# Beginner carpeting questions



## vtyou (Mar 17, 2012)

Hello all, I'm looking for some advice for a shrimp tank I wanted to start. I have a 16 gallon 50x35x35cm Starfire tank I recently purchased from Aqua Inspiration along with some Netlea Lambo Natural Soil, and I wanted to carpet the tank with either Dwarf Hair Grass or Dwarf Baby Tears and have some Yamaya stones. I'm new to the planted scene and my questions are:

1) What kind of light fixture would I need to buy? I've seen some light fixtures that cost more than the tank! I'm on a university student budget 

2) Since I'm going to be using a sponge filter, I don't really want to hear the bubbling sounds at night when I'm trying to sleep, would I able to put a glass lid underneath the light fixture to reduce noise?

3) For carpeting, would the "Dry Start" method be best for carpeting? This video demonstrated a pretty convincing technique.. 




Thanks everyone!


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## Ryan s (Jun 18, 2012)

If you need a carpet plant I have umbrosum monte carlo. Pm me IF interested. Will help you out price wise.



vtyou said:


> Hello all, I'm looking for some advice for a shrimp tank I wanted to start. I have a 16 gallon 50x35x35cm Starfire tank I recently purchased from Aqua Inspiration along with some Netlea Lambo Natural Soil, and I wanted to carpet the tank with either Dwarf Hair Grass or Dwarf Baby Tears and have some Yamaya stones. I'm new to the planted scene and my questions are:
> 
> 1) What kind of light fixture would I need to buy? I've seen some light fixtures that cost more than the tank! I'm on a university student budget
> 
> ...


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## FJoftheH (Apr 16, 2013)

Both dwarf hair grass and dwarf baby tears are high maintenance plants that will require high lighting and co2, so the cost of the light will cost quite a bit. Co2 is highly recommended for those two plants as they will die sortly after if you dont have or they just wont grow. The noise and dry factor I cant really help you lol. But the light will cost you an arm n a leg.

Also don't get those small fluval co2 stuff, they are cheap to start but the cost of it will reap it back up in a few months. I got a 10 lb co2 for my 55 gallon, been running about a year and still good. If I had fluval, the price would of been more already.


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## vtyou (Mar 17, 2012)

FJoftheH said:


> Both dwarf hair grass and dwarf baby tears are high maintenance plants that will require high lighting and co2, so the cost of the light will cost quite a bit. Co2 is highly recommended for those two plants as they will die sortly after if you dont have or they just wont grow. The noise and dry factor I cant really help you lol. But the light will cost you an arm n a leg.
> 
> Also don't get those small fluval co2 stuff, they are cheap to start but the cost of it will reap it back up in a few months. I got a 10 lb co2 for my 55 gallon, been running about a year and still good. If I had fluval, the price would of been more already.


What about Christmas Moss or Monte Carlo as a carpeting plant? Are those more forgiving?

I'm thinking about using this CFL bulb (http://www.homedepot.ca/product/cfl-42w--150w-twister-daylight-6500k/917986)


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## dmrg3 (Mar 13, 2014)

As beginner like you, I spent so much on light fixture. First I went with t8 and t5. Nice but so expensive. Also if you consider bill, I dont think it is right. Second, I went with LED. But good led for carpeting plants is even more expensive. Also hard to find perfect fit for the tank. 

And now, I am using LED floodlight. They are so bright and plants grow really well. I got them from ebay with US plug. I think many 20w ones are good. They are about $30 each. You can get 30w or even higher but I recommend 20w since high light cause algae prob. I put grid on the tank and put led on it. 



Anyway if you have any question let me know.


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## dmrg3 (Mar 13, 2014)

Since you want shrimp tank, here is the photo of my 10 gallon.


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## FJoftheH (Apr 16, 2013)

i never had either of those plants so i cant really tell u in regards to those, but high light shouldnt cause too much algae for u since shrimp loves to eat algae.


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## FJoftheH (Apr 16, 2013)

riccia is also pretty good for carpeting and they grow pretty well, but not sure if its only growing crazy in my tank cuz of the co2 and high light but from my understanding they not too demanding, best to read up on those plants.


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## vtyou (Mar 17, 2012)

FJoftheH said:


> riccia is also pretty good for carpeting and they grow pretty well, but not sure if its only growing crazy in my tank cuz of the co2 and high light but from my understanding they not too demanding, best to read up on those plants.


Hmm did a little reading on dwarf hair grass and some say co2 is not needed if I do a dry start method, and after flooding co2 isn't necessary since I won't be looking for growth anymore

Also I will be using two 23W 6500k 1600 lumens


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## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

In terms if DHG, I found that it does very well with co2 but can still work without it. as long as you have med light and dose excel. Thats what I did. I only dosed excel as an algaecide anyways so i dont really know if it had an effect.

If you want a carpeting plant that requires very little effort and no co2... well in my opinion, the only option is : Dwarf Sag. This stuff is awesome. Takes a while to get going but once it does... it grows THICK. And no CO2 added will not affect your carpet although the co2 will help it grow denser and faster. Try dwarf sag. There is always somebody selling it on here


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## default (May 28, 2011)

From my experience, I prefer DHG in a non-co2 environment as it grows much slower and less dense - it's easier on maintenance. However, I wouldn't recommend dry start for a co2less tank, by letting plants grow in a high saturation of co2 then converting a massive carpet to a low saturation would result in some die off and slow acclimation.

I'd recommend just getting some already submersed grown DHG and start slowly with low light and very very light fertilizer doses. This route is by no means faster, but a lot less headache. Trying to grow plants emersed isn't rocket science, but if a fungus problem breaks out, your carpet is gonna get hit hard. I wouldn't recommend dry starts until someone's a little more acquainted with the planted hobby first.

In regards to baby tears, did do very well emersed, but are very prone to fungal issues. I would not recommend this plant for co2less tanks, not that it's impossible, it just won't thrive or look very pretty. There are alternatives out there that would be more ideal.

Monte Carlo as mentioned is a great plant to start with, I find it much less demanding than DHG or Dwarf baby tears. They are also better creepers and IMO prettier than the baby tears. I would highly recommend giving this plant a try.

Other relatively easy foregrounds would be: staurogynes repens, micro swords, and even bacopa japan.


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## skylane (Sep 7, 2015)

FJoftheH said:


> Both dwarf hair grass and dwarf baby tears are high maintenance plants that will require high lighting and co2, so the cost of the light will cost quite a bit. Co2 is highly recommended for those two plants as they will die sortly after if you dont have or they just wont grow. The noise and dry factor I cant really help you lol. But the light will cost you an arm n a leg.
> 
> Also don't get those small fluval co2 stuff, they are cheap to start but the cost of it will reap it back up in a few months. I got a 10 lb co2 for my 55 gallon, been running about a year and still good. If I had fluval, the price would of been more already.


Hi , where can I purchase a co2 pressurized system? I'm in Mississauga, and I have a 90 gal planted. I would prefer this system over the diy version, and by the way what would it cost me ?

Thanks, 
Clem.


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## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

skylane said:


> Hi , where can I purchase a co2 pressurized system? I'm in Mississauga, and I have a 90 gal planted. I would prefer this system over the diy version, and by the way what would it cost me ?
> 
> Thanks,
> Clem.


Well, I would buy a CO2 Tank (5-10lbs) which would be like 70-150ish if u buy it used. The a solonoid/regulator will cost like 200. After that, you spend about 50 bucks a year on co2 refills so its much better in the long run with a high start up cost. Paintball co2 is cheap to begin with but it is costly for the refill. I was paying 11 dollars a refill every month. But to buy... the co2 canisters (id recommend 2) are 20 bucks each and the regulators can cost to 10 dollars or even 50 depending on how fancy you want it. Anywho, if you plan on having a long lasting co2 supply, i do suggest the large tank over paintball cans


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## skylane (Sep 7, 2015)

Kimchi24 said:


> Well, I would buy a CO2 Tank (5-10lbs) which would be like 70-150ish if u buy it used. The a solonoid/regulator will cost like 200. After that, you spend about 50 bucks a year on co2 refills so its much better in the long run with a high start up cost. Paintball co2 is cheap to begin with but it is costly for the refill. I was paying 11 dollars a refill every month. But to buy... the co2 canisters (id recommend 2) are 20 bucks each and the regulators can cost to 10 dollars or even 50 depending on how fancy you want it. Anywho, if you plan on having a long lasting co2 supply, i do suggest the large tank over paintball cans


Thanks for that, but I was more interested in where I can get these items , tanks,regulator ?


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## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

Honestly i dont know as a lot of my equipment comes second hand from this forum lol. But for paintball co2.... I got my cans from a paintball store for 20 each amd the regulator from amazon


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