New(?) methoid to make a nice rug of HC before you add water - Page 16 - Aquarium Plants

Yassmeena · 07-06-2008, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by digiSalero

I've been reading this forum topic on this technique and got inspired. I only wish I had known about this emersed technique before I started my planted tank.

The question I'd like to propose is: Are there are any good techniques out there for transplanting emersed HC into a tank that's already filled up and planted?

I'm attempting to try it with a little custom setup. I don't have any spare tanks to use, so I tried something that utilized my current lights and tank water. I would be very interested in hearing from people who have successfully tried this technique for a tank that is already filled and what process you used.

Here's my setup. I don't know if it will work or not but I'm optimistic. The plan is once they're grown in and well rooted I'll transplant the whole thing to the tank. The netting is suppose to help me retain the gravel while I place it in the tank. I normally have a sheet of plastic covering the cups for humidity and moisture but I took them off to take the picture.

Here are the tank specs:
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SIZE: 28 US gal. Bowfront. 19" (W) x 24" (H) x 12" (D)

LIGHTING: 2x65W CF 6500K, although I only use 1 of the bulbs for now run 10 hours/day. 2.3W/gal.

CO2: Pressurized. I'm kind of winging it right now. I haven't invested in a drop checker yet. I'm using ADA 30mm beetle ceramic diffuser and ADA basic bubble counter. I'm getting about 168 bpm. I don't know if it's too much or too little but I'm closely monitoring my fish, plants, and algae. I have the system on a timer and have it come on 1 hr. before the lights come on and 30 min. before the lights turn off.

FILTER: Eheim ECCO 2232

SUBSTRATE: Combination of Eco-Complete and ADA Aquasoil Powder

MISC: Powerhead that sits above the CO2 forcing water down onto the front of the tank. The idea being that the CO2 will be circulated with the water down to the lower tank area. 160W heater maintaining about 80 deg. F.

DOSE: EI

Saturday, Monday, Wednesday
1/4tsp NO3 x3
1/16 tsp KH2PO4 x3
1/16 tsp K2SO4 x3

Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday
10mL Flourish Trace (Recommended Dosage)

Everyday
5 mL Excel

Friday
50% water change + 15mL Excel
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I haven't done a whole lot of scaping. I do a little here and there to keep it looking nice. I'm just letting it grow in at this point and playing with different plants.

The HC:

I'm trying this technique with Lilaeopsis 'Mauritius' also:

I'm doing the hairgrass the old fashion way:

I'd also appreciate any comments on my dosing strategy and setup. I know I'm missing a few things here and there (I'm working up to it). If there's anything obvious that I'm missing, I'd welcome the suggestions. A million thanks for this great website and resource.

Regards,
Fellow Aquarium Plant Enthusiast

I was wondering, where did you buy that netting? What is it exactly?

Yassmeena · **substrate -** 07-06-2008, 08:46 AM

So this is my plan for growing the emersed HC which will be transplanted into my established tank ( I do not have spare tank unfortunately):

1 - set up sealed tupperwear containers floating above my tank water as above poster did - this way they can share the light and get some heat as well

2 - for substrate - black play, roof or pool sand rinsed well and add flourish tabs

3 - Mist with tank water every day

- Note: My lights are 48W, one pink and one 10,000k

What are your thoughts on my method, Tom?

Thanks for all your great advice!

digiSalero · 07-06-2008, 09:31 AM

Yassmeena,

The netting is called tulle. It's the same material that "tutus" are made of. You can get them at hobby shops. You probably don't need to mist the plants if they're covered. The heat from the lights and the confined air space from the cover should provide enough humidity and moisture for the plants.

As far as the substrate, my suggestion would be to use a portion from the substrate already in your tank. This way, you're not really adding more substrate. You take a little "chunk", work the emersed magic, and put the "chunk" back.

VaughnH · 07-06-2008, 05:27 PM

This is a way to make a lot of plants out of a few plants, but it doesn't accomplish the main goals of the dry start method, which are ease of planting, no algae problems, and no transplanting of the tiny little plants.

Yassmeena · 07-06-2008, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by digiSalero

Yassmeena,

The netting is called tulle. It's the same material that "tutus" are made of. You can get them at hobby shops. You probably don't need to mist the plants if they're covered. The heat from the lights and the confined air space from the cover should provide enough humidity and moisture for the plants.

As far as the substrate, my suggestion would be to use a portion from the substrate already in your tank. This way, you're not really adding more substrate. You take a little "chunk", work the emersed magic, and put the "chunk" back.

hey digiSalero,

My current substrate is too big. I have Estee's gravel over Eco-complete. So I am going to take that all out and add a sand of somesort to my tank. I will be using the same substrate in the emmersion pots.

orion2001 · 07-18-2008, 09:35 PM

Just a quick update on my emersed hairgrass experiment. This is what it looks like right now:

The hairgrass really took off once it was submersed. Even with 30Watts total CFL lighting (which is pretty low) it has been sending runners out all over the place and getting very thick in regions of higher light. I'm actually on planning converting this into a completely low-tech, non Excel tank once I get very dense growth. I think the hairgrass should do fine in that setup, and most of the other plants that I have are also suited to that kind of setup.

A big thanks to Tom! I don't think I'd ever have managed to pull off such a nice hairgrass foreground without this technique...especially without algae issues.

intricacy · 08:20 PM

nice orion! I've been following (lurking) your progress on this and other sites, and was really curious how it was going! I'm growing hairgrass in my little horizontal britta container, after reading your posts (which comes up with "emersed hairgrass" on google). Thanks a lot! and of course, thank you too Tom!

orion2001 · 07-21-2008, 05:08 AM

Hey Intricacy,

Good to know that my progress/updates is helping someone else. From my experience, I would recommend giving the hairgrass around a month to mature and root/establish itself very well. I don't think emersed growth works as well for hairgrass in terms of getting a very thick coverage (like with HC). With Excel and ample lighting the hairgrass was spreading much much faster and denser on submersion. However I think the initial 1 month of being established when emersed helped a lot and prevented algae issues with the hairgrass.

intricacy · 07-21-2008, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orion2001

Hey Intricacy,

I don't think emersed growth works as well for hairgrass in terms of getting a very thick coverage (like with HC). With Excel and ample lighting the hairgrass was spreading much much faster and denser on submersion. However I think the initial 1 month of being established when emersed helped a lot and prevented algae issues with the hairgrass.

Interesting... I guess I missed that the emersed period wasn't actually spreading your HG, I guess your photos are a little misleading considering you kept adding pots

Why then, do you suggest a month, and not a couple of weeks, which I think I've seen Tom allude to several times on this thread? Wouldn't these algae issues be resolved by adding a crew of amano shrimp?

And by they way, does your new swanky tank have any inhabitants at all? I'm worried about moving my fish and inverts into a smaller tank when I try this with my big tank, that's why I'm asking about the duration. I wonder how NS2 and Chris's experiments turned out?

BTW, on another thread, I saw you worried about that grey cloud of smoke when you first submerged your tank... I've seen similar dust clouds from my onyx sand, do you think it was that?

intricacy · 10:37 PM

I've been gradually setting up a tank to conduct this DSM method myself, and after following this thread, have finally taken the plunge, after convincing my LFS to sell my three pots of HG on the cheap. I've got a mixed Onyx sand / Black flourite sand substrate, a AGA 20" L tank, and a Nova Extreme T5 HOx2 freshwater lamp. These pictures were taken on day one, and like Orion2001 before me, I spent a good part of day two trying to de-clump the grass (not pictured). Today is day three, and the grass is starting to get considerably browner now.

Due to my choice of gravel topography, I'm worried if those ponds on the side will be cultivating mosquitoes soon. I hope to grow grass all over the mound eventually.

In case you're wondering, those pebbles are there to: 1) hold the slope, 2) hold spots for taller plants, once I submerge. I think. I'm just making this up as I go along. I know fully well that sand tends to settle at a maximum 30 degree slope when submerged.

Maybe I should consider rocks or driftwood, but such luxuries are pretty damn overpriced in my neighborhood (manhattan), and I'm still contemplating lasercutting, rapid prototyping, or even old-fashion sculpting something.

Anyway, any advice would be much appreciated! I'm still curious everyone's opinion on minimum start up time for HG would be, as not only I'm impatient, but my poor fish and shrimp are telepathically telling me they're too crowded in our 6 gallon quarantine tank.

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