Carpet Plants/making A Cave

[junco]

Well I've spent a lot of money on plants and planted my tank... and after a week things are growing pretty rapidly, but I'm not happy with the way it looks. I basically threw everything in there and didn't plan it right. So now I have a plan.

1)It involves a sort of cave in the middle area... not literally a cave, but darker area in the shape of a "cave". How should I make this? I'd like to grow java moss on top and on the sides of it so I was thinking two pieces of angled driftwood pointed towards each other. But then how should I cover the back? I guess ideally I'd find a cave shaped piece of driftwood. How have o ther people done these types of caves?

2)In front of this... and on either side I hope to grow a carpet of some kind. I think I like the way riccia looks best, but it sounds like kind of a pain to deal with a lot. Glosso isn't bad either, but again... ripping it up every few months to prune isn't very appealing to me. Any other suggestions? A java moss carpet might do nicely. Anyone know what is the carpet plant in the attached image?

One the left side of the tank I'll have a jungle of vals and on the right various crypts and some yet to be determined taller bush plant.

Thanks!




That attachment didn't seem to work. I'll try again.

Here's a link:

http/www.aquaticplantcentral.com/gallery...hp?imageid=1273

What is that carpet?

 

[Themuleous]

Could be dwarf chain sword, but difficult to tell. You could try Hemianthus callitricoides for the carpet, but less maintenance, or there is now Utricularia graminifolia. A word of warning, carpets like you want require decent setups, with added CO2, lots of lots and ferts, etc. You wont get any of these plants to carpet in low-light.

Sam

 

[junco]

Could be dwarf chain sword, but difficult to tell. You could try Hemianthus callitricoides for the carpet, but less maintenance, or there is now Utricularia graminifolia. A word of warning, carpets like you want require decent setups, with added CO2, lots of lots and ferts, etc. You wont get any of these plants to carpet in low-light.

Sam

I have lots of light and lots of CO2.. that shouldn't be a problem. Utricularia graminifolia looks really nice. I think I'll try and get my hands on some of that.

 

[TrueNoob]

u should make a hidden cavee, meant for babies, its in the bak of tank under gravel or grass facing bak glass, so wen u go to the bak, u can peek at it cause the cave will be visible from the inside on the bak and see if there is any babies, and see how there doing, from the front u may just see a little bump that will go unnoticeable, i came up with this idea i think, i put one in my tank, i'll take a pic wen i get time