SOme help needed.. New tank

[chris81]

Hi guys,

I have recently started a new tank with the intension to make an Iwagumi setup using lava rock as the hardscape and glosso, elocharis vivipara, elocharis asicularis and pogostemon as plants of choice.

Tank specifications are the following:

Size: 90cm x 40cm x 40cm
Ligh: Haqos Luminiere: 4 x T5 39 watts
Substrate: 1st layer Aqauatic Nature Fertisoil
2nd Layer Aquatic nature Fertiplant
3rd layer Tropica Flourish black


The tank was setup about 2 weeks ago and im doing a dry run start up method as suggested by tom. Im currently only using 2 t5 tubes for ten hrs a day and am misting the plants with NPK solution twice a week.

I Have encountered the following problems:

1. ALthough glosso has sprouted new leaves its not spreading,, Why is this? Can it be because there is not sufficient lighting or can it be because i didntplant deeply enough??

2. Today i noticed that the tips of the hairgrass is infected with some kind of mould. I know that this is probably to the fact that plants are growing at high humidity but is there a way to stop thismould from taking a hold.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time and patience.

Chris

 

[Philosophos]

You've had it going for 2 weeks? Give it a little time. I'm running a dry start with glosso and it took about 2 weeks to start showing any signs of growth.

Also try alternating with some tap water on other days, or watering the substrate with nutrient loaded water and then misting with tap. I've found leaving the salts on the leaves can cause some problems.

Mould isn't my thing, but Biollante seems to have read over it well. He's fairly active, so I'm sure he'll reply at some point.

Your lighting is just fine for the dry start portion. You may want to scale back to 2x or at most 3x T5 later on when you fill the tank, presuming you have reflectors on them.

-Philosophos

 

[chris81]

Thanks for reply Philosophos.

Glosso seems to be growing new leaves and older leaves are dying or turning yellow.. Did this happen to you by any chance?? SHould i worry??

 

[Philosophos]

Yes, I definitely had some of that happen. I've spent a lot of time picking out dead material that didn't adapt well, planting and trimming on this tank so far. Getting the dead plant matter out and trimming the healthy growth off the ends then replanting worked very well for me.

I've found that the plants do much more poorly if there's the slightest sign of pooling around them. I've also found that keeping the substrate damp at the same time helped a lot. Substrate that drains well is a big help in doing this.

-Philosophos

 

[chris81]

I did a bit of an experiment yesterday and upped the lighting to 4 t 5 tubes... grpwth has visiably increased... so im debating weather i should leave it like this for a couple of more days.. WHat do you think??

I have refrained to spray plants again and am disturbing the tank as little as possible to see what happens.. Will remove dead matter when my other glosso pots arrive. HAve intention of planting deeper this time to see weather there is significant difference in growth... am stilla bit worried about the mould though.. CAn any one help

Thanks a million!

 

[Gerryd]

Hi,

Just keep an eye on the moisture level with the more intense lighting....you can always drop the light back if the growth is too much or it dries out too quickly.

I THINK I read that mold is caused by TOO MUCH moisture, but let me see if I can locate the thread....

Even using DSM, the plants will shed leaves as is normal when submersed.

 

[Philosophos]

Crank the light up; there's no CO2 limitation to worry about. Speaking from my experience with plants and adaptations tress though, it may be an idea to drop the lighting back down a couple weeks before filling the tank. The melt will already be severe enough without altering light levels at the same time. This is purely theory and experience mind you. I'm on my first DSM, but this is far from my first time converting growth back and forth.

As for the mold, I would start with mechanical removal; clip the leaves off that have it to prevent further spread.

If it feels humid in the tank, don't bother misting unless the leaves start to look dry. I mist every day because neither my DSM tank or emersed growth tray have good enough seals to keep things humid for much longer. It may be worth it to create a little ventilation your self depending on how humid the tank is. Keep an eye on the plants though.

-Philosophos

 

[Biollante]

Hi Chris,

What Philosophos and Gerry said.

Generally, dry it out.

I am not familiar with Aqauatic Nature Fertisoil or Aquatic nature Fertiplant and I cannot find an analysis. If you have an analysis and would post it, that would be helpful. My guess is that there are plenty of nutrients available, so I would back off the NPK solution.

As I recall Malta is rather humid place and you are going into a humid (wet?) time of year.

Gerry is as usual correct moisture is a major factor in mold. As Philosophos pointed out any pooling of water should be eliminated.

Again as Philosophos pointed out you may even need to provide some sort of air circulation at least part of the day. A fan over or angled in can provide the necessary ventilation. I am currently using small personal, desktop fans in a couple of my dry starts.

I agree that high light is not a concern.

Above all else patience.

Biollante

 

[chris81]

Thanks to all guys,

PAtience is one thing i dont lack so im definately going to keep plodding along!!! With regards to misting i only did this twice as my aquarium is sealed quite well and moisture droplets are always visable on the plants leaves so i didnt mist often, there is not much pooling of water either just in one spot by ill syringe it out as soon as possible.

I ll clip the mouldy leaves off the elochoris tomorrow.. however new elocharis shoots are visable so i guess thats a good sign..

Thanks again for the info guys... I ll keep you posted.

 

[Biollante]

Very Good Sign!

Hi Chris,

Yes, the Elocharis shoots are indeed a very good sign.

I know the instructions on these ‘dry start’ projects always have everyone sealing the tank with plastic wrap and in the kind of place I live (It’s a dry heat!) that may make sense.

Though as I mentioned earlier (after a number of failures ) I modified the system to make sure air around the plants stays very humid, relative humidity around of 95% (it is a cheap hygrometer though sort of calibrated), mainly I try to stay shy of 100% relative humidity.

I also try to keep some air movement, those cheap little personal fans are my current favorite and I have been known to shoot a little carbon dioxide gas into the tubs. Nothing to do with humidity, though now that I think about it CO2 gas is dry and I suppose altering the partial pressure of the specific environment… Nah, too much of a stretch, even for me.

Biollante

 

[chris81]

Hi guys i need some help.

Whats the best way to plant elocharis. is it best to burry it deep in substrate or else just roots burried... ???

any suggestions welcome..

Thanks a million,

 

[DaBub]

Biollante must have missed the post in all the spam.

Biollante showed me planting them with the rhizome solidly in the substrate but not covering the ‘crown’. (The top part of rhizome should be uncovered.) Plant as little bunches they grow together.

Split rhizome to make more plants. You can also grow them in wet or damp soil they will flower then brush lightly with clean (new) fluffy light brush and well produce seeds that grow.

Among plants, Biollante used these to go from underwater to shore and swamp in paludariums.