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How to grow micranthemum tweediei "Monte carlo"
Introduction
Micranthemum tweediei "Monte carlo" is popular carpet plant in the aquarium hobby. Its bright green leaves and tight creeping patterns makes it one of the most popular carpeting plants out there. While it is a rather tough plant and adapts to a wide range of growth conditions, it does best in CO2 injected tanks. Regular fertilization and stable parameters are important for long term health.
Monte carlo is best planted in small bunches or single strands. Large bunches have the tendency to float once the plant starts pearling due to photosynthesis. The plant needs to root properly to have a nice carpeting form - this is very closely tied to good planting technique. Monte carlo strands must be planted firmly in the substrate for the plant to grow flat on the substrate rather than upwards. Using smaller clumps and planting individual strands gives a more even carpet that roots well. Planting in clumps that are too large tends to lead to the Monte carlo dislodging from the substrate easily and floating.
It can grow in both acidic and more alkaline water, pH 5.0-8.5, and it tolerant of hard water. It does not require a lot of light if CO2 is ample, and grows well in the 50-60 PAR range. However, in non CO2 injected tanks, it has higher success rates with higher light levels, 100+ PAR range.
Having adequate light (at least 50-60umols of PAR) and adequate CO2 also encourages creeping growth to form.
Its bright green leaves contrast well with other coloured plants. It can also be glued onto hardscape, where its roots will attach to after some time.
With CO2 injection and higher light levels (100 umols of PAR), Monte carlo spreads quickly in aquariums. The carpet in the example below took around 2 months to fill in fully.
Solving algae issues with Monte carlo
It is more common than not for freshly planted plants to go through an adaptation phase. When this occurs, plants produces new leaves that are adapted to the new tank environment - these leaves will be healthy and algae free. The plants will often simultaneously abandon and stop defending older leaves, these portions of older growth attracts algae. It is common therefore to see a mix where new leaves are algae free, while old growth is attacked by algae. The solution to this is to remove as much as the old growth as possible, and allow the new algae free growth to spread. Old plant growth can never heal fully to be as robust and algae resistant as new plant growth - the plants can only generate new growth to replace the old.
Removal of old growth is done by cutting and picking off older portions of the Monte carlo carpet - especially portions that are badly affected by algae. This can be done with scissors and tweezers. This is where it takes effort and time to get a well grown in carpet.
Monte carlo is an aggressive grower, so even old algae infected portions will be covered up with new growth if the old growth was not removed. However, this may give rise to algae problems down the road, as the older growth continues to deteriorate under new leaves. This can result in stressed new top growth, that then starts to attract algae.
Key success factors:
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While Monte carlo can grow in some non CO2 injected tanks, the success rates are not high. Its success rates are very high once CO2 injection is utilized.
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50-60umols of PAR in CO2 injected tanks. 100+ umols of PAR in non CO2 injected tanks give higher success rates.
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Good planting technique makes a huge impact on getting an even carpet. Plant in as small clumps as you can handle.
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Having a stable tank that is biologically matured sustains older growth in good form and prevent algae.
Trimming and propagation
It takes awhile for the plant to get established when first planted. Tanks should avoid adding animals that disturb the substrate layer when first planting Monte carlo. Once the plant has rooted and established, it spreads at good speed. Individual strands can be cut and replanted in other areas.
Monte carlo grows into dense mats over time. Due to its tough nature, such mats can keep growing on top of itself for a long time without deteriorating. Eventually the bottoms will deteriorate and the mat may detach from the substrate. Aquarists have two choices: either trim regularly to keep the carpet thin, or leave it to thicken over time, and do a large replanting cycle when the carpet no longer grows healthy top growth because it is too thick. In Monte carlo's case, taking the second option is reasonable as it can grow a very long time without much trimming - just forming a thicker and thicker mat. It may be a time saver to do a big replanting after many months, than to do smaller trimmings every couple of weeks.
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