{"title":"Carpeting","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"monte-carlo","title":"Monte Carlo","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"sz-acc\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"sz-acc__title\"\u003eMonte Carlo\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003clabel class=\"sz-acc__row\"\u003e\u003cinput type=\"radio\" name=\"sz-acc-monte-carlo\" checked\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"sz-acc__panel\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScientific name:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eMicranthemum tweediei\u003c\/em\u003e 'Monte Carlo'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Argentina\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth:\u003c\/strong\u003e medium, 3–5 cm carpet\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLight and CO2:\u003c\/strong\u003e medium light; CO2 preferred, not required\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlacement:\u003c\/strong\u003e foreground carpet\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePropagation:\u003c\/strong\u003e runners; divide clumps\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003clabel class=\"sz-acc__row\"\u003e\u003cinput type=\"radio\" name=\"sz-acc-monte-carlo\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDescription\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"sz-acc__panel\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMonte Carlo (\u003cem\u003eMicranthemum tweediei\u003c\/em\u003e 'Monte Carlo') spreads sideways into a low carpet of small, round, fresh green leaves on creeping stems, reaching only 3–5 cm tall. It comes from Argentina and is the easier of the common carpeting plants: it will carpet in medium light without added CO2, though stronger light and CO2 make it tighter, faster and flatter. Once settled it sends out runners, horizontal shoots that root as they go, and joins up into a lawn over a couple of months. Plant small clumps a few centimetres apart rather than one big lump. Nursery plants are grown with their leaves in air, so a fresh pot often loses some leaves as it converts to underwater growth; the roots and stems are what matter and new leaves follow. A carpet gives shrimp a huge amount of surface to pick over, and the layer of leaves traps food and biofilm, the microbial film they graze. Trim it like mowing a lawn once it thickens so the lower layer does not rot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003clabel class=\"sz-acc__row\"\u003e\u003cinput type=\"radio\" name=\"sz-acc-monte-carlo\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKeeping\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"sz-acc__panel\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater:\u003c\/strong\u003e ordinary tropical conditions suit it; it tolerates partial shade. Tropica rates it medium difficulty mainly because it needs steady light to stay flat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlanting:\u003c\/strong\u003e split the pot into small clumps, remove most of the rock wool, and plant each clump a couple of centimetres apart with roots buried and leaves clear. A fine substrate or root tabs (fertiliser capsules pushed into the substrate) help it establish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLight and feeding:\u003c\/strong\u003e medium light (about 0.5 W per litre on Tropica's scale; Aquarium Co-op gives 20–50+ PAR). CO2 injection (carbon dioxide gas added to boost growth) is preferred but not required. Feed with liquid fertiliser and trim the carpet with curved scissors as it thickens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"sz-acc__rule\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"sz-acc__note\"\u003ePlants are sent as a portion or pot, trimmed for transit. Some leaves may melt as the plant adjusts; new growth follows. See our FAQ for planting and acclimation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Shrimp Zone","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52845948371256,"sku":"PLACEHOLDER-monte-carlo","price":16.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"dwarf-hairgrass","title":"Dwarf Hairgrass","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"sz-acc\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"sz-acc__title\"\u003eDwarf Hairgrass\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003clabel class=\"sz-acc__row\"\u003e\u003cinput type=\"radio\" name=\"sz-acc-dwarf-hairgrass\" checked\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"sz-acc__panel\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScientific name:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eEleocharis parvula\u003c\/em\u003e (sold as \u003cem\u003eE. pusilla\u003c\/em\u003e by some nurseries)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e found on several continents\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth:\u003c\/strong\u003e medium, 3–10 cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLight and CO2:\u003c\/strong\u003e low to medium; CO2 helps\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlacement:\u003c\/strong\u003e foreground lawn\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePropagation:\u003c\/strong\u003e runners\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003clabel class=\"sz-acc__row\"\u003e\u003cinput type=\"radio\" name=\"sz-acc-dwarf-hairgrass\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDescription\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"sz-acc__panel\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDwarf Hairgrass (\u003cem\u003eEleocharis parvula\u003c\/em\u003e) looks like a fine lawn grass and behaves like one. It grows 3–10 cm tall and spreads by runners, horizontal shoots that travel just under the substrate and send up new tufts beside the parent, until the pinches you planted join into a carpet. It is found on several continents and is not fussy about water. Tropica rates its light and CO2 needs as low, while Aquarium Co-op recommends medium to high light for a tight carpet; under weak light it tends to grow taller and thinner rather than dense. Nursery stock is grown with the leaves in air, so a new pot often browns and melts back as it converts to underwater growth. Leave the roots in place and fresh green blades come up within a few weeks. Plant it in small pinches a couple of centimetres apart rather than one clump. A full carpet from a few pots takes patience rather than skill. The fine blades trap food and biofilm, the microbial film shrimp graze, and give shrimplets somewhere to hide at ground level.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003clabel class=\"sz-acc__row\"\u003e\u003cinput type=\"radio\" name=\"sz-acc-dwarf-hairgrass\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKeeping\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/label\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"sz-acc__panel\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater:\u003c\/strong\u003e adaptable to ordinary tropical conditions and a range of hardness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlanting:\u003c\/strong\u003e remove the rock wool, split the pot into small pinches and push each into the substrate with tweezers so the roots are buried and the blades free. Space pinches a few centimetres apart. Root tabs (fertiliser capsules pushed into the substrate) or a nutrient-rich substrate help it settle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLight and feeding:\u003c\/strong\u003e medium light gives the tightest lawn; it survives lower. CO2 injection (carbon dioxide gas added to boost growth) is not required but speeds carpeting. Trim the whole carpet with curved scissors like mowing a lawn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"sz-acc__rule\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"sz-acc__note\"\u003ePlants are sent as a portion or pot, trimmed for transit. Some leaves may melt as the plant adjusts; new growth follows. See our FAQ for planting and acclimation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Shrimp Zone","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52845948404024,"sku":"PLACEHOLDER-dwarf-hairgrass","price":16.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}]}],"url":"https:\/\/shrimpzone.com.au\/collections\/carpeting.oembed","provider":"Shrimp Zone ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}