Melting MUs

[scang7]

was reading the thread posted by addie and wondered if the possible reasons of her melting MMs can be used to explain the melting condition seen in my MUs. Melting leaves are observed one day after i dosed about 6ml of Seachem Potassium to my existing tank. The MU has been in the tank for the last 2 weeks or so. Could the condition be due to the "changing" of leaves from emersed to submerged? (got them from teo)

Some parameters of tank.
KH 4
GH 6
PH 6.8
NO3 abt 20-25

Thanks...

[David]

Hi scang7

There should be new submersed leaf formation at the node tips and some on the side nodes as well....look at the bottom part of the plant as well. Is the stem melting? If yes, remove cut and replant.

[naturetan]

Unlike you, I've experience MU melting due to K deficiency. Plant brought from Teo emmersed. After dosing with 30ppm of K2SO4, the plant stopped melting and revived within a few days.

[scang7]

hmm... weird.

maybe dosing the potassium awoken the MUs to the knowledge of the lack of K. []

see how things turn out to be by this weekend...

maybe the shade from the other plants causing this prob?

[Plantbrain]

Forgive the question but what are MM and MU or more precisely, what do they stand for?
Regards,
TomBarr

[vinz]

MU = Micranthemum umbrosum
MM = Micranthemum micranthemoides. Somehow, a lot of ppl here are still stuck calling it MM when it should be Hemianthus micranthemoides. Probably due to older magazines and un-updated Internet literature (such as Dennerle).

[naturetan]

MU reqiures generous amount of light to grow well, same as MM. Besides, not only K, if any of the macro-nutrient is deficient, like N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S and CO2, plant can stunt in growth, have problem with absorbing other nutrients and begins to rot.

Vincent, the oriental aquarium plant handbook indicate it's MM, also nickname as HM. So not sure whether which is the appropriate name to call, since both are acceptable from the catalog. Is MM the wrong scientific name?

[vinz]

From what I've read sometime ago, Hemianthus is the new name. Some of the better/updated websites acknowledge both names or bring attention to the fact there is a different name.