Propagate monte carlo

[VanDogh]

I want to propagate the monte carlo plant. But I am a scaredy-cat and scared of messing with CO2 injectors. Now my Monte carlo plant happen to grow extremly slow and I am a bit impatient....  

I was thinking of growing it in a small plastic container such as a lunch box, with a nutrient-rich substrate and put it under an aquarium lamp. Another thread gave me the idea but... would it okay, or even make any difference, if I filled the small box with store-bought, carbonated water? How much should I use and how often should I refill, if it even works?

Edited June 30 by VanDogh

[Fish Folk]

I would stay away from the carbonated water CO2 idea. I am not sure that is a form plants can uptake.

I recommend a strong light — or two lights, with a heavily planted context. Add Easy Green or similar regularly. Use airstones to keep up dissolved atmospheric gasses.

Use a passive CO2 if you want to gently try a safe and easy option.

[VanDogh]

I see! I thought airstones remove CO2 from water? What is a passive CO2?

It's almost been 2 months and I can't even see the tiniest growth, they almost appear smaller than before.

Edited July 1 by VanDogh

[daggaz]

Carbonated water is just CO2 dissolved in water.  Plants can definitely absorb it.  How long it would remain at a high concentration in your setup, I couldn't tell you. 

The dry cycling method does what you want: set up a new tank, plant a slow growing carpet, fill only to the lowest level of substrate, let the plants establish themselves with leaves in air for max co2, flood once carpet is full and roots are well established. 

Edited July 1 by daggaz
Typod air

[VanDogh]

Would the dry cycling method involve filling the tank with a bit of water?

On 7/1/2024 at 5:28 AM, daggaz said:

let the plants establish themselves with leaves in sir for max co2

What do you mean by this?

[Lonkley]

On 6/30/2024 at 8:56 PM, VanDogh said:

Would the dry cycling method involve filling the tank with a bit of water?

On 6/30/2024 at 8:28 PM, daggaz said:

let the plants establish themselves with leaves in sir for max co2

What do you mean by this?

It's a typo. Leaves in the air. So it absorbs CO2 from the air. The water level just fills the substrate and you cover to keep humid. Once it spreads and the roots have taken hold you can flood the tank.

Fish tanks are an exercise in patience. Everything takes time and doing things quickly are more likely to cause problems. 

Also carbonated water would plummet the ph to deadly levels and wouldn't last long. Think how long a coke stays fizzy. An air stone would speed that up because it encourages has exchange. That's why we use them. To return air to water for the fish from surface agitation.

[daggaz]

Thanks. Wasxavtypo. 😄

pH in carbonated water depends on the level of carbonation. Most brands aren't too harsh, you can definitely use it without harming the plants (see reverse respiration) tho you'll want to check and see if it gets it low enough to interfere with cycling.  

I wouldn't bother, my point was that dry cycling is going to be more than enough CO2. 

Edited July 1 by daggaz

[VanDogh]

On 7/1/2024 at 8:02 AM, Lonkley said:

It's a typo. Leaves in the air. So it absorbs CO2 from the air. The water level just fills the substrate and you cover to keep humid. Once it spreads and the roots have taken hold you can flood the tank.

Thank you for the clarification! Will the CO2 in the air still reach the plants even if I cover with some plastic cling foil?

 

On 7/1/2024 at 8:02 AM, Lonkley said:

Fish tanks are an exercise in patience. Everything takes time and doing things quickly are more likely to cause problems. 

Yes I understand, the thing is, I needed my carpet plant to grow more so that I could introduce my corydoras or else they would rip them up again 🥲 and I have already waited 2 months to introduce them plus all the cycling. I am also a bit scared to wait too long because they are getting older and my plan is to breed them.

But yeah my suspiciouns were true my carpet have not grown anything, not even an inch, during these 2 months. It was almost dying and roots were melting. They were planted in a sand substrate with root tabs but I moved them now to a separate container with a nutrient-rich substrate that I just bought a few days ago. It is filled with water with liquid fertilizer but maybe CO2 from air is more important, or what do you think?

 

On 7/1/2024 at 8:02 AM, Lonkley said:

An air stone would speed that up because it encourages has exchange. That's why we use them. To return air to water for the fish from surface agitation

I am sorry I don't understand 😞 What do you mean? 

On 7/1/2024 at 8:15 AM, daggaz said:

I wouldn't bother, my point was that dry cycling is going to be more than enough CO2. 

Would you say dry cycling is even more important than liquid fertilizer?

[VanDogh]

My poor monte carlo plant

My poor monte carlo plant

[Rube_Goldfish]

Can Monte Carlo be floated for a while the way some stems can? Get it closer to the light and let some length on the roots before planting?