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Hairgrass carpet a mess



I've been growing in a carpet of Dwarf Hairgrass (Eleocharis acicularis) 
for several months. The carpet is nicely established, and I've been 
relatively successful getting it to go where I want.

But it's a mess. Mulm collects in it, making it look like a dirty carpet. 
Small bits of algae crop up in different areas.

I have a lot of bottom feeders in the 72 gallon tank: 8 cories, 4 
ancistrus, 3 SAE, 5+ ottos, 3 loaches. They poke and explore through the 
grass, but don't disturb it very often. It's not food that's collecting 
down there-it's fish poop and plant detritus.

I don't vacuum my gravel (Flourite), but lately I've been lightly sucking 
the junk out of the hairgrass without disturbing the gravel. This is made 
easier because the hairgrass roots hold the gravel down. But it's still a 
mess. Without the hairgrass, the Flourite looks pretty good-the mulm sinks 
in or gets sucked up by the filter.

I've also tried various circulation patterns with the filter. I am 
considering buying a larger cannister filter to get stronger water flow 
along the bottom-it's almost stagnant at the bottom now-all the circulation 
is at the mid levels. My idea was to put the intake way down low, and 
direct the outflow down low from the other end. I suppose I could achieve 
the same with a power head.

What do other people with thick carpets do?

Thanks!