10gal Dry Start W/ Co2 Injection

[AquaMatt]

Decided to to do a little experiment with a dry start method and somewhat custom substrate. I’ve had a lot of trouble growing plants and keeping them healthy. I’ll use this test tank before I overhaul my main tank again. Running lights 24/0

1. Dwarf Hairgrass
2. Staurogyne Repens

• Bottem 1st layer: Coco Coir
• 2nd layer: Black sand, Coco coir, Alaskan humus, dolomite lime, all mixed.
• 3rd layer: Black sand.
• 4th layer: Aqua soil Amazonia

I added pressurized Co2 after about 2 and a half weeks of growth. Co2 has been going for a week now. I also spray 3 parts H2O 1 part hydrogen peroxide to keep mold away every other week.

P.S.
Staurogyne Repens Are showing signs of stunted growth and deficiencies. My only conclusion after research is that maybe I need to keep the leafs hydrated by misting more often.

 

[Tim Harrison]

You really don't need to use gas at this stage, I doubt it will make any difference above an beyond atmospheric CO2. Neither is there any real need to use H2O2.
The usual methodology is this...

1. Add water to a level just below the surface of the substrate, and aim to keep it that way; spraying every day can raise the water level above the top of the substrate.
2. Keep the tank sealed with clingfilm, but let fresh air in for 5 minutes every day to replace the old stagnant air, hopefully this will prevent mould.
3. Spray the plants on a daily basis with a dilute fertz solution, about 3ml TNC Complete per litre.

Here's a DSM I did earlier at 10 days


Here's the same scape at 60 days, using the above method https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/return-of-the-shallow.50172/...

 

[AquaMatt]

You really don't need to use gas at this stage, I doubt it will make any difference above an beyond atmospheric CO2. Neither is there any real need to use H2O2.
The usual methodology is this...

1. Add water to a level just below the surface of the substrate, and aim to keep it that way; spraying every day can raise the water level above the top of the substrate.
2. Keep the tank sealed with clingfilm, but let fresh air in for 5 minutes every day to replace the old stagnant air, hopefully this will prevent mould.
3. Spray the plants on a daily basis with a dilute fertz solution, about 3ml TNC Complete per litre.

Here's a DSM I did earlier at 10 days


Here's the same scape at 60 days, using the above method https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/return-of-the-shallow.50172/...
View attachment 13072

Looks and sounds simple enough nice looking setup by the way. Once I get all this down I want to do something that looks like that. I’m starting to notice that higher overhead lights make for clear looking water.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Thanks Matt. And yes brighter lights do have that effect. Just keep an eye on your CO2 implementation, and up your fertz if you're using high light; both need to be on point, otherwise you'll get algae.

 

[Kyalgae]

I wonder what would happen if you injected CO2 underneath the cling film. I wonder how fast things would grow with an increase of atmospheric CO2? Instead of 400ppm, you could have 1200 ppm. They inject it into commercial grow rooms for indoor agriculture. I want to do a comparison one day with two dry start tanks, but my co2 regulator is too far from where I’d want to run the experiment. Maybe it would shorten the time it takes to complete the dry start?

 

[AquaMatt]

I wonder what would happen if you injected CO2 underneath the cling film. I wonder how fast things would grow with an increase of atmospheric CO2? Instead of 400ppm, you could have 1200 ppm. They inject it into commercial grow rooms for indoor agriculture. I want to do a comparison one day with two dry start tanks, but my co2 regulator is too far from where I’d want to run the experiment. Maybe it would shorten the time it takes to complete the dry start?

That’s the idea, I have the C02 injecting off my main tank light cycle.
The staurogyne Repens are just about dead though.