MC doing badly after trim

**Zep** · 11th Apr 2016, 19:51

Hi guys, I recently did quite a big trim on my MC carpet. Took off about half the thickness. 3 weeks on and large patches are turning yellow and melting. Everyday I come back from work and have to scoop up a lot of melted floating leaves and stalks. But there are some patches of new green.

Before the trim the MC was very lush and thick. All the other plants are doing well after the trim execpe the MC. Although I do notice some yellowing for my ranunculus.

Yellowing patches

New green patches

My tank is a 2ft tank running on about 1.5bps of pressurized CO2. I dose the entire range of seachem flourish ferts according to the recommended dosing regime. And the tank is about 3 months old.

Any experts can advise on what is wrong with the MC? And how can I save it? Or I need to rip it all out and re-Do the carpet.

Rgds
Z

**Ingen** · 14th Apr 2016, 09:42

Never had MC but HC behave similarly after trimming and will grow more bushy after each trim.

**Zep** · 14th Apr 2016, 14:12

Hi Ingen, roughly how long does it take for your HC to recover? My MC seems to be getting worse by the day. Feels sad to see a lush garden slowly yellowing and browning.

**Ingen** · 14th Apr 2016, 14:43

Is this the first time you trimmed your MC? You will get used to it after afew more trim haha. It may take a while for them to reach the lush thick growth, but if all else stay the same, there is no reason why they wont be growing.

For HC trimming is a must for most, there were exceptional few that managed to grow HC to incredible thickness without the bottom dying off. I reckon it would be the same for MC where trimming has to be done eventually, probably can consider trimming it more regularly in future to avoid the bottom part from yellowing or melting off, also wont notice the vast difference as compared to trimming when it gets too thick.

**Zep** · 14th Apr 2016, 15:02

Yes, this is the first time I trimmed. May have put it off too long before trimming that's probably why.

It's been about 3 weeks since my trim and the MC is still getting worse by the day. Will probably wait maybe a week more and see how it goes. Thinking of Pulling them out and re-doing the carpet also headache. Haha.

Thanks Ingen for your advice.

**Zep** · 14th Apr 2016, 15:05

By the way, if things really go bad and I want to re-do a carpet with the least trimming required, what would you recommend? I was thinking eleocharis acicularis 'mini'.

**Ingen** · 14th Apr 2016, 15:13

Originally Posted by Zep

By the way, if things really go bad and I want to re-do a carpet with the least trimming required, what would you recommend? I was thinking eleocharis acicularis 'mini'.

Yes that's what I'm using now (lazy to do trimming and clean up after) after working with HC for the past three set up. UA did a post on his tank with Eleocharis mini and he never had to trim it ever.

**Zep** · 14th Apr 2016, 15:31

Great to hear that. Then this is what I am going to use if I have to re-carpet.

Any issue in doing major planting and poking holes in the substrate with fishes and shrimps in? I am using Ada Amazonia and was thinking whether this will release a lot of ammonia or other toxic stuff into the task during the planting.

**Zep** · 22nd Apr 2016, 19:44

Just an update. Mc is starting to green up. Although some bald patches remains

There is a layer of brown mc below the green though. Should I just leave it? I can't think of how to remove it without affecting the top green healthy growth. Any advice?

**fireblade** · 23rd Apr 2016, 09:20

hi,

your MC will flourish again... I recently trimmed mine also and they started to show yellow and black without CO2.. because my CO2 ran out. after injecting CO2, it looks green and nice again.. think you have to give it some time to grow back.