# Planted Tanks > Plant Talk >  How do you trim Monte Carlo?

## cheeboonyong

Hi,

the monte carlo grows really well in my tank. I let it grow out by itself without trimming and it can grow to a thickness of almost 3-4 cm thick.

However, eventually, the undergrowth will die due to light cut-off and eventually, the whole carpet will lose its grip on the gravel. The carpet will start to "float" off the gravel.

Just wondering how everyone trims their carpet? 

Do you trip off the top layer? Or do you remove the whole carpet and replant the runners again? Just want to understand if anyone has any good ideas on how best to do this, with minimal maintenance.

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## Urban Aquaria

You should regularly trim the monte carlo down to 1 cm height regularly... i usually do regular trimming on my plants when they hit around 2-3cm height (while the bottoms are still healthy and green), otherwise if they grow too tall the bottom layers start to brown and can't be saved, then i have to pull out the rotting bottoms and replant the the healthy tops, becomes a huge hassle.

Here is a video that shows the process (pretty much the same as trimming most other carpet plants):




Source: Antonio Nunes

Yeah, these type of carpet plants look nice but need constant maintenance and can be quite messy during trimming work.  :Grin:

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## chazrt

Yups,, thats what i do for my monte carlo as well. Exactly as in the video. I think I trim every 2 months or so. No issues with growth.

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## mUAr_cHEe

UA, do you also play such cool music while you trim your monte carlo?  :Razz:

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## Ingen

Sometimes I wonder how it works in the wild where there's nobody to do the trimming?

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## cheeboonyong

> Sometimes I wonder how it works in the wild where there's nobody to do the trimming?


It grows thick because it's constrained by the glass. If there's no space limit in the wild, I believe it'll just continue to grow sideways

My guess...not fact :-)

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## Urban Aquaria

I agree too... in the wild these plants have way more space to grow outdoors, so they can focus on spreading out in a wider and thinner layered carpet over larger areas to utilize the sunlight efficiently.

The fact that they grow emersed in the wild also helps, since they are not underwater, they wouldn't just float up even if the bottoms melt.

I noticed for my monte carlo grown in outdoor containers emersed, even when they grow in dense layers, the old bottom layers which eventually brown and melt just break down into compost on the soil, while the layers on top still continue growing.  :Smile:

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## chue76

thanks for the video, i was just beginning to wonder Bout how to trim too

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## Urban Aquaria

> UA, do you also play such cool music while you trim your monte carlo?


Good idea... should blast chill-out muzak in the background when doing tank maintenance, not so boring.  :Laughing:

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