# Planted Tanks > Beginners' Corner >  Monte Carlo growth

## angus

Hi,
I understand that MOnte Carlo is the easier/easiest fore ground plant to grow. 
I think they are relatively easy to grow. However, my monte Carlo growth have these problems:
1. growth has been very slow. The pix just taken shows growth after 6 months. 
2. The Monte carlo seems to be lifting off/up rooting in masses after 6 months. 
I use CO2 with daily lights of 5 hours, with LushGro and OceanFree root monster tabs. 
Can Monte carlo only grow using powder soil? 
what's wrong?

----------


## Urban Aquaria

Maybe increase your light photoperiod to 8-9 hours? Plant photosynthesis and their resulting growth speed depends on light, when there is no light, they are not growing... so light duration is the main growth limitation in your current setup. If you have a shorter period of light availability, the plants will also grow at a slower pace.

----------


## IrvineChen

Hmm.. if for 6 month... the monte carlo will be already cover your whole tank... I have grow monte carlo floating in the water.. and they continue to spread pretty fast... so doubt you will need powder soil.. Maybe increase the light period as UA mention.. good luck..

----------


## harryxing

> Hmm.. if for 6 month... the monte carlo will be already cover your whole tank... I have grow monte carlo floating in the water.. and they continue to spread pretty fast... so doubt you will need powder soil.. Maybe increase the light period as UA mention.. good luck..


Hi I'm very curious how does your monte carlo spread floating in water. Because I'm doing the same thing and want to see how it looks like

----------


## IrvineChen

It will float around and gush down by the filter and clings onto the hornwort.. then it grow from there.. I try to take a photo tonight.. I did not purposely left then floating. Just after trimming lazy to pick everything up and let some left behind... haha

----------


## angus

I do not think my Monte Carlo are dying. They may be growing at a slower pace. But why are they floating and uprooting with fresh white roots ?

----------


## Urban Aquaria

> I do not think my Monte Carlo are dying. They may be growing at a slower pace. But why are they floating and uprooting with fresh white roots ?


Are that any livestock in the tank like shrimps or bottom feeders which may be uprooting the plants?

Probably due to the much slower pace of plant growth, the MC are also not growing longer new roots quick enough to secure themselves properly into the substrate, so the chances of them floating up is higher. 

Larger grain soil also tends to provide less "grip" too, compared to smaller grain soil, that's one of the reasons why people like to use ADA powder-type aquasoil for smaller carpet plants like HC or MC, it makes planting and keeping them rooted easier.

----------


## mpohlc

uploadfromtaptalk1429709551089.jpg

Sorry to borrow your post, but since it's also regarding monte carlo :X

Can anyone identify why the plant is turning transparent ? Some turn yellow as if it's dying out. Initially the plant was growing well then suddenly turned "transparent"

----------


## harryxing

> uploadfromtaptalk1429709551089.jpg
> 
> Sorry to borrow your post, but since it's also regarding monte carlo :X
> 
> Can anyone identify why the plant is turning transparent ? Some turn yellow as if it's dying out. Initially the plant was growing well then suddenly turned "transparent"


How long has the monte carlo been in the tank?

----------


## mpohlc

3 weeks. It was growing well but suddenly a change. I reduced my co2 injecting at week 2. I planted it with only 4 leaves per stem initially and it had grown and branched out well until now

----------


## Urban Aquaria

> 3 weeks. It was growing well but suddenly a change. I reduced my co2 injecting at week 2. I planted it with only 4 leaves per stem initially and it had grown and branched out well until now


Most likely nutrient deficiency, you can check this chart for some reference:



Source: http://infographics.myaquacalc.com/?p=333

----------


## mpohlc

But the soil is all new I believe it should have sufficient nutrients for more than at least a month ?

----------


## Urban Aquaria

> But the soil is all new I believe it should have sufficient nutrients for more than at least a month ?


Whats the brand of soil you are using?

----------


## mpohlc

Ada amazonia

----------


## Urban Aquaria

> Ada amazonia


Yeah, that soil should usually supply ample nutrients during the initial grow-out period, though specific nutrients could still be used up earlier... i guess it could be a shortage of certain nutrients, like potassium or iron.

Perhaps you can try dosing a general fertilizer mix to further support the plant growth, like Seachem Flourish or Tropica Premium or ADA Step 1 or 2.

----------


## mpohlc

Thanks UA! Will give it a try and update here again  :Very Happy:

----------


## Shadow

with ADA amazonia, you still need to dose P and K. Especially K because it have zero in it.

----------


## mpohlc

I bought LUSHGro Aqua and dose as recommended as well as LUSHGro Micro. It has been 6 days and no signs of improvement on transparency of the leaves  :Sad:  

I also added a water pump to improve circulation and flow + CO2 injection of ~1.5 bubbles per second. 

tank size 40cm * 18 * 20

Should I just wait?

----------


## Urban Aquaria

> I bought LUSHGro Aqua and dose as recommended as well as LUSHGro Micro. It has been 6 days and no signs of improvement on transparency of the leaves  
> 
> I also added a water pump to improve circulation and flow + CO2 injection of ~1.5 bubbles per second. 
> 
> tank size 40cm * 18 * 20
> 
> Should I just wait?


The transparent leaves are already considered melted and gone... grown plant leaves don't heal themselves. You should remove those to encourage new healthier growth.

You will need to observe the new leaf growth to see the effects of improved nutrient availabilty.

Have you increased your light photoperiod? Because if you still stick with your short photoperiod the overall growth rate will be slowed down by the short duration of light, which affects photosynthesis and plant development. You'll have to wait much longer to see any results.

----------

