DSM, Dry start method for starting a new planted tank

[JohnnyR711]

Due to the fact that all of my foreground plants have turned brown, some white, I am going to take out as many of the plants as I can, remove some of the gravel, dry off the remaining gravel over the soil and re-plant some plants I have growing in my other 2 running tanks to try the DSM again. If these newly planted plants begin to turn brown I will either allow the 6 - 8 weeks to go by to complete the DSM process or I will just transplant most of my plants from my 29 gallon tank and conduct a 6 week fishless cycling of the DSM tank and gradually add algae eaters and the remaining fish. Almost all of the plants I need I have to order online due to the lack of any real aquarium store here and that gets somewhat expensive and only the local Petco has live plants and the selection is often less than optimum. When I set up this DSM tank I misted until I saw puddles rather than flooding just below the gravel. When I pulled plants I saw watery mud beneath the gravel so I know the soil was well submerged. Thanks to all who offered advice

[ralliart12]

...When I set up this DSM tank I misted until I saw puddles rather than flooding just below the gravel...

Isn't this (amount of water) a tad too much?

[AhVy]

Hi all, i just finished planting glosso using the DSM in my 1ft tank.

Here are some pictures.. Hope i'm on the right track! If not, please give me any tips or guidance.



Close up glosso


Hairgrass at the back


Unknown plant on the left corner?
Not even sure if they are able to grow emersed!


On a last note.. Because my landscape is uneven, i would have a lower part that has a higher water level than the rest.. Is this okay, or should i drain it?
Photo:



Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[felix_fx2]

Can use small rubber to tilt the tank since its still fairly small to even the water.

The left corner, what's behind the wood sticks. It looks like those food related item.

Looks quite good, but you covering the top with cling warp? Or daily spraying of some water?

[AhVy]

Can use small rubber to tilt the tank since its still fairly small to even the water.

The left corner, what's behind the wood sticks. It looks like those food related item.

Looks quite good, but you covering the top with cling warp? Or daily spraying of some water?

Felix! Glosso king..haha Thanks for replying..

Okay. I'll get some rubber to tilt the tank.
The left corner is deco and also to hide the filter intake...
And I wrapped it in cling wrap AND also daily spray water...is that too much?

[felix_fx2]

Choose one of the 2...
Objective keep substrate moist only, if you have both it will turn into puddle too fast. (but then glosso is really easy plant that is quite hardy.)

btw, rubber is just a reference. Can use anything you can lay your hands on that don't fall apart when the tank's weight is on it..

Hope to see pictures 2 weeks later.

[AhVy]

Choose one of the 2...
Objective keep substrate moist only, if you have both it will turn into puddle too fast. (but then glosso is really easy plant that is quite hardy.)

btw, rubber is just a reference. Can use anything you can lay your hands on that don't fall apart when the tank's weight is on it..

Hope to see pictures 2 weeks later.

Hi Felix... It has been 2 weeks.. And i see that it is growing, but upwards and it doesnt seem to be spreading.. Is this normal for emersed glosso?

Can I start flooding already or should i wait more?



Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[ralliart12]

After 5 months & 19 days:

[Lorifan]

great result!!! stunning, but, what is the straw for?

[elwaynetan]

Sorry for digging up something this old. But I believe barometer is used for measuring atmospheric pressure. I believe you guys are talking about hygrometer right? A barometer doesn't have any indicator for humidity.

[dailos]

hello beautiful aquariums
I grow my own in my house HC


I mounted an aquarium with the system dry start with this plant,put some pictures of my tank, is inspired in agricultural landscapes of my island.
some pictures of when the plant.






hope you like,'ll post pictures later of their evolution.

a greeting

[AhVy]

Wow!



Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

[ralliart12]

Hi fellows. Present setup is sealed air-tight (really, with a piece of glass that covers the entire open top) for the better part of the day, & only unsealed for a few hours at night for some of the excess moisture to ease up (evaporate); & an extremely short moment each morning to mist with some water. Assuming that the setup will be unattended for 4 full days, any idea how to sustain the environment?

Lights are on timer, so that's no issue. I believe the amount of carbon dioxide in the tank is enough for the plants to photosynthesize for a few days, but it's the moisture- & humidity-level that I'm concerned about. Will placing a small trough full of water inside the tank, be adequate to achieve this?

[trafalgar law]

so cool im doing the DSM with UG

[winnydapoo]

Hi fellows. Present setup is sealed air-tight (really, with a piece of glass that covers the entire open top) for the better part of the day, & only unsealed for a few hours at night for some of the excess moisture to ease up (evaporate); & an extremely short moment each morning to mist with some water. Assuming that the setup will be unattended for 4 full days, any idea how to sustain the environment?

Lights are on timer, so that's no issue. I believe the amount of carbon dioxide in the tank is enough for the plants to photosynthesize for a few days, but it's the moisture- & humidity-level that I'm concerned about. Will placing a small trough full of water inside the tank, be adequate to achieve this?

If this early in the dsm, then as long as the soil is moist on day one the tank will be fine for four days ys no problem. Especially in this humid climate

[ralliart12]

If this early in the dsm, then as long as the soil is moist on day one the tank will be fine for four days ys no problem. Especially in this humid climate

I think you mean to say, as long as the soil is waterlogged from Day 1, it will be al right? Anyway, that 4 days have passed, & the airtight tank didn't dry out, so I suppose everything's fine.

Nonetheless, updates on some observations I have from my most recent implementation of DSM:

1. Things really don't look good under the red light of the Arcadia Plant Pro T5HO tubes; things "appear" healthier & "nicer" under daylight tubes.
2. I believe it is beneficial to really bury the stalks of HC when doing DSM; having the stalks above soil subjects them to larger fluctuations of drying out when the periods of "unsealing" the tank is not executed in a consistent enough manner.
3. I still have the darn bad habit of "over-watering" my crops. Always had this feeling of being afraid that the plants may dry out; & in the end always over-water until small puddles form on the soil. Now I am going to try watering once every 2 days.

[li_gangyi]

Trying this out on my 2 foot tank, I have a bunch of HC that I've planted in, keeping the lights on 16hrs a day and have wrapped up the top of the tank with food wrap to keep the moisture in. Substrate is wet about 1/2 way from the top (my substrate at the moment is fairly level. It's only been 2 days so far, so I've yet to see any new growth, hopefully in time the HC will spread and cover the entire tank. I'm misting with plain water at the moment.

I've heard/read that misting with KH2PO4 can reduce the chances of a fungus breakout, has anyone tried that?

[myhui]

Quick interruption, sorry: what is HC ? Is this what's planted on the soil in the initial posting?

[felix_fx2]

Quick interruption, sorry: what is HC ? Is this what's planted on the soil in the initial posting?

HC, Hemianthus callitrichoides (Hemianthus callitrichoides).

yes that's the one planted

here, my dry start farm along corridor
uploadfromtaptalk1382067986757.jpg

[myhui]

Beautiful! And thank you.

So you will take these "mats" of HC and put them into the aquarium when they are fully grown?