HC as Kudzu

pat w

Member
Nov 4, 2009
462
0
16
Daphne, AL (east Mobile Bay)
Well, Mardi Gras is over and I can get back to the tank.

I’ve built my version of the Internal CO2 reactor but I won’t be posting any pic’s, because it’s as ugly as a mud fence. I think it’ll work well enough and I plan to hide it as best I can anyway.

I’ve settled on a method of making the river channel for the riccia which involves using vinyl carpet runner from Home Depot as a false bottom to the tank. More on that … with pic’s … later.

Right now I have a question.

I’ve noticed that Turface is rather light and seems to drift when I try to build steeper banks submerged (just testing right now). When not submerged, and just wet, the stuff holds the shape really well. I just fear the scape will erode to a flatter than desired form when I flood the tank. I’ll need to try to hold the sides of banked portions of the scape or the overall effect will suffer.

The question;

Can HC be used for erosion control if grown DSM on formed banks (something as light as Turface) and expect to hold the form once the tank is flooded?

Any and all comments or other suggestions are welcome.

Pat
 

Philosophos

Lifetime Charter Member
Lifetime Member
Mar 12, 2009
1,346
0
36
Definitely. I've done it with a hill in my most recent tank. I've had one small landslide from a near-vertical area, but otherwise the HC has held together a pile of aquasoil at otherwise impossible angles. I'd imagine you could do the same with turface with some degree of success.
 

Tom Barr

Founder
Staff member
Administrator
Jan 23, 2005
18,699
791
113
I have been using this weed:

Staruotropica180.jpg


You cannot see the slope well here, but it's about 2" difference from the front to back.

You can also suck up some gravel and replace it in the rear, trim some, without uprooting the plants.

Need to be careful, but it can be done fairly easily.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 

pat w

Member
Nov 4, 2009
462
0
16
Daphne, AL (east Mobile Bay)
Tom,

I didn't mean to blow you off before. Its just that, just as I had finished my thankyou reply to Dan and saw your post, I got called to the plant floor and I just got back.

Thanks too BTW. Between you and Dan I feel a little better about the setup time I'll be putting in, probably this weekend.

Also, I asked this in another thread but never got any feedback. While I'm dry staring the HC, I'll be growing riccia in a tub, floating (to use later). I hope to use the time to turn less than enough riccia into enough riccia while the carpet grows in. (running out of funds) How much Osmocote to a gallon should I use to feed it. I'm going to put down Osmocote (5-10 grams per sq.ft) under the Turface during setup.

Thanks in advance,
Pat
 

Philosophos

Lifetime Charter Member
Lifetime Member
Mar 12, 2009
1,346
0
36
I'm not sure of exact quantities of osmocote. Most seem to be happy with a light coating of it on the bottom, so I wouldn't say more than one granule deep. Definitely opt for the longest acting you can find; your turface won't build up nutrients overnight.

Tom, that's one hell of a staurogyne patch.
 

pat w

Member
Nov 4, 2009
462
0
16
Daphne, AL (east Mobile Bay)
Thanks Dan,

What I need in the short term is the amount of osmocote per gal to grow some riccia off line in a tub or something, for use later. I'll probably put the tub in the tank during the dry start so it can help with the humidity.

Thanks,
Pat
 

Philosophos

Lifetime Charter Member
Lifetime Member
Mar 12, 2009
1,346
0
36
No clue there; the calculation would take me a while, and I'm still not sure it'd be right. Why not just dose it up nice and high through regular fertilizers?
 

Philosophos

Lifetime Charter Member
Lifetime Member
Mar 12, 2009
1,346
0
36
Start off here.

When the article says trace, it means CSM+B. When it talks about GH booster, that really depends on your tap water; you can use MgSO4 and CaCl2 to do the same job if you have soft water.

Get your fertilizers here.

And perhaps try to get your water quality report posted on this thread before you order. What you may or may not need depends on what's in your tap. Odds are though, you'll want KNO3, KH2PO4 and CSM+B for a start; toss in 1lb of CaCl2 or CaSO4 if you've got soft water. Buy epsom salts from the pharmacy if you end up needing them (again, water quality report; bug the water department if you can't get that number from the report).

For now toss in a couple handfuls of osmocote; if anything starts to look unhealthy, post about it.
 

Philosophos

Lifetime Charter Member
Lifetime Member
Mar 12, 2009
1,346
0
36
That's some pretty soft water. I'd definitely order the works and do the GH booster thing. Epsom salts are already in GH booster.

You can usually cut the KH2PO4 back to 50% of what's listed on the basic EI tables. It's not harmful or anything at its listed levels, but it's not necessary.