# No substrate planted tank?



## tous (Jun 22, 2017)

Put down some sort of lattice; wood or even a thicker screening or light defuser, and just cover it in rhizomeplants. put it a CM above the glass and put some current down there. 

Buce up front covering the front edge, then a carpet of some fluffier shorter java ferns, then some taller needle or something java mixed, some giant Anubais nana bushes, and some taller anubais overshadowing them in the back. 

Aesthetics aside, how terrible of an idea is this? Will it work? Less or more maintenance?


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

I have to say, I have difficulty picturing what you're describing.

However, since you said "aesthetics aside", I would say you don't need substrate to have live plants in a tank. You can always use potted plants, or floating plants, or as you say, rhizome plants attached to driftwood and whatnot.


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## tous (Jun 22, 2017)

solarz said:


> I have to say, I have difficulty picturing what you're describing.


Thats kinda why I'm asking, I've never seen anyone do it. I've seen bare bottom with driftwood, I guess thats the closest. But I just mean basically putting some sort of hardscape down and covering it in java fern/anubais.

but I mean, it would just be a tank with basically a Java fern carpet, 10 pants deep, maybe 40 across, 160~ plants.

If anything did get trapped down there and need to be cleaned, just lift the whole lattice.

Or do you think I could never get the java fern thick enough to hide the lattice?


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## Boreas (Dec 8, 2015)

I've seen guys use steel mesh covered in moss. Or I think even better would be quilting mesh. Cover the bottom with that. Then have driftwood covered in rhysome plants.

But, having moss on the bottom defeats the purpose of a bare bottom tank. Moss collects detritus like crazy. It would require frequent cleaning.


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## ksimdjembe (Nov 11, 2006)

I've done smaller tanks like 10s and 20s with just Java fern on driftwood and floating hornwort or Frog bit. I liked them in their simplicity. Maybe the moss would work along the back wall?


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## slipfinger (May 11, 2016)

Yes, do an old school Dutch tank with moss walls on back and sides!


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