Propagating Baby Tears (Micranthemum Umbrosum)

Propagating Baby Tears

(Micranthemum Umbrosum)

By Joy Twentyman-Crock

I’ve successfully grown Micranthemum Umbrosum in two different high light setups.

It’s been grown in a 2.5 gallon standard with a 26 Watt Power Compact shop light fixture and a 5.5 gallon standard with a 36 Watt Power Compact Fixture by Coralife. I perform 50% water changes once per week on both tanks. CO2 is supplemented using two 1 liter bottles to generate CO2 and a DIY inline CO2 reactor powered by a ViaAqua Powerhead 180. This provides CO2 levels above 60ppm in the 2.5 gallon tank and about 45ppm in the 5.5 gallon tank. I dose 20ppm KNO3, 1ppm KH2PO4, and 8ppm Flourish Potassium three times per week. In addition I dose 1ml of Flourish Comprehensive in the 2.5 gallon tank and 2ml in the 5.5 gallon tank.

The Micranthemum Umbrosum spreads fast enough that I have to thin it at least once every month in both tanks. Stem both grow longer and put out lateral shoots making for a bushier plant. I trim the plants with a combination of topping and removing of extra plants. If I’m trying to get an area to fill the tops are replanted. I may also replant the tops and remove the bottoms, when the bottoms start to look beat up.

Micranthemum Umbrosum is a relatively undemanding plant that will reproduce easily if provided with reasonably good growing conditions. It will grow under lighting anywhere from high light to very high light. It makes a great background plant in smaller tanks and a nice midground plant in larger tanks.

Bibliography

PlantGeek.Net 2002-2006, Plant Guide [On-line] http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide.php, April 17, 2006

Tropica.Com Tropica Aquarium Plants A/S [On-line] http://192.38.244.204/go.asp?show=products, April 17, 2006