Need help with new planted tank

[pyxis]

I have this tank set up for about 1 and a half weeks as of today.

I'm trying dry start method as flooding it too early meant that there were many floaters due to loose roots. Planning to introduce a few more plant species and flooding it in the next few days.


1) I've used 2 different types of soil, one is the ADA(?) soil and another is the generic pebble looking soil that I bought from Rainbow Aquarium. Is there a problem in mixing them like that?
2) Do I have too much soil in my tank? It's a nanocube tank. If so, what should I do with it? Complete rescape and removal of soil?
3) What's the white stuff that's growing on the hairgrass?

Pictures are all in the album. Thanks for your help!

http://imgur.com/a/Ddf8e

[Urban Aquaria]

1) Shouldn't be any issue with mixing soils, just that it may look abit odd with 2 different types of substrate mixed together.

2) The amount of soil you've used does seem to be abit too much, no harm though... but i think you could half the depth of the soil (and slope it more) and it'll still be enough for the plants to root in (most of your plants are short ones with relatively shallow roots anyways), and the sense of scale perspective in your tank might be better.

3) The white dots on the hairgrass could be seeds or maybe snail eggs, not really sure though... but i've seen them on some emersed mats of hairgrass that i've bought before, usually i just wash them off before planting.

Just to add, try reducing the amount of water on the substrate during DSM, i noticed from your photos there are sections that are submerged, this may result in mold or fungus (and even algae) growing after a while. Ideally the soil just needs to be slightly moist, there shouldn't be any visible puddles of water on top of the substrate.

[felix_fx2]

1: no issues with mixing, unless you mind the look of different colored grains. it could be a PITA to remove experience.

2: the front could have been lower. 30% lower then what it is now would make it nicer.

3: Should be mould, unless it looks fluffy to some extent then it's actually pest insects that were feeding on it. Since hairgrass are mostly farmed emersed
(reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mealybug )

DSM you will need moist, Not wet and dripping It will induce mould growth easily.
For DSM, imagine a washing a rag and squeezing the excess water from it... moist and damp. not droipping or "ponding"