Roundleaf toothcup
Rotala rotundifolia
🐟Aquarium fish safe
High-tech planted aquarium
Aquascape with CO₂ and carpets
Strong light, CO₂ injection, daily fertiliser: fast growth, dense carpets, colourful stem plants – everything must stay balanced.
☀️LightStrong LED, 7–8 h
💧Humidity—
🌡️Temperature22–25 °C
🪴Water & substrateCO₂ 25–30 mg/l, daily macro/micro dosing, 50% weekly water change
Build
Step by step
Plants + CO₂
Hardscape: stone (Iwagumi) or wood
Active substrate (aquasoil)
- 1
Aquasoil 8–10 cm at the back, 3–4 cm at the front – the slope adds depth.
- 2
Hardscape by the golden ratio; photograph from several angles before planting.
- 3
Plant via dry start or in shallow water with tweezers, in small portions.
- 4
CO₂ via diffuser, bubble counter and drop checker (green = good).
- 5
First 4 weeks: 2–3 water changes per week, shorter photoperiod (6 h).
Plant list
What to plant
Background
Creeping primrose-willow
Ludwigia repens
🐟Aquarium fish safe
Foreground
Downoi
Pogostemon helferi
🐟Aquarium fish safe
Staurogyne
Staurogyne repens
🐟Aquarium fish safe
Carpet / ground cover
Dwarf baby tears
Hemianthus callitrichoides
🐟Aquarium fish safe
Glosso
Glossostigma elatinoides
🐟Aquarium fish safe
Dwarf hairgrass
Eleocharis acicularis
🐟Aquarium fish safe
Epiphyte (on wood, rock)
Bucephalandra
Bucephalandra
🐟Aquarium fish safe
Accent
Scarlet temple
Alternanthera reineckii
🐟Aquarium fish safe
⚠️ Common mistakes
- CO₂ running at night – fish can suffocate; use a solenoid.
- Light/nutrient imbalance → algae explosion.
- Infrequent trimming – lower parts die off.
Member setups
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