slow grower. the c02 i'm guessing would make it a medium speed grower.


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## cbwmn

My Marsilea Minuta grows low (except it grows on top of itself and I have to peel the top layer off occasionally). It's about 2" tall in this tank:
http://s215.photobucket.com/albums/cc2/cbwmn/AQUARIUMS/?action=view&current=IMG_1252Small.jpg

Look at the first 3 pictures.
Charles


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## fishyjoe24

yep marsilea minuta - dwarf clover would be a nice one too... it looks like glossicma with out the high maintence work.

here are some other photos.








it also helps with insomina and depression.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18299179


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## digital_gods

I'm checking with Flordia Aquatic Nurseries and I don't see Marsilea Minuta but they do have Marsilea quadrifolia (Four Leaf Clover) and Marsilea hirsuta (Dwarf Four Leaf Clover). Any of those similar?


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## CrownMan

It may take awhile as it did in my 40 gallon breeder but I like crypt parva as a foreground. Many of the leaves hug the ground as they grow outward.


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## Aquaticz

consider tropica 049

less work than the Marsilea that I have

looks better to my eye


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## cbwmn

digital_gods said:


> I'm checking with Flordia Aquatic Nurseries and I don't see Marsilea Minuta but they do have Marsilea quadrifolia (Four Leaf Clover) and Marsilea hirsuta (Dwarf Four Leaf Clover). Any of those similar?


I can sell you some MM.
A sandwich bag full shipped out of that same tank.
$18 shipped Priority.
Charles


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## Akulakat

I noticed the murkiness of your tank. mine looks the exact same way. Who has the answer to fix this. Mine was great for awhile, then not so much.


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## fishyjoe24

digital_gods said:


> I'm checking with Flordia Aquatic Nurseries and I don't see Marsilea Minuta but they do have Marsilea quadrifolia (Four Leaf Clover) and Marsilea hirsuta (Dwarf Four Leaf Clover). Any of those similar?


those are the same as what i was telling you about.. i think minuta might be a new name for the dwarf four leaf clover..

c. parva like mike would be cool too. i'm trying it out in my 40g. high light keeps the leafs down low well low light they reach for the sky............

as the other guy said tropica 049 is a good one. it's a steam plant that tom barr uses a lot.

robert might of stired up the substrate . or it could be a green water out break.


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## guppy breeder

looks nice robert and thanks for the clippings are they from this tank?


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## digital_gods

The murkiness was cleared up the very next day. That was just from the digging around and uprooting all the rouge dwarf sag. I run crazy filtration on that tank. I have a Eheim 2022 (rated 277gph) and Fluval 404 (rated 340) which will turn the tank over 6.8x at the most. Why do I run so much filtration, just keeps the water polished and I only have to clean filters every 90 days.


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## digital_gods

@Aquaticz: I've tried the tropica 49 before in medium light tanks but now that I'm high light, I just might give it a second go around.

@CBWMM: PM heading your way.


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## digital_gods

Big thanks goes out to cbwmn for sending me Marsilea minuta. I got it in yesterday I'm excited about trying it out. Everyone get your tanks ready, I'll be bring my Dwarf Sag to this months DFWAPC meeting.


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## fishyjoe24

so what does it look like show some photos, what else you bringing.. I have some baby anubias nana to bring, and some java fern....... 

jim do or will be in charge what all do we need to bring, name tags, soda,food, and a charge?


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## Tex Gal

Tropica 49 is the same plant as Staurogyne repens. Not sure who's px this is. Josh has had in for many months. We've had it at our plant meetings many times.

__
https://flic.kr/p/4368764582

Any of the marsilea sp would make a good foreground. They do grow slow and they really like lower light, but will grow in high light.

Helanthium tenellum is also known as pygmy chain sword. There are 2 different varieties of that. One stays about 3" and one can get up to 10". If you are going to use this plant make sure you get the right one.

Crypt parva stays really short, less than 1". It grows VERY slowly. It's often confused with Crypt X Willisii lucens - which gets about 3"- which is also know as Crypt nevilli. See this thread for the differences. http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plant-id/60818-crypt-parva-vs-crypt-x-willisii-2.html

You could use Glossostigma elatinoides, Hemianthus callitrichoides, Elatine triandra, Hydrocotyle tripartita - all of which do well in high light and CO2 and rich ferts. They will require high maintenance as they will grow fast. They are beautiful.

You could also us Eleocharis belem - it's a dwarf hair grass - we have it Bill's tank and the tank on the bar - not really high maintenance, doesn't need CO2, high or medium light.

I'm sure there are many others. These are just a few suggestions.

DON'T FORGET - we don't sell our plants to club members. We give them to each other!


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## fishyjoe24

pygmy chain sword, is a medium to fast grower, or at least when I had some that's what i saw. I tried the staurogyne repens, i got it from thomas barr. it did okay, but in my tank i think c02 would of helped, or different lighting. 

crypt parva, bla i bought about 15-20+ pots, drinda is right. it grows real slow, so slow i want to poke it each day, and go "are you still alive"...


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## Aquaticz

+1 
Great post Tex Gal


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## CrownMan

Sorry about resolution, but here is a work in progress with parva as a foreground.


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## Gor22don33

micro sword- it needs high light, c02 would be good for it too.
or NARROW leaf mirco sword it does good with medium light and is a slow grower. the c02 i'm guessing would make it a medium speed grower.
__________________


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## TetraGuy72

Sorry to bring back such an old thread. But, Robert I am curious to see how the MM has been working out for you. Since first reading this post (the first time I had heard of MM) I've seen it pop up a couple times in the for sale section here and on tpt. It looks like an interesting alternative to some of the high maintenance carpeting plants.


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## digital_gods

I really like this plant. It have been a slow but steady grower. It keeps tight to the substrate with only the leave exposed out. The other part of the plant remains in the substrate. This plant is a root feeder so nutrient rich substrate is a must. If your coming to January's meeting, I live just down the road from Tex Gals house and your welcome to come see it.


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## fishyjoe24

why isn't it clickable remember I have a 40 inch monitor.... I don't know why i hooked up my computer to my Tv, good think there is the computer room with only a 22 inch monitor.


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## TetraGuy72

digital_gods said:


> I really like this plant. It have been a slow but steady grower. It keeps tight to the substrate with only the leave exposed out.


How is it to plant? Did you plant each one individually?



digital_gods said:


> If your coming to January's meeting, I live just down the road from Tex Gals house and your welcome to come see it.


Unfortunately, I wont be able to make it this month. My is working on getting her CPA and has the first part of the test the next morning. So, I promised I'd keep the kid out of her hair so she can get some last minute studying done.

BTW, I really like your tank. It looks nice and healthy. Do your Angels do a good job of keeping the platy / mollie population under control?


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## digital_gods

Thank you. That they do. Occasionally a fry avoided the angels and grow up. It balances the occasional loss from birthing. The mm grows in a chain fashion. I cut the chains and plugged it to help spread it. We always got next meeting.


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## kingearwig

fishyjoe24 said:


> yep marsilea minuta - dwarf clover would be a nice one too... it looks like glossicma with out the high maintence work.
> 
> here are some other photos.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> it also helps with insomina and depression.
> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18299179


do you really extract this or is this a joke?


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## fishyjoe24

kingearwig said:


> do you really extract this or is this a joke?


huh. ?


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## wwh2694

I had some s. repens plants.It gave me problems after id cut it. They will lose all its leaves and come back in a few weeks...very messy. Now trying a Dow noi foreground.


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## tae2610

Try HC. it's good


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