Carpet for marine aquarium?

[HamMan6789]

Hey everyone! First time posting but I've used this site to find many answers in the past and I'm hoping someone can help me with my question.

I have a 5gal tank that I've previously only used for freshwater, but for my next project I'd like to start a simple, planted (no coral) marine tank with a handful of inverts (basically a decorative refugium). However when I look up inspiration nothing seems to have a carpet like aquascaped freshwater tanks usually do. The bare sand look can be nice but I always think the more plants the better.

I've been completely unable to find good advice about what I should use as a carpet. I had dwarf hairgrass in my freshwater aquarium and something simple/grassy like that would be nice, but I'm open to just about anything. Or if this is just a fool's errand please let me know!!

Any other tips/advice for a heavily planted marine tank would be appreciated as it seems to be a fairly niche interest.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Hey everyone! First time posting but I've used this site to find many answers in the past and I'm hoping someone can help me with my question.

I have a 5gal tank that I've previously only used for freshwater, but for my next project I'd like to start a simple, planted (no coral) marine tank with a handful of inverts (basically a decorative refugium). However when I look up inspiration nothing seems to have a carpet like aquascaped freshwater tanks usually do. The bare sand look can be nice but I always think the more plants the better.

I've been completely unable to find good advice about what I should use as a carpet. I had dwarf hairgrass in my freshwater aquarium and something simple/grassy like that would be nice, but I'm open to just about anything. Or if this is just a fool's errand please let me know!!

Any other tips/advice for a heavily planted marine tank would be appreciated as it seems to be a fairly niche interest.

I for such a small tank you would need scale, personally the best option in your case would actually be a coral called green star polyps, other options would be maiden hair algae. Green star polyps aka GSP will grow on the sand bed for maiden hair algae you will need some sort of ceramic tiles to Grow as they prefer hard surfaces like rock work to grow.

for both you will need to start from the edges of the aquarium as it will grow towards the light.

Edit:
If you had a larger system then sea grass or caleurpa prolifera would do a good mimic of the sea bed.

 

[ying yang]

Also @WheatToast is into macro algae tanks maybe he has some good ideas like sixtyreefer

 

[NanoJHB]

I second the GSP. Easy fast grower and the closest thing you'll find to a carpet in that sized tank

 

[Subsea]

For a contrast in texture & color, consider Gracilaria Hayi. The contrast of red & green works for me. I use 6500 Kevin in my macro tanks

55G double decker:
on top is 1yr old ornamental seaweed mixed garden lagoon tank.

on bottom is 1 month old monoculture of Gracilaria Parvispor, Red Ogo.

I also like Bortacladia, Red Grapes. It is a deepwater macro that is collected in 30’ - 120’ of water. When I get it from the divers in is a rich burgundy. As it is subjected to more light it will show fire engine red and if subjected to intense light it takes on a yellow/orange color.

Marine Plants in the Aquarium

macroalgae, marine plants, caulerpa, refugium substrate, marine macroalgae for sale

www.marineplantbook.com

Marine Plants in the Aquarium

macroalgae, marine plants, caulerpa, refugium substrate, marine macroalgae for sale

www.marineplantbook.com

 

[Subsea]

@HamMan6789
Welcome to r2r.

For substrate, I highly recommend you get aroggonite as its solubility in water will assist you with alkalinity and trace mineral addittion. Photosynthesis brings the inorganic and the organic world together as carbon dioxide combines with water to make Bicarbonate alkalinity which becomes glucose, which is organic carbon. Consider getting some diver collected live rock to bring in interesting inverts as well as micro fauna & fana to inoculate your system.

 

[HamMan6789]

I for such a small tank you would need scale, personally the best option in your case would actually be a coral called green star polyps, other options would be maiden hair algae. Green star polyps aka GSP will grow on the sand bed for maiden hair algae you will need some sort of ceramic tiles to Grow as they prefer hard surfaces like rock work to grow.

for both you will need to start from the edges of the aquarium as it will grow towards the light.

Edit:
If you had a larger system then sea grass or caleurpa prolifera would do a good mimic of the sea bed.

Thank you for the advice! I'll look more into GSP -- I didn't realize it could grow on a sand bed. I'm going to throw in some driftwood as well, it'll be interesting to see if they take it over.

I looked into sea grass a bit. You think a 5gal wouldn't be big enough? Is it an issue of water flow or depth of substrate?

I second the GSP. Easy fast grower and the closest thing you'll find to a carpet in that sized tank

Perfect!

For a contrast in texture & color, consider Gracilaria Hayi. The contrast of red & green works for me. I use 6500 Kevin in my macro tanks

55G double decker:
on top is 1yr old ornamental seaweed mixed garden lagoon tank.

on bottom is 1 month old monoculture of Gracilaria Parvispor, Red Ogo.

I also like Bortacladia, Red Grapes. It is a deepwater macro that is collected in 30’ - 120’ of water. When I get it from the divers in is a rich burgundy. As it is subjected to more light it will show fire engine red and if subjected to intense light it takes on a yellow/orange color.

Marine Plants in the Aquarium

macroalgae, marine plants, caulerpa, refugium substrate, marine macroalgae for sale

www.marineplantbook.com

Marine Plants in the Aquarium

macroalgae, marine plants, caulerpa, refugium substrate, marine macroalgae for sale

www.marineplantbook.com

Beautiful tanks! Looks like you're rocking some GSP as well if I'm not mistaken.

Live rock is definitely on the shopping list.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Thank you for the advice! I'll look more into GSP -- I didn't realize it could grow on a sand bed. I'm going to throw in some driftwood as well, it'll be interesting to see if they take it over.

I looked into sea grass a bit. You think a 5gal wouldn't be big enough? Is it an issue of water flow or depth of substrate?

It’s more to do with scale for what you described in the original post, most seagrass available to the hobby today grow fairly tall and also would need the DSB