# Any plants I can use to cover the entire back wall?



## jesterx626 (Jul 27, 2005)

Any plants I can use to cover the entire back wall? seeing through to the other side of the tank looks kinda plain. Any suggestions on how i can pep up my tank?


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## benJii (Feb 17, 2005)

Black Background.

Look into some stem plants. There is an entire array of suitable choices.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

jesterx626 said:


> Any plants I can use to cover the entire back wall? seeing through to the other side of the tank looks kinda plain. Any suggestions on how i can pep up my tank?


If you have lower light, Sagitaria subulata is good, Bacopa caroliniana, Hygrophila polysperma, stuff like that.. You can always mix and match too, if done in a natural looking way


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

you can also get those plastic things used for knitting i believe.. they have little squares on them..
Anyway, you can cut them out as big as the area you want to cover, lightly cover it with any moss, and put another over top of it, and gently staple the corners.
in a few months, you will have a moss wall.


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> you can also get those plastic things used for knitting i believe.. they have little squares on them..
> Anyway, you can cut them out as big as the area you want to cover, lightly cover it with any moss, and put another over top of it, and gently staple the corners.
> in a few months, you will have a moss wall.


A moss wall would kick the proverbial ass..

I do thing the sag would be a little on the short side depending on the height of the tank. Perhaps some giant vals.


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## benJii (Feb 17, 2005)

Man, that moss wall be hella awsome! I may think of trying that.

About the saggitaria, I have heard many times over that it looks like val, and can get quite large, but I have yet to see any above like 4". My big bed of it looks very similar to pygmy chain swords. Maybe I'm confused between different species (I apparently have 'Dwarf Sag').


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

I ahve Sag sab. and it maxes out around 12" most of my runners are having a hard time getting over 3" only the original parent plants are so tall. 
and pet stores often will mislabel Sag Stabula as dwarf sag. and it is not. I'm sure it goes vis versa as well. you really cant tell when they are still small.


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## therizman1 (Jan 6, 2006)

The moss thing looks awesome when done right... the best way I have seen was using two of those plastic mesh things people use for needle point, sandwhich the moss between it and then either stable or just use thread to hold it together... personally thread seems to be a better idea in my mind cause you can stitch the whole thing together that way and in all different directions across it to prevent the moss from moving when you put it in the water... then just tie a couple suction cups to it and suction cup it to the back your tank. I have seen some very nice looking tanks on the plant forums with similar things to this having been done... usually takes a good 2 months for it to look good, but many does it come out nice.


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## jesterx626 (Jul 27, 2005)

wow the moss wall sounds like a great idea. Might anyone have a pic of it?


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## benJii (Feb 17, 2005)

BlackSunshine420 said:


> I ahve Sag sab. and it maxes out around 12" most of my runners are having a hard time getting over 3" only the original parent plants are so tall.
> and pet stores often will mislabel Sag Stabula as dwarf sag. and it is not. I'm sure it goes vis versa as well. you really cant tell when they are still small.


Wow, I have never seen one over 4". I've had my bed for about 8 months and my largest one is about 3" or so.

'Stabula'?







I think you mean Subulata? Lol Stabula sounds like a horror movie. What is the scientific name of 'dwarf sag'?


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## therizman1 (Jan 6, 2006)

jesterx626 said:


> wow the moss wall sounds like a great idea. Might anyone have a pic of it?


http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumap...light=moss+wall

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumap...mp;d=1154500164

And the best link I found: http://www.killies.com/Mosswall.htm


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

BlackSunshine420 said:


> you can also get those plastic things used for knitting i believe.. they have little squares on them..
> Anyway, you can cut them out as big as the area you want to cover, lightly cover it with any moss, and put another over top of it, and gently staple the corners.
> in a few months, you will have a moss wall.


A moss wall would kick the proverbial ass..

I do thing the sag would be a little on the short side depending on the height of the tank. Perhaps some giant vals.
[/quote]
sag gets super tall, bent over on the top of my 75g


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## benJii (Feb 17, 2005)

Also, I would imagine that you would have to keep the moss trimmed short near the top, as it could cast a shadow over some of the ones near the bottom. I totally agree that it would look hella awsome. One thing I can say with java moss that I do not like, is that if you don't have a nice enough mechanical filteration, or you have too high of current it gets debris stuck in it, making it look very sickly.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Tibs said:


> Man, that moss wall be hella awsome! I may think of trying that.
> 
> About the saggitaria, I have heard many times over that it looks like val, and can get quite large, but I have yet to see any above like 4". My big bed of it looks very similar to pygmy chain swords. Maybe I'm confused between different species (I apparently have 'Dwarf Sag').


I will send you my pigmy chain sword that is about 10" tall, at least. And for sure, it is E tenellus.
Sag gets over 18" tall when it is grouped together, with high light, & CO2.



> pet stores often will mislabel Sag Stabula as dwarf sag. and it is not. I'm sure it goes vis versa as well. you really cant tell when they are still small.


true. I think there is no difference between dwarf sag and subulata


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## benJii (Feb 17, 2005)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> sag gets super tall, bent over on the top of my 75g


Got any pics Dippy? That sounds freakin awsome!

Wow, I will have to see how to work that monster into my scape then! So there is no different species, dwarf and reg. are just the same, except dwarf is applyed to the small ones?


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Tibs said:


> sag gets super tall, bent over on the top of my 75g


Got any pics Dippy? That sounds freakin awsome!

Wow, I will have to see how to work that monster into my scape then! So there is no different species, dwarf and reg. are just the same, except dwarf is applyed to the small ones?
[/quote]
You know Im sending you E tenellus, right? It's over 10" or so, most of it, simply because it grew so tightly together.. in lower light, it will mostly be ground cover









I got rid of the sag many moons ago, my compressus never saw it








I have to dig up an old pic of the sag, but I have picture proof, and you will see proof in the tenellus i will send ya.
I'm starting a new thread soon on my rescape im doing tonight, Im having fun.. waiting for the stuff to settle at the bottom at the moment.... I think Imma have some more plants to get rid of.. now real sure what and how much yet


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## benJii (Feb 17, 2005)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> You know Im sending you E tenellus, right? It's over 10" or so, most of it, simply because it grew so tightly together.. in lower light, it will mostly be ground cover
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Oh yeah, thats what I started it about.

You always have good scapes, looking forward to your latest work for inspiration. Lemme know what you'll have, I maybe interested, depends if I feel my tank is stocked enough after I get this shipment.

Hope you have more E Tenellus, I love that stuff!


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Here is the pic.. Mind you, the pygmy chain that I'm sending you is taller than that.. But I'm sending you mostly runners, so you will only get a couple of the tall ones

I only have the same plants, and the same rocks n driftwood.. plus I still want the hardscape on the right, so it will look close to my last scape, but a little different.. IDK, I'm not done yet lol ..I never know what I'm going to do at this point lol


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## jesterx626 (Jul 27, 2005)

therizman1 said:


> wow the moss wall sounds like a great idea. Might anyone have a pic of it?


http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumap...light=moss+wall

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumap...mp;d=1154500164

And the best link I found: http://www.killies.com/Mosswall.htm
[/quote]

wow, what type of moss is that in the 2nd website?


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

^^ that is either taiwan, or peacock moss i'm thinking


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## benJii (Feb 17, 2005)

Damn those are huge, hope they fit! Looks good, cannot wait.


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## therizman1 (Jan 6, 2006)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> ^^ that is either taiwan, or peacock moss i'm thinking


I am a huge fan of taiwan moss... I just love the way it looks.


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## jesterx626 (Jul 27, 2005)

i found another mosswall DIY for those that want it. This one seems more newb friendly and a bit more detailed. http://www.aquamoss.net/How%20to%20create%...moss%20wall.htm


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## Doddridge (Aug 7, 2006)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> you can also get those plastic things used for knitting i believe.. they have little squares on them..
> Anyway, you can cut them out as big as the area you want to cover, lightly cover it with any moss, and put another over top of it, and gently staple the corners.
> in a few months, you will have a moss wall.


any idea on the name of those knitting things. may want to get a moss wall going myself.


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

McD-Its just the plastic mesh used for needle work. you can find it at Michales or any crafts /fabric stores.

dip's I was under the impression that there were three different typs of sag. dward/Sab/giant. perhaps I'm wrong and it may be lables that are given at different heights of their lives. Perhaps the lack of CO2 in my main tank is what have kept it from growing tall. I have a couple in the 20 so we will see how they do there. 
I may also be a little confused as to what it is you had sent me.
There were some little plants I'm assuming that is the tellenus. I still need to plant those for now they are in the tub tank the betta used to call home. 
What were those bushy plants that you had sent me so much of? I had assumed that was the tellenus. but they are def not swords. 
also what was that single red swordish plant that was in there? Its doing well, one leaf died but two have grown back to replace it.

I'm thinking I might try a small moss patch with the mesh method. I still have a small amount left from what I didn't sell last week. But I aggree with Tibs on the stuffs uncanny ablity to collect crap. Thats the main reason I ripped it out of the main tank. too much water flow keeps it clean but also gives it the tendancy to get "airborne" then it just grows wild.

Tibs- you're going to love the plants Joe sends ya. I still have to post up a pic of the 20 and how well its doing now that I took care of most of the alage bloom I had. 
Watch your CO2 reactor once it starts to slow down you only get a couple more days out of it. then you need to be sure to refill or you will have problems with that alage.


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## jesterx626 (Jul 27, 2005)

McDoddridge said:


> you can also get those plastic things used for knitting i believe.. they have little squares on them..
> Anyway, you can cut them out as big as the area you want to cover, lightly cover it with any moss, and put another over top of it, and gently staple the corners.
> in a few months, you will have a moss wall.


any idea on the name of those knitting things. may want to get a moss wall going myself.
[/quote]

what you're talking about is i think called a knitting grid.


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## Malok (Mar 26, 2006)

the moss wall sounds awsome whould you need to take anyprecautions around filter intakes


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

just keep an eye for floaters and pull them before they get sucked up. 
With it all pinned between the mesh it shouldnt really go anywhere tho.

That Moss I sent you will be a great start to an awesome big wall. Did you receive it? I hope it arrived ok. I double bagged it just to be safe.


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## jesterx626 (Jul 27, 2005)

If i put a moss wall up, where would the powerfilter go? I imagine i would put it on the right side of the tank, on the farthest right glass. Or does the filter still stay wedged between the glass and the mesh in the back?


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## therizman1 (Jan 6, 2006)

jesterx626 said:


> If i put a moss wall up, where would the powerfilter go? I imagine i would put it on the right side of the tank, on the farthest right glass. Or does the filter still stay wedged between the glass and the mesh in the back?


Id imagine you could do it either way... just keep the moss out of the intake and you should be fine IMO.


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## BlackSunshine (Mar 28, 2006)

yeah. you cant put the intake behind the mesh or it will become totally uneffective. it will have to suck everything thru the mesh. Id not cover the WHOLE back and leave some area for the intake.


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