How To Easily Grow Thick, Lush Pearlweed In Your Planted Tank! - (Pearlweed Plant Care Guide)

Lights I Use With Pearlweed (Both Work Fine)
Cheap Light - https://glassboxdiaries.com/seaouralight
More Expensive Light - https://glassboxdiaries.com/hygger957

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Articles About 2-Leaf Vs 3-Leaf Pearlweed

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How To Easily Grow Thick, Lush Pearlweed In Your Planted Tank! - (Pearlweed Plant Care Guide)

🌿 In today’s video, I’m sharing a complete Pearlweed plant care guide to help you grow this versatile, fast-growing stem plant in your own planted aquarium. Despite being labeled as an advanced species by both Tropica and Dennerle, many hobbyists—including myself—find Pearlweed surprisingly easy to grow, even in budget, low-tech setups.

One of the biggest sources of confusion around Pearlweed is its identity. There appear to be two different species sold under four Latin names, all referred to by the same common name. Some vendors list it as Hemianthus micranthemoides, others as Micranthemum micranthemoides, and there's ongoing debate around whether it should have two or three leaves per node. I break down this confusing naming situation in the video, including which variants to avoid and what signs to look for when trying to identify the Pearlweed commonly found in the hobby today.

Once we get past the name, Pearlweed proves to be a great plant for any planted tank. I’ve successfully grown it under the affordable Seaoura SR616 light, and I’ve even seen pearling—those tiny oxygen bubbles released during photosynthesis—under this basic setup. You don’t need expensive lighting or CO2 injection for Pearlweed to thrive, which makes it ideal for beginners or anyone running low-tech tanks.

In terms of water parameters, I’ve grown Pearlweed in soft water (pH 6.4, gH 4), but it has a wide tolerance range and should do well in harder water too. It’s also a flexible plant when it comes to temperature, handling anything from 41°F to 86°F (5°C to 30°C), though growth may slow in cooler tanks.

As for substrates, Pearlweed grows in nutrient-rich aquasoils, but I’ve also had great success planting it in inert sand and gravel—especially in my Walstad-style tanks where nutrients are naturally produced by fish waste and decaying organic matter. It even grew slowly but steadily in a small container on my windowsill with no added fertilizer at all. While some claim it needs a rich substrate, I’ve found it adapts well to whatever nutrients are available.

Fertilization is minimal in my setups. I mostly rely on natural methods—leftover fish food, decomposing plant matter, and shrimp waste—which creates a balanced ecosystem. For those running more advanced systems with injected CO2, nutrient demands may increase, but for low-tech tanks, Pearlweed is more than happy with what it can scavenge from the water column.

Planting is simple: use aquascaping tweezers to plant small clumps or individual stems. Once it’s rooted, it spreads quickly, often growing like a vine and sending out new shoots. This makes it a great plant for creating dense midgrounds, lush backgrounds, or even foreground carpets—though carpeting Pearlweed requires frequent trimming to maintain a low profile.

Pearlweed is also incredibly easy to propagate. Just trim the tops and replant them—no special technique needed. A single in vitro cup can turn into a thick jungle or Iwagumi carpet with just a bit of patience and care.

When it comes to livestock compatibility, it’s a win-win. Shrimp love hiding and grazing in its dense growth, and it provides excellent cover for fry and egg-laying fish like my Medaka rice fish. With a bit of trimming, it can coexist beautifully with most small community fish.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro
00:12 - Confusion About Pearlweed
00:40 - Getting The Right Plant
02:42 - Lighting Requirements
04:22 - Water Parameters
06:39 - Substrate Preferences
09:39 - Planting Pearlweed
12:57 - Tank Placement
14:27 - Trimming
16:34 - Propagation
17:29 - Live Stock Options
19:20 - Pearlweed For Natural Filtration

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