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I tried growing Monte Carlo in my low-tech tank, but it just melted away. I had decent lighting, no CO2, and root tabs. What's your biggest plant fail?

My Dwarf Hairgrass never took off. I used ADA Aqua Soil, kept the tank at 78°F, and had a Finnex Planted+ light. Still, it just turned brown and died within weeks.

I totally messed up with Amazon Swords. Thought they'd be easy, but they got all leggy and yellow. Turns out my tap water was too soft, and I wasn't dosing enough iron. Learned the hard way.

Thanks for sharing, everyone. It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one struggling with certain plants.

kluxe wrote: ↑Sun Jun 08, 2025 9:13 am I tried growing Monte Carlo in my low-tech tank, but it just melted away. I had decent lighting, no CO2, and root tabs. What's your biggest plant fail?

Monte Carlo can be tricky without CO2. I've had better luck with Pearlweed in low-tech setups. It's more forgiving and grows faster.

Yeah, Pearlweed's a champ. I threw some in my shrimp tank, and it's thriving even with minimal light. Sometimes the simplest plants work best.

I might give Pearlweed a shot. Any tips on keeping it from taking over the tank?

Regular trimming helps. I cut mine back every two weeks to keep it bushy and prevent it from blocking light for other plants.

zipper wrote: ↑Sun Jun 08, 2025 6:54 pm Regular trimming helps. I cut mine back every two weeks to keep it bushy and prevent it from blocking light for other plants.

Yep, and the trimmings are great for propagating. Just replant them, and you'll have even more Pearlweed in no time.