Dwarf Baby Tears

[ScottKelly911]

Hi Everyone, I'm brand new to the site. I actually found it on Google when I was looking up some info on a new plant that I got today, Hygrophila Kompact. I'm impressed with the knowledge and setup of the site and look forward to posting. Anyway, I've got a 50 gallon tank with a 36" Coralife T5 Light (2 bulbs, 1 10,000K and 1 Actinic), a 150-watt HQI 14,000K Metal Halide (can you tell this used to be a saltwater reef tank? lol). I'm using Black Florite sand as my substrate but don't have a CO2 unit yet. I'd really like to have a carpet of Dwarf Baby Tears but haven't had good luck with them so I wanted to get some opinions. First and formost, do I need to run CO2 to keep them alive? Second, I kept taking mine out of the planted pots and would plant them using plant weights, is this ok? I always take my plants out of the pots because of a bad experience a few years ago when the fibers started coming out of the pots and clogged up my filters. Would I be better off keeping them in the pots and just making sure that they're very well submerged under the substrate? I just really want a carpet of Dwarf Baby Tears and will do whatever's necessary. Thanks for any help that you guys can provide!
~Scott

[Tsunami35]

Dwarf baby tears, or Hemianthus callitrichoides (HC) as they're normally referred to, are somewhat light demanding and could definately benefit from co2. If your light isnt bright enough, it will have a hard time reaching down to the substrate where hc grows.

Im also using black flourite sand, and right now I just push the hc into the sand a little, then try not to disturb it until roots come in.

You have plenty of light for your tank, but you will want to invest in new bulbs using a spectrum more suitable for plants (6700k-10000k). With the amount of light you have you really should look into co2, and also make sure you dose micro/macro ferts.

[ScottKelly911]

Thanks for the reply Tsunami. Maybe this weekend I'll change out my T-5 actinic for a 6,700K bulb and my 14,000K Metal Halide to a 10,000K. I'm trying to avoid getting a co2 unit for now due to the cost, however, I know it'll happen eventually. I was just hoping that I could get HC growing really well without it, perhaps it was just wishful thinking lol. I just started using SeaChem Flourish as my ferts, so hopefully my plants will perk up a bit. They've all been doing well without it with the exception of everytime I've tried HC. Anyone having luck with HC without the aid of co2? If so, what's your magic?
~Scott

[Tsunami35]

you should be able to grow it without co2, the main issue is that with a lot of light, which you have, you also need a lot of co2 and a lot of fertilizers because the light speeds up plant growth. Maybe until you get the co2 just run the metal halide. Also, use seachem excel to supplement for co2. Until you get the money for pressurized co2, also consider running a couple of 2 liter yeast fermentation bottles.