Monte Carlo growing upwards

[kermit13sg]

Hi, I've CO2 and in EI dosing but Monte Carlo growing upwards. Light on for 3 hours off for one then on for another 3. Any idea why


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[DreamerX5521]

Seems like you have low power lighting. But it will be useful if you can state ur equipment setup.


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[kermit13sg]

Hmm... Sorry what other info should I give. They were growing well in my 1.5'. Then I upgrade and transported them. Didn't grow so I planted new ones.. Are these Monte Carlo in the first place, looks huge.


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[Urban Aquaria]

Maybe not enough light or Co2, since the nutrient levels should be sufficient with EI dosing.

Did the plants come in a tray or pots? If in pots, it could also be possible that they are Hemianthus micranthemoides (aka HM) instead, when in emersed form those plants look abit like MC with rounded leaves, but they grow tall as background stem plants and convert to submersed form with thin green leaves. I guess you'll just have to monitor its growth and see.

You can refer to this description page from Tropica website, they show the emersed form in pot and submersed form in an aquarium: http://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/4476/4476

[kermit13sg]

Hi Urban

They came in a tray, bought one from Seaview one from sun pets. Shall I increase duration of lights?


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[kermit13sg]

CO2 indicator shows green


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[Urban Aquaria]

Can try increasing the light duration, along with increasing the Co2 to match too. See if it helps... though have to be abit more careful since you have livestock in the tank.

Since the plants are getting abit tall, trim them and replant the trimmed parts to fill in the gaps, that will help improve coverage and also even out the carpet height.

Btw, is your current tank the same height as your previous 1.5ft tank?

[kermit13sg]

Ok I try, thanks


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[kermit13sg]

Can try increasing the light duration, along with increasing the Co2 to match too. See if it helps... though have to be abit more careful since you have livestock in the tank.

Since the plants are getting abit tall, trim them and replant the trimmed parts to fill in the gaps, that will help improve coverage and also even out the carpet height.

Btw, is your current tank the same height as your previous 1.5ft tank?

Slightly higher. i find it strange too cause the glass are full of green algae, so it cannot be light insufficient right? I bought a new LED light when i upgraded to 2' tank.

[kermit13sg]

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[Urban Aquaria]

Yeah, thats is the thing with light, it shines on all surfaces of the tank and algae will tend to grow on any available surfaces exposed to it (ie. tank glass, hardscape, slow growing/weak plants etc). Alot of those surfaces are much closer to the lights too, while in comparison your MC are much further away from the light on the substrate, so its possible that there isn't as much light reaching the plants lower down in the tank, yet there is enough light to grow lots of algae everywhere else.

Its a delicate balance to get light down to the plants that need it, yet not too much light that it encourage algae growth instead. You just have to keep removing the algae and concentrate on growing out the plants (or add more fast growing plants), help to shift the advantage away from algae and back to the plants. Once the plants grow out in density and start to use up more of the Co2, light and nutrients, they will eventually start out-competing the algae.

[kermit13sg]

Hi Urban

Thank you very much, that pretty much explains it. Tomorrow is water change day, I will scrap algae off and snip off the tall monte..poke them back into soil again. You think i should go back to 4 hr on 1hr off 4 hr on light regime?


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[Urban Aquaria]

Well, the walstad style "siesta regimen" is mainly for low-tech non-Co2 injected tanks to help naturally replenish the limited low levels of Co2 in between split photoperiods.

But since you already have Co2 injection, just go for a straight 8 hour light photoperiod, can power continuous plant growth all the way though with the ample Co2 supply... not necessary to have a break in-between.

[kermit13sg]

Cool


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[ymk87]

Hi kermit the plants do indeed look like mc. I have a friend who bought a tub of mc ended up with half mc and half hm. Both look similar when small but as weeks went by we noticed the plant growing higher and higher until we realised it was hm.
I hope this helps lol!

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[kermit13sg]

Oh man


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[kermit13sg]

Hi kermit the plants do indeed look like mc. I have a friend who bought a tub of mc ended up with half mc and half hm. Both look similar when small but as weeks went by we noticed the plant growing higher and higher until we realised it was hm.
I hope this helps lol!

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The leaves of the plant growing upwards seem a little too big to be HC.


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