DSM in hillside situation?

LiamLiffey

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Jul 3, 2008
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Hi folks,
i want to start my first try of DSM. As I read it is needed to keep the roots under water. But how can i handle a hillside situation. The front will be under water wile the back is completely dry. How do you guys do that?

Thanks
Axel
 

rusticitas

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The battle of the acronyms...

DSM = ?

(Best practices for writing, and to help aid searching, is to write out the word(s) first, put the acronym in parentheses behind it. Then use the acronym all you want after that. It makes it much easier for all later to help find and decipher posts later.)
 

tedr108

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Axel,

If you are doing stem plants, about the only reasonable thing I can think to do is to start them down lower where the water is and then transplant them higher on the hill when you fill the tank. You might also be able to grow them in small pots (with no holes in the bottom) up high on the hill, then transplant them later.

If you are doing a ground over, I see no option for DSM except to get the plants growing well down low and then let them naturally grow up the hill after filling the tank.
 

LiamLiffey

Junior Poster
Jul 3, 2008
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Hamburg, Germany
Hi Ted,
i thought of tilting the whole aqaurium. I am not sure if its a problem for the glass or the silicone. Especially because I am using a 120P (120x45x45(cm)).
I have to look how most people have done it in the past, because as far as I know most people keep the back of the tank higher than the front. It just looks better. So most people must have the same problem.

Cheers
Axel
 

VaughnH

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The dry start method doesn't mean that there has to be water right up to the top of the substrate. You could probably make a dry start work on a sloped substrate as long as you spray the higher portions of the substrate with water a few times a day, and keep the lower part with the water level just below the surface. Of course you also want the tank to be filled with very humid air at all times. At worst the carpet will only cover the lower areas of substrate, then have to grow up the slope after the tank is filled. It will do that by choice anyway, since that gets it closer to the light.
 

Tom Barr

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Jan 23, 2005
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Capillary action will allow the water to reach pretty high up depending on grain sizes.
The smaller the grains, the higher the water will travel up.

This is how water is transported up 100 meter Redwood trees(Capillary action, well transpiration pull as well, but you get the idea).

Regards,
Tom Barr