# Planted Tanks > Plant Talk >  Hemianthus Callitrichoides (HC) - Dry Start Method Journal!

## Urban Aquaria

This journal will document my successful growing of a _Hemianthus Callitrichoides_ carpet (sometimes known as '_dwarf baby tears_', or more commonly as '_HC_') via Dry Start Method (DSM).

There have been numerous online guides by many other aquascapers over the years and i owe my success to all of them. In return, i'd like to thank the aquascaping community by sharing my experience using this method too, it has indeed been a very interesting journey.  :Smile: 

Here are the tank specs:

*Tank Size:* _45cm x 30cm x 24cm_

*Substrate:* _ADA Aqua Soil New Amazonia (Powder Type)_

*Temperature:* _27-28 °C_

*Lighting:* _Up Aqua Z-Series Pro LED Z-15 (45cm)_

*Light Duration:* _14 hours_

*Flora:* _Hemianthus Callitrichoides_

--

*Initial Planting* 

The _Hemianthus Callitrichoides_ were purchased from a local aquarium shop and they are packaged in "mats" secured to stainless steel mesh. I washed them well and let them sit in a plastic tub under shallow water for a few days to quarantine for a while under light (managed to find and remove some worms and snails in the process), then i proceeded to separate them into small bunches to prepare for planting.

I first filled the tank with ADA Aqua Soil New Amazonia (Powder Type)_,_ creating a gentle slope from front (2cm height) to back (6cm height). Some rocks of various sizes and shapes were arranged in the soil too.

The soil was sprayed with water until it was visibly moist (but not submerged), i took care not to allow any puddles or pools of water to form. The small bunches of _Hemianthus Callitrichoides_ were then planted into the soil with tweezers, spaced out evenly from each other.



The large empty circle space on the right side is meant for a bogwood/driftwood feature that i'm planning to introduce in after the DSM.  :Wink: 

Here is a front "landscaped" view of the initial planting.



I am using the Up Aqua Z-Series Pro LED Z-15 for my lighting. I've had good experience using it to grow other plants, so it was my first choice for this project. The light duration will be 14 hours daily throughout the DSM. Since the plants are not submerged, there is no issue with algae or lack of Co2, so they can focus on growing fast with long and intensive light durations. 

For the next few weeks, the plants will be hydrated by a spray bottle. They will be misted a few times daily to keep the soil moist. I only use de-chlorinated water (no additional fertilizers).



The tank is not covered or sealed at all as the local ambient humidity in Singapore is high enough... it'll basically be like cultivating a mini garden within a glass tank. 

Btw, i've actually seen _Hemianthus Callitrichoides_ growing outdoors amongst carpet grass in house gardens before, and they were actually considered weeds!  :Laughing: 


*Week 2* 

So far, i have been misting the soil a few times daily, just enough to prevent it from drying out, taking extra care not to over-saturate the soil.

Growth is slow but steady, with some minor browning on some of the plants, this slower initial growth phase is likely attributed to the weaker ones dying out while the stronger ones work at establishing their roots.



I maintain them by manually removing the brown or dead plants with tweezers and trimming the odd leaves that grow vertically, hopefully this helps to encourage horizontal growth.


*Week 4*

Good progress! The roots have started to establish and they are now spreading very fast, the plants are growing into a dense carpet and the development can be seen on a day to day basis.



Here is a front "landscaped" view of the growth after 4 weeks.



From the side of the tank, the roots of the plants can be seen anchoring into the soil substrate.



And i also discovered that the soil has inhabitants too... earthworms!  :Surprised: 



They probably hitchhiked on the _Hemianthus Callitrichoides_ but were too tiny for me to spot earlier on, now they have prospered in the rich soil and plants. At any one time, i could count 4-5 worms from the side of the tank, so there are probably dozens more hidden in the soil too.

I don't view the earthworms as pests though... after all, this is technically a mini garden, and every successful garden usually has lots of earthworms, they eat dead plant matter and process them into worm castings which make great fertilizer for the soil, and they burrow through the soil which helps aerate and allow water to flow though better. So i considered them as little helpers in my DSM project.  :Grin: 

But i also encountered un-welcomed guests too... mold!



Luckily i didn't encounter that much mold issues amongst my plants though, only a few scattered spots over the weeks, which i promptly removed with tweezers, so it was just a minor annoyance.


*Week 6*

The plant growth has been progressing rapidly and i could already see them start to connect together to create a nice carpet!



Noticed the roots are growing even deeper into the soil and anchoring well.



At this point, i decided that the plants have established their roots sufficiently in the soil and the tank is ready to be flooded.



Flooding completed!



With the _Hemianthus Callitrichoides_ rooted firmly in the soil, there was very minimal clouding when i filled the tank with water (the photo above was taken right after the tank was filled) and the slope stayed intact too. 

The establishment of a strong root system is indeed one of the main keys to getting healthy and sustained submerged growth from these type of plants. 

Hope this journal is helpful for those looking at using DSM to create their own HC carpets too!  :Smile:

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## Fahmy

Hey! Thanks for this journal! I was planning to grow HC cuba with this method too next month! How many of those mats of HC did u buy? I'm planning to do 3 feet tank, so how many would you recommend? 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

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## mukyo

Like!!!!
Photo also pro.


-----------------------------------------
Visit and comment my L Tank and S Tank... <-- Click click !!
Thank you  :Smile:

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## Urban Aquaria

> Hey! Thanks for this journal! I was planning to grow HC cuba with this method too next month! How many of those mats of HC did u buy? I'm planning to do 3 feet tank, so how many would you recommend?


The HC mats i got came in various sizes and were packed in those small rectangular plastic cartons, i'd estimate i bought enough mats to probably cover an A4 size area (which seems to be sufficient for initial planting in my 1.5ft tank)... so i guess it would be good if you could get double that amount for your 3ft tank, so that you can have dense initial coverage from the start.  :Smile: 




> Like!!!!
> Photo also pro.


Thanks!  :Smile:

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## zeltade

Nice journal. I tried doing dsm once before and mold starting growing instead. Just wondering did you manage to get it right the very first time round or this is your number # attempt? Any how nice carpet  :Smile:  

Cheers

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## bennyc

Congrats on your successful flooding! 
I am also growing HC using DSM but the growth is not as fast. I too have flooded my tank and i discover the earthworm surviving in the tank. A lot of my HC has melted and turned brown but new leaves can be seen.

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## Urban Aquaria

> Nice journal. I tried doing dsm once before and mold starting growing instead. Just wondering did you manage to get it right the very first time round or this is your number # attempt? Any how nice carpet


Thanks! 

I guess what i did was only mist the soil and plants slightly each time, i didn't make them soaked or over-saturated with water (which would create areas with stagnant puddles)... so maybe that helped to reduce the chances of mold developing.




> Congrats on your successful flooding! 
> I am also growing HC using DSM but the growth is not as fast. I too have flooded my tank and i discover the earthworm surviving in the tank. A lot of my HC has melted and turned brown but new leaves can be seen.


Yeah, apparently i've read that earthworms can survive underwater for a while if the water is well oxygenated (they breath through the moisture on their skin)... but they will still die eventually (or the fishes will find and eat them first).

What i did during the flooding process was just fill with water until 1-2cm above the soil substrate, then switched off the room lights and left it alone for an hour. When i came back to check, most of the worms have popped out of the soil, then i used tweezers to remove them from the tank (counted almost 30+ earthworms removed)... the large ones i moved to my potted plants (good for the soil there too), the small ones i kept in a plastic tub and fed them to my fishes over the next few days.  :Grin: 

I wasn't keen to leave too many worms in the tank once its fully flooded 'cos if they were to die while in the soil, i wouldn't be able to find them and they'll end up contributing to increased ammonia levels.  :Opps: 

The HC does go through a transition period when going from emersed to submerged, i also noticed some browning of the leaves during the first few days too, then they recovered and started resuming their normal growth. I guess the established roots help them to recover quickly and bounce back from the transition.

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## mincedmeat

This is a great journal!

Was wondering, did you cover the tank during DSM? Or you left it open and sprayed water occassionally to keep the soil moist?

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## Urban Aquaria

> This is a great journal!
> 
> Was wondering, did you cover the tank during DSM? Or you left it open and sprayed water occassionally to keep the soil moist?


Thanks!

I didn't seal or cover the tank during DSM, it was left open. I just lightly mist the plants and soil 2-3 times daily and its sufficient.

Imho, the local humidity in Singapore is high enough... we are all living in a greenhouse here.  :Grin:

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## li_gangyi

That's some fast growth, I'm trying to do the same for the past month or so, but I don't have anywhere as intense as your growth rates. I did start out with way less plants then you did though, so that might slow things down a fair bit.

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## Urban Aquaria

> That's some fast growth, I'm trying to do the same for the past month or so, but I don't have anywhere as intense as your growth rates. I did start out with way less plants then you did though, so that might slow things down a fair bit.


 Yeah, planting densely from the start will definitely accelerate the growth of a HC carpet... i guess if the quantity of HC planted initially is sparse, then it'll take alot longer to grow and spread out.

Maybe you could just buy more HC mats and plant them in the gaps between your existing clumps of HC, it'll definitely help speed up the process.

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## li_gangyi

I'll just wait it out and see if it fills in properly, if not I'll have to boost it a little I guess.

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## felix_fx2

hi, can share the equipment setup for your photos? confirm not using phone camera  :Laughing:

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## Shadow

from the file, it seems taken by Samsung GT-I9300

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## Urban Aquaria

Yeah, i use my Samsung Galaxy S3 phone camera to take all the photos.  :Smile:

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## felix_fx2

MY GOD.... i didn't know s3 can take pictures this good...
time to utilize my 3s more then note 2...

what were the settings...? i see the options on my phones... wha.. indeed good buy

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## Urban Aquaria

> MY GOD.... i didn't know s3 can take pictures this good...
> time to utilize my 3s more then note 2...
> 
> what were the settings...? i see the options on my phones... wha.. indeed good buy


I just used the default camera settings, only when taking close-ups then i enable the macro function, otherwise i didn't adjust anything else.

What i do is take 6-7 shots repeatedly for each scene or angle (will usually end up with 100+ photos each session)... after that i'll transfer all the photos over to my PC and then sort through and delete all the not-so-good duplicated shots, only keep the good photos.  :Smile:

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## felix_fx2

i saw the marco too  :Smile:  i am new owner of 2 androids... 
you mean the burst mode thingy correct? i only used it to take silly photos of myself so far  :Roll Eyes:

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## Urban Aquaria

> i saw the marco too  i am new owner of 2 androids... 
> you mean the burst mode thingy correct? i only used it to take silly photos of myself so far


I don't use the burst mode... what i do is manually take individual shots, allowing the camera lens to auto re-focus between each shot, i find that this method results in better photos.  :Smile:

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## li_gangyi

I'm wondering if lengthening the photo period will enable the HC to grow faster...

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## felix_fx2

> I don't use the burst mode... what i do is manually take individual shots, allowing the camera lens to auto re-focus between each shot, i find that this method results in better photos.


i just now tried my note 2 lte... never noticed how good it was.  :Laughing: 
the close up shot is very much better then i actually anticipated.

btw, when is the main rock going in?

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## bravobb

DSM is really an effective method to fast grow the plants... even Diana Walstad recommended that but nothing beats your details illustration.  :Well done: 
I will be using this method as well.
However, i was a little disappointed that the growth is quite slow from your initial planting to Week 6.... 
I was hoping the DSM would have cover the entire ground by then... is this the norm ?

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## Urban Aquaria

> I'm wondering if lengthening the photo period will enable the HC to grow faster...


That would actually be a good experiment to conduct, i guess you could test and see if it's possible.




> i just now tried my note 2 lte... never noticed how good it was. 
> the close up shot is very much better then i actually anticipated.
> 
> btw, when is the main rock going in?


Its going to be a bogwood covered with fissidens... at the moment its still undergoing its own DSM in a separate tub.  :Smile: 




> DSM is really an effective method to fast grow the plants... even Diana Walstad recommended that but nothing beats your details illustration. 
> I will be using this method as well.
> However, i was a little disappointed that the growth is quite slow from your initial planting to Week 6.... 
> I was hoping the DSM would have cover the entire ground by then... is this the norm ?


Yup, i referred to Diana Walstad's guide when doing my HC DSM too, this was the article which contained alot of useful info:

http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/00388Shrimp.pdf

I guess if i continued the DSM for another 2-3 more weeks, the HC would probably cover the whole surface, but my main objective was to just get them to establish strong roots, so once that was achieved i had no issues to flood and then let it continue its growth submerged... i was also bored of misting everyday, staring at an empty tank and tired of hearing everyone keep asking me "eh, how come the fish tank still got no water and no fish ah?".  :d'oh!: 

Another reason was also because my holding tank (the 13 litre nano one i posted up earlier) was getting increasingly overstocked with fishes (accumulated almost 25+ fishes in there over the many weeks) all waiting to transfer over, so it was additional incentive to get the tank up and running earlier.  :Grin: 

Btw, i'm also following Diana Walstad's post-flooding/submerged techniques on this tank too... no additional Co2 injection, siesta lighting regimen to allow the Co2 to replenish naturally in staggered grow/rest shifts, stocking well to allow for natural Co2 and nutrients from fauna, not planting other more demanding plants to reduce competition for Co2 and using floating plants instead (i'm also using frogbits) to help absorb excess nutrients to prevent/slowdown algae (floating plants don't compete on Co2 'cos they draw it directly from the air).

It'll basically be a "low/mid-tech" tank with HC carpet, fissidens and frogbits. So far, it seems to be working according to plan. Will be doing a follow-up thread on the tank as it matures.  :Smile:

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## Fahmy

> Its going to be a bogwood covered with fissidens... at the moment its still undergoing its own DSM in a separate tub.


Why didnt u do their DSM together? Is there a different parameter? 


Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

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## Urban Aquaria

> Why didnt u do their DSM together? Is there a different parameter?


Yeah, the bogwood and fissidens DSM i'm doing is abit different, its done in a clear tub that is covered to increase the humidity. The fissidens are not tied to the bogwood, they are just layered on and will anchor to the wood over time... 'cos i found that if the tub was left open the fissidens will tend to dry out too quickly.  :Smile:

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## Urban Aquaria

Quick update... its a few weeks after flooding and so far the HC has gone through the transition well and fresh growth is seen with nice and green new leaves.

Only encountered an initial thread/hair algae attack after flooding but it was cleared away quickly with the help of 35+ hardworking cherry shrimps, otherwise no other algae issues so far.

I'm only running an 8 hour light duration (split between 9am-1pm and 5pm-9pm) as this tank is being run "el natural" without added Co2 injection or fertilization. Although the trade-off is slower growth, but in return i also encounter very little algae along with well balanced water parameters. Hopefully it continues to be as low maintenance as possible.

One thing has been puzzling me though, i've been spotting a few strands of HC that seems to be growing much taller and with much larger and longer leaves (i keep cutting them shorter, and within a few days they grow back very quickly)... they look different from the other HC plants so i think they might be a different plant species or sub-species that somehow hitchhiked on the HC mats.

Here are 2 photos of them:





Any plant experts have an idea what plant species or sub-species they could be?  :Smile:

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## Fahmy

Cool! Looks super pretty! One question: your current tank currently has a temperature of 27-28°c right? And no CO2? Which means HC does not require low temp and injected CO2... also, i always thought that shrimps required cooler temperatures... are they thriving? 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

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## Shadow

look like HM (Hemianthus micranthemoides)

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## milk_vanilla

+1

HM to me

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk 2

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## Urban Aquaria

> Cool! Looks super pretty! One question: your current tank currently has a temperature of 27-28°c right? And no CO2? Which means HC does not require low temp and injected CO2... also, i always thought that shrimps required cooler temperatures... are they thriving?


Thanks!

The tank is in a room which is not facing the sun directly so its relatively cool... but occasionally when the weather is really hot, the water temperature can sometimes go up to 29-30°c in the afternoons too. 

So far, i've not encountered any issues with growing HC at higher temperatures (i've seen them in outdoor gardens growing under the scorching sun at 34-35°c anyways), so i guess they can adapt to different temperature conditions.

Additional Co2 injection isn't required to grow HC (it can grow with Co2 already naturally present in the water, just at a slower pace)... but if the objective is to grow them fast, then you'll need to add the right combination of Co2 injection + high light + fertilization to accelerate their growth.

As for the shrimp, i'm keeping red cherry shrimp (RCS) in the tank, which are quite hardy and can thrive in a wide range of conditions. Though i guess if you are planning to keep the more sensitive crystal red shrimp (CRS) breeds, then those type of shrimps would usually require lower temperatures and more specific tank conditions.





> look like HM (Hemianthus micranthemoides)





> +1
> 
> HM to me


Cool! They do indeed look like the online photos of HM... thanks for the ID!

Maybe i'll re-plant them further back to grow as mid-background plants.  :Smile:

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## kohanson

Nice journal there and that makes me more excited to grow them without CO2. I just bought aquazonic 3ft 2x39W T5 and has replaced my beamswork 600 LED. Electricity bill will probably go up as the LED is running at around 8W while the T5 at around 80W! 

I just started planting HC last Sunday and as my tank has been running for 5 months and I have CRS and Sakura shrimps in my tank, what I did was to remove all the plants and added in 1 pack of ADA new amozonia soil into tank. That was a disaster even though I washed the soil for almost 10 times as I did not remove the shrimps from the tank. The whole tank turned brown black and visibility was less than 5cm. I have not used any test kit since day 1 for my tank. I then planted in HC which were cut into 1cm x 1cm patches. They were immediately submersed without the DSM. I hope my HC can grow without CO2 just like yours!

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## mincedmeat

I hope you removed the shrimps as well while you were addring in the new soil. Regardless, aquarium soil shouldn't be washed and should be added into a waterless tank. Adding it straight into a tank filled with water will cause the water to turn cloudy black/brown. This pollutes the water and will in time kill off your fauna.

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## bennyc

The soil should have high ammonia content. I am not sure if washing it a few times will decrease it drastically. If it does not, it will cause a ammonia spike in your tank, seeing CRS are sensitive shrimps, it will be fatal to them.

If you follow other veteran post on the use of ADA soil, it will be better.

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## kohanson

ok, thanks for all your advise. Will monitor my shrimps for the next few days.

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## armageddon

are we able to use DSM on staurogyne repens?

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## Urban Aquaria

> are we able to use DSM on staurogyne repens?


Yes, _Staurogyne sp. Repens_ can be grown emersed via DSM too.

You can check out an example of it in this thread: http://www.aquascapingworld.com/thre...-culture.3512/

Most plants that you buy from LFS that are not packaged submerged in water (ie. sold in plastic tubs or cartons) are usually grown emersed at plant farms anyways.  :Very Happy:

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## felix_fx2

> Yes, _Staurogyne sp. Repens_ can be grown emersed via DSM too.
> 
> You can check out an example of it in this thread: http://www.aquascapingworld.com/thre...-culture.3512/
> 
> Most plants that you buy from LFS that are not packaged submerged in water (ie. sold in plastic tubs or cartons) are usually grown emersed at plant farms anyways.


It's easy to grow emerse. if in pots with ample water (as in your reference link), they will grow nicer.
Btw, ever thought of letting those hitch hiker plants grow? Will look more natural.

Just my point of view, you'll notice those ada showroom tanks. quite a few of them have mixed HC and hairgrass.

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## ivantan

how much wet do you get your soil? I have one but it seems like some of the leaves are drying out

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## Urban Aquaria

> how much wet do you get your soil? I have one but it seems like some of the leaves are drying out


Each time you mist it, just moisten the soil enough until the soil granules are slightly "shiny". The water will trickle down to the lower portions of the soil between regular mistings. The top-most soil layer may look drier after a few hours but that is fine, as the water settles into the lower substrate for use by the plant roots. 

You can see how much water there is under the soil just by looking at the plant roots through the lower sides of the glass tank.

Healthy leaves are green and lush... if some leaves are becoming brittle or turning brown, its most likely due to the weaker ones dying off before new healthier ones grow out to replace them.

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## ivantan

> Each time you mist it, just moisten the soil enough until the soil granules are slightly "shiny". The water will trickle down to the lower portions of the soil between regular mistings. The top-most soil layer may look drier after a few hours but that is fine, as the water settles into the lower substrate for use by the plant roots. 
> 
> You can see how much water there is under the soil just by looking at the plant roots through the lower sides of the glass tank.
> 
> Healthy leaves are green and lush... if some leaves are becoming brittle or turning brown, its most likely due to the weaker ones dying off before new healthier ones grow out to replace them.


weak plants? interesting concept never thought plants were like that, thought that if one part was to die it could be a sign that the rest of it was getting ready to go to.

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## Patrick76

My HC started turning brown towards the second week of DSM. I did not bother to remove it and surprising I started to see new leafs growing.

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## Urban Aquaria

> My HC started turning brown towards the second week of DSM. I did not bother to remove it and surprising I started to see new leafs growing.


Yeah, usually at the 2-3 week mark, many will see the leaves browning, start to panic and flood it, then everything will turn brown further and start floating up to the surface.  :Grin: 

I guess it seems to be a normal transition process during DSM... a portion of the HC will initially turn brown and wilt, then sprout fresh new runners and leaves, just have to keep up with the DSM regime and give the new HC time to recover and grow out.

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## Patrick76

It is quite scary. Those that look green and bushy suddenly turns brown overnight. My heart sunken when I see that happens. It seems like my effort for the last 2 weeks have been wasted.

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## Patrick76

I am into my 4th week of growing HC using DSM method. I would say 90% of my plants cannot make it. I am just wondering if anything went wrong with my lights, substrates or it is just the quality of the plants.

I on my lights for 14 hours a day just like Urban Aquaria but I am using Green Element LED lights instead of Z series UP lights. I am thinking if Green Element are stronger than UP lights, then I should reduce the photo period instead.

As for substrates, I am using vermicompost mixed with cocopeat in the ratio of 1:4 and top it up with 1'' of lapis sand. Could it be that the HC cannot "reach" for the fertilizer? 

I bought my HC from C328 and East Ocean.

Please refer to photo below.

Please advise if I should restart the whole process again.

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## Urban Aquaria

> I am into my 4th week of growing HC using DSM method. I would say 90% of my plants cannot make it. I am just wondering if anything went wrong with my lights, substrates or it is just the quality of the plants.
> 
> I on my lights for 14 hours a day just like Urban Aquaria but I am using Green Element LED lights instead of Z series UP lights. I am thinking if Green Element are stronger than UP lights, then I should reduce the photo period instead.
> 
> As for substrates, I am using vermicompost mixed with cocopeat in the ratio of 1:4 and top it up with 1'' of lapis sand. Could it be that the HC cannot "reach" for the fertilizer? 
> 
> I bought my HC from C328 and East Ocean.
> 
> Please refer to photo below.
> ...


I think your lights shouldn't be the issue, they are higher wattage and stronger than what i use, and when grown emersed with ample Co2 and fertile soil, stronger lights and long lighting periods should accelerate growth even further (no need to compete with algae or other plants too). Those farming HC emersed in tubs under outdoor sunlight subject them to way more intense light.  :Smile: 

The HC i use come from C328 too, so the plant supply should be similar.

Did you mist the soil daily to ensure that the soil is moist?

I see 2 main difference in your setup compared to mine (which may or may not have affected the result):

1) Using a combination vermipost, cocopeat and lapis sand substrate... not sure how the nutrients are released or the root take-up process by the plants in those type of garden soil substrates, i guess it is an experimental factor as most of the successful DSM projects i see documented so far use aquarium soil substrate designed for planted tanks (ie. ADA aqua soil). 

With a multi-layered DIY substrate combo, it could be possible that the HC might have some difficulty reaching nutrients though the various layers (HC have very shallow roots initially and take a while to grow out), which might explain recovery or growth taking alot longer than expected.

I used ADA aqua soil which is just one layer of nutrient rich soil with evenly sized granules, so the HC roots get to access the nutrients immediately right from the top layer, without having to reach through layers further down.

2) The HC bunches are planted sparsely in bunches around the layout, which might not have enough plant mass to establish roots and recover in time. I find that its better to plant densely from the start with alot more HC (and in smaller bunches) to help increase initial plant mass (enough to cover the substrate and each bunch just 2-3cm apart), or else it could experience too much die out and then take a much longer time for the remaining few surviving plants to recover and start spreading.

So i'd probably place the points to look at as: Substrate composition and initial plant mass quantity.

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## felix_fx2

> With a multi-layered DIY substrate combo, it could be possible that the HC might have some difficulty reaching nutrients though the various layers (HC have very shallow roots initially and take a while to grow out), which might explain recovery or growth taking alot longer than expected.
> 
> 2) The HC bunches are planted sparsely in bunches around the layout, which might not have enough plant mass to establish roots and recover in time. I find that its better to plant densely from the start with alot more HC (and in smaller bunches) to help increase initial plant mass (enough to cover the substrate and each bunch just 2-3cm apart), or else it could experience too much die out and then take a much longer time for the remaining few surviving plants to recover and start spreading.


This should be the problem patrick faces.

top layer should have more cocopeat or compost. they can retain moisture better also.
Plus the fact i have a similar setup outside. 1-2 week used acrylic sheet to cover 90% to aid moisture being evaporated.

btw i plant in small bunches. about a pinch using finger and using pincer just bury half inside.

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## Patrick76

Since I am already having the current setup, I am just wondering if I could add root monster into the lapis sand and restart the whole process. This will probably be nearer to the roots of HC and aid nutrients uptake. Do you think this is feasible?

I spray distilled water/water from other tank twice a day. Normally, I touch the lapis sand everyday and it is a bit moist. Is this correct?

oh..I would like to ask how do you guys prepare the HC prior to planting? Those that I bought from C328 are grown on a sponge and it is rather hard to remove without damaging the roots. With just a bit of roots sticking out from the plants, if I were to insert the HC deeper into the substrate, the leaves will be covered by the substrate as well.

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## AQMS

Im camping here, good info :Smile:

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## Urban Aquaria

> Since I am already having the current setup, I am just wondering if I could add root monster into the lapis sand and restart the whole process. This will probably be nearer to the roots of HC and aid nutrients uptake. Do you think this is feasible?
> 
> I spray distilled water/water from other tank twice a day. Normally, I touch the lapis sand everyday and it is a bit moist. Is this correct?
> 
> oh..I would like to ask how do you guys prepare the HC prior to planting? Those that I bought from C328 are grown on a sponge and it is rather hard to remove without damaging the roots. With just a bit of roots sticking out from the plants, if I were to insert the HC deeper into the substrate, the leaves will be covered by the substrate as well.


The lapis sand probably holds enough water but the nutrients are mainly in the soil below so the initial short HC roots probably can't reach them yet. 

Yeah, i think using root tabs in the lapis sand could help position essential nutrients closer to the HC roots.

To prep the HC, i basically pick and wash away everything (wool or soil or sponge) and only have the bare HC with roots, then separate them into smaller bunches and plant them with the remaining roots in the soil and with the leaves just sitting above the substrate.

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## felix_fx2

@Urban, you do a simple experiment. Take a cup of lapis sand & a cup of ada, lay them out on a table evenly beside one another. Time how long it takes to dry. there is some differences but it's not huge.
i only discover this when i had 2 tanks in DSM outside in the hot sun.... and oh yah.... how's your tank doing....

the last time i bought HC. i tore the annoying sponge from below till abit thinner before prying out HC. but since then, i farm most of my plants and never bought same plants from LFS unless i didn't have them. HC's roots normally have their ends staying at the sponge if i directly tried to pry them directly.

you can try soda water or ice cold water soak to clear snails, light 1/10 solution of bleach also works fine for some.

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## Urban Aquaria

> @Urban, you do a simple experiment. Take a cup of lapis sand & a cup of ada, lay them out on a table evenly beside one another. Time how long it takes to dry. there is some differences but it's not huge.
> i only discover this when i had 2 tanks in DSM outside in the hot sun.... and oh yah.... how's your tank doing....


Yeah, lapis sand granules seem quite large (similar to larger granules of ADA soil) so there are gaps in-between each granule for capillary action from water in the lower substrate layers, hence still staying moist.

My HC carpet tank is still running, not much changes as its a low tech tank so it is mainly "maintenance" growth (new growth just enough to replace old growth), currently being overrun by shrimps though so have to start transferring them out to other tanks. Will post an update on it over the next few weeks.  :Smile:

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## blitz2003

Very nice!!

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## Urban Aquaria

Just to add to this thread, there is an informative plant article at the Tropica website about _Hemianthus Callitrichoides_ and its habitat:

http://www.tropica.com/en/plants/plant-articles/hemianthus-callitrichoides.aspx

Here is an interesting excerpt...

_".._ _Hemianthus callitrichoides (048B) was recovered by Tropica's founder Holger Windeløv during the dry season in a rocky river not far from Las Pozas about 90 km east of Havana in Cuba. Here, it was rooted in gravel between large rocks about 50 cm above the current water level of the river. The plant appeared as a dense pad shaped population very resistant to the heavy drag forces of the water which would have flooded and submerged the group of plants to about 1 meter depth during the rainy season...."_

This article indicates that HC is already naturally adapted to transition regularly between both emersed and submerged (during the dry and raining seasons) in its native habitat.  :Smile:

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## Urban Aquaria

Just to add to this thread, there is an informative plant article at the Tropica website about _Hemianthus Callitrichoides_ and its habitat:

http://www.tropica.com/en/plants/plant-articles/hemianthus-callitrichoides.aspx
 
Here is an interesting excerpt...

_".._ _Hemianthus callitrichoides (048B) was recovered by Tropica's founder Holger Windeløv during the dry season in a rocky river not far from Las Pozas about 90 km east of Havana in Cuba. Here, it was rooted in gravel between large rocks about 50 cm above the current water level of the river. The plant appeared as a dense pad shaped population very resistant to the heavy drag forces of the water which would have flooded and submerged the group of plants to about 1 meter depth during the rainy season...."_

This article indicates that HC is both an emergent and submersed plant, so it is already designed to transition regularly between both emersed and submerged (during the dry and raining seasons) in its native habitat.  :Smile:

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## Patrick76

I am thinking to try once again without the use of root monster since I am testing on the efficency of vermicompost. I will thin down the lapis sand such that when I plant my HC it will be nearer to the fertilizer.

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## limz_777

i have read that article too , another important point they mention is _Hemianthus callitrichoides_ has its optimum temperature around 25 ºC but it thrives well from 20 to 28 ºC , yet many growers mention its able to withstand as long its under 30 C

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## Patrick76

> I am thinking to try once again without the use of root monster since I am testing on the efficency of vermicompost. I will thin down the lapis sand such that when I plant my HC it will be nearer to the fertilizer.


I have started my second attempt to grow HC. I planted it on the 2 May and now it is barely 1 week away. 80% of my HC seems to have melted away. I am starting to wonder if it is because my ambient temperature is too hot which result in the failure...

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## Urban Aquaria

> I have started my second attempt to grow HC. I planted it on the 2 May and now it is barely 1 week away. 80% of my HC seems to have melted away. I am starting to wonder if it is because my ambient temperature is too hot which result in the failure...


 Hmmm... i think it shouldn't be affected that much by temperature, HC can be grown outdoors under the direct sun too, so it should be able to adapt to various temperatures.

I've checked diana walstad's DSM article again and it seems she used a mix of mineral soil, organic potting soil and fertilizer tabs, though she planted the HC directly into the soil mix (without any additional inert layer on top):

http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/00388Shrimp.pdf

Maybe as an add-on experiment, you could also try doing a small sample HC DSM with ADA aqua soil... just put 2-3cm layer of aqua soil in a small plastic tray with some HC and position a strong light over it (or place it under the sun), mist it regularly and see there is any difference.

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## Patrick76

> Hmmm... i think it shouldn't be affected that much by temperature, HC can be grown outdoors under the direct sun too, so it should be able to adapt to various temperatures.
> 
> I've checked diana walstad's DSM article again and it seems she used a mix of mineral soil, organic potting soil and fertilizer tabs, though she planted the HC directly into the soil mix (without any additional inert layer on top):
> 
> http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/00388Shrimp.pdf
> 
> Maybe as an add-on experiment, you could also try doing a small sample HC DSM with ADA aqua soil... just put 2-3cm layer of aqua soil in a small plastic tray with some HC and position a strong light over it (or place it under the sun), mist it regularly and see there is any difference.


Ya, I plan to do that if I fail again this time round.

I am looking for some aquasoil in powder form. Do you know where I can get some?

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## felix_fx2

you can check with fishy biz, NA. not sure about the rest but Y618 maybe have but better to call and check.

btw, patrick do you live near me.. got some on tao huay tab... already emersed grown. you want?

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## Urban Aquaria

> I am looking for some aquasoil in powder form. Do you know where I can get some?


Yeah, i'm also looking for power type too. The last time i checked a week back, seems they are still sold out at most places at the moment.

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## Patrick76

> you can check with fishy biz, NA. not sure about the rest but Y618 maybe have but better to call and check.
> 
> btw, patrick do you live near me.. got some on tao huay tab... already emersed grown. you want?


Sure, I dun mind to have it. Thanks!

I live around Holland area and I work in Jurong.

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## felix_fx2

then cannot, im in toa payoh. work the opposite side of yours...

Sent from my GT-N7105

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## Patrick76

> Yeah, i'm also looking for power type too. The last time i checked a week back, seems they are still sold out at most places at the moment.


I just checked with NA today. He said that currently supplier is out of stock.

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## Patrick76

I went to Y618 to check it out also. The aunty told me that powdered aquasoil has been short for quite some time. Anyone tried using other brands of aquasoil for growing HC in particular?

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## mincedmeat

Just out of curiosity, would it be possible to pound the larger granules so that it turn to the powder version? After all it really is just smaller granules.

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## Urban Aquaria

> Just out of curiosity, would it be possible to pound the larger granules so that it turn to the powder version? After all it really is just smaller granules.


Okay, i've just tried that out, smashed a normal type soil granule to test... it crumbled into dust.  :Grin: 

Interestingly, i've heard of some chaps using fine mesh to sift ADA normal type soil and separate out the smaller granules, probably wouldn't get much but i guess that could produce a portion of "powder" type size granules too.

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## mincedmeat

How about you try it with the soil already wet?

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## Urban Aquaria

> How about you try it with the soil already wet?


Same effect... crumbles into dust too. 

I guess the soil has to be small from the beginning to maintain the powder type 2mm diameter granule size.

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## mincedmeat

Well, seems like it can't be helped then.

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## Patrick76

Possible to use ADA as base and top up with GEX. I think GEX has powder form in NA.

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## angus

anyone tried normal garden potting mix? after flooding, can do several water change. this should help to keep cost down

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## Patrick76

I guess the nitrogen cycle will have completed by then if you are planning to do DSM. There shouldn't be a need to do several water change after you flood the tank.

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## Patrick76

I have started DSM for close to 7 weeks. The growth seems to have slowed down or stopped. Anyone face similar issue?

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## Shadow

you are very passion, waiting for 7 weeks

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## Patrick76

Hahahaha...I dun wish to restart again. This is my third attempt!

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## Urban Aquaria

> I have started DSM for close to 7 weeks. The growth seems to have slowed down or stopped. Anyone face similar issue?


I flooded my tank in Week 6 so didn't get to experience any slowdown or stalling of growth during DSM... maybe your HC could have maxed out the space to grow? or maybe it ran out of nutrients? Perhaps adding some ferts in the soil or during spray misting might help re-boost the growth.

If the HC has already rooted securely into the substrate and is starting to spread horizontally, then you can just flood the tank and continue growing it submerged.  :Smile:

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## felix_fx2

> anyone tried normal garden potting mix? after flooding, can do several water change. this should help to keep cost down


Potting mix is fine. but wrongly flooded = THE HAZE CLOUD. potting soil also have many types from $2-$18 guess which is mine  :Razz: 




> I have started DSM for close to 7 weeks. The growth seems to have slowed down or stopped. Anyone face similar issue?


Rooting/lighting issue IMO. I get that problem when i pot HC in slightly shaded areas. grow 70% of pot and stopped spreading.

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## Aganor

Hi all, im new here and i have been following a lot of these forum posts and they have been very educative for me!

I am also doing DSM with HC, and Urban Aquaria have been helping me a lot on his website, and for that i thank him again  :Smile: 

Last friday was the day i planted my HC, bought 3 pots of it, they looked healthy (the shopper is a good man, treats his plants with care) and with some dead snails and a living red worm! poor lad is on my garden now, i hope it finds another like it!

Here are some pics of my AQUA,

Specs are:

54l of 60x30x30
1x beamswork Powerled 300 with 540lumen
1x beamswork Powerled 400 with 840 lumen
Sera Floredepot fertil substrate
a lot of inert substrate (lapiz and crushed stone)
16 hour light regime
covered aquarium

http://imageshack.us/a/img51/1346/insx.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img12/5882/1nq9.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img822/1396/bwc7.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img191/8578/1xqt.jpg

a little of the HC as melted, as expected but some seem to be already more fixed on the soil  :Smile: 

Wish me luck, the only thing i think its "wrong" is the black substrate that even if smaller than the lapiz, is still a little rough, i hope the HC can root into the Floredepot!

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## itsnotsobad

Hi,

Just planted HC using DSM for my new 3ft tank. Anyone tried misting them with diluted Seachem Excel? Think it'll work?

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## Urban Aquaria

> Hi,
> 
> Just planted HC using DSM for my new 3ft tank. Anyone tried misting them with diluted Seachem Excel? Think it'll work?


Well, Excel is mainly designed to provide an alternative carbon source for plants, but in a DSM the plants already have full access to all the Co2 they want direct from the air, so its not necessary to supply them with Excel during this period of time.

Do note that Excel can melt plants if not diluted enough, so make sure its diluted to recommended dosage accordingly to avoid any issues.

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## Aganor

Save the excel for when you flood the tank,
HC shoundt need any fertilizer if the fertil soil is a good one

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## itsnotsobad

Ah, thanks for the advices! 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4

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## bennyc

Excel is liquid carbon and not a fertilizer.

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## atolylica

Hi UA, had to dig up this thread.
You mentioned your HC was able to survive and grow without CO2 with the siesta period of your lighting? 

I am just starting DSM and would be really glad that if I can grow it without CO2.

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## Urban Aquaria

> Hi UA, had to dig up this thread.
> You mentioned your HC was able to survive and grow without CO2 with the siesta period of your lighting? 
> 
> I am just starting DSM and would be really glad that if I can grow it without CO2.


You can refer to my tank journal to see how the scape developed after flooding (including some additional pointers on issues that i encountered):

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...cape-quot-Tank!

Do note that although the HC was able to still sustain growth using the siesta regimen for the lighting after being flooded, the growth rate when submerged without Co2 injection is very slow. As the plant growth is slow, your main challenge will be to keep everything constantly in balance to maintain growth but yet prevent algae taking over.  :Smile:

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## nicholasliao

Hi UA, I'm planning to start a HC DSM method as well and would need your advice about the lighting system. I am currently using the odyssea lights with:

3 T5 tubes, 39 watts each, 6500k daylight. 3ft tank.

Are the lights sufficient to do a DSM? 

Would the lights be sufficient when I eventually flood my tank to grow other plants?

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## Urban Aquaria

> Hi UA, I'm planning to start a HC DSM method as well and would need your advice about the lighting system. I am currently using the odyssea lights with:
> 
> 3 T5 tubes, 39 watts each, 6500k daylight. 3ft tank.
> 
> Are the lights sufficient to do a DSM? 
> 
> Would the lights be sufficient when I eventually flood my tank to grow other plants?


Your lights should be fine for the DSM stage, only thing to watch out for is not to seal the tank completely (let fresh cooler air circulate in the tank), as the heat output from T5 lights can be very hot and create very high temperatures in the tank if it was covered. Best if the tank is not sealed or covered at all, just lightly mist the plants regularly with a spray bottle to keep them hydrated.

After the tank is flooded, the lights should still be sufficient to maintain and grow the HC further, but whether its too much or too little will depend on whether you are using Co2 injection and additional fertilizer dosing, you'll need to keep everything balanced during that post-flooded stage.

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## nicholasliao

Hi UA, thanks for your input. I will be having co2 injection after flooding. I heard that for for the first initial months from using ADA soil, we do not start with fertilizer dosing. Is that true?

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## Urban Aquaria

> Hi UA, thanks for your input. I will be having co2 injection after flooding. I heard that for for the first initial months from using ADA soil, we do not start with fertilizer dosing. Is that true?


Co2 injection will definitely help alot, it lifts most of the limitations when growing HC carpets, makes maintaining its growth way easier.  :Smile: 

ADA amazonia aquasoil does have sufficient nutrients for the initial few months of plant growth, but do note that the DSM period also counts in this period, so after you flood it, a portion of the nutrients would also have been used up. After flooding, it would be recommended to dose K and micro/trace ferts (which tend to be quickly depleted) to further support the plant growth.

Btw, since you have Co2 injection, maybe just consider starting the tank already filled and plant the HC submerged. Just crank up the Co2 injection and grow the HC carpet and other plants while the tank cycles. Once the tank is fully cycled and stable, and your plants all grow out nicely, then you can introduce the fishes and shrimps.

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## nicholasliao

So you would recommend to grow submerse instead with co2 injection? Can you recommend a fertilizer as well for the plants and hc?

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## Urban Aquaria

> So you would recommend to grow submerse instead with co2 injection? Can you recommend a fertilizer as well for the plants and hc?


Yeah, with pressurized Co2 injection, you can crank up the Co2 during the initial grow out period so it doesn't become a limitation anymore. 

The benefit of growing HC submerged is that your filter will also be able to operate and cycle the tank at the same time, and you can also grow out your other plants too.

If you are using brand new ADA amazonia aquasoil, it will already contain a rich nutrient content so for the first few months, you'll usually just need to dose potassium (K) and micro/trace ferts to support the plant growth and avoid deficiencies (those nutrients are the ones which get depleted quickly). 

For my own planted tanks with active bio-loads, i currently use Tropica Premium ferts (contains K and micro/trace, but no N & P) and it works well... though for older planted tanks with very low or no bio-load, i use Tropica Specialized ferts instead to supplement the plants with the additional nitrogen and phosphorus content.

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## strat

just curious , what is a good time frame for HC DSM before flooding? My HC DSM is like coming to 6 weeks and there are growth as well some brownings..

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## Urban Aquaria

> just curious , what is a good time frame for HC DSM before flooding? My HC DSM is like coming to 6 weeks and there are growth as well some brownings..


It depends on the soil and light setup, and the amount of HC being planted initially counts too... but generally once most of the HC has grown new leaves and established roots securely into the soil, it can be flooded.

I'd estimate with a dense enough amount of HC initially planted, like at least around 70-80% of the intended carpet area planted from the start, along with good soil substrate and ample lights, it'll usually take around 4-6 weeks for the HC to establish and carpet well enough to be flooded.

Though i've also seen some chaps start with just tiny patches of HC and actually wait like 7-8 months for it to slowly grow into a full carpet before flooding... i must say that really requires the ultimate skill in patience.  :Grin:

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## nicholasliao

> Yeah, with pressurized Co2 injection, you can crank up the Co2 during the initial grow out period so it doesn't become a limitation anymore. 
> 
> The benefit of growing HC submerged is that your filter will also be able to operate and cycle the tank at the same time, and you can also grow out your other plants too.
> 
> If you are using brand new ADA amazonia aquasoil, it will already contain a rich nutrient content so for the first few months, you'll usually just need to dose potassium (K) and micro/trace ferts to support the plant growth and avoid deficiencies (those nutrients are the ones which get depleted quickly). 
> 
> For my own planted tanks with active bio-loads, i currently use Tropica Premium ferts (contains K and micro/trace, but no N & P) and it works well... though for older planted tanks with very low or no bio-load, i use Tropica Specialized ferts instead to supplement the plants with the additional nitrogen and phosphorus content.


Thanks for the advice bro. Looks like I will be growing my plants submerge instead. Now ti think of a nice background plant for my scape.

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## strat

> It depends on the soil and light setup, and the amount of HC being planted initially counts too... but generally once most of the HC has grown new leaves and established roots securely into the soil, it can be flooded.
> 
> I'd estimate with a dense enough amount of HC initially planted, like at least around 70-80% of the intended carpet area planted from the start, along with good soil substrate and ample lights, it'll usually take around 4-6 weeks for the HC to establish and carpet well enough to be flooded.
> 
> Though i've also seen some chaps start with just tiny patches of HC and actually wait like 7-8 months for it to slowly grow into a full carpet before flooding... i must say that really requires the ultimate skill in patience.


wow.. 7~8 months really needs lots of patience...

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## ck1222

Did any one try DSM with Monte Carlo? I had filled up my tank recently and MC leaves seems started to melt even with plenty of pressurize CO2 injection.
Is it a normal for MC from emerge to submerge? My UG seems doing well on it until now.

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## Urban Aquaria

I actually have Monte Carlo growing emersed around house plants in outdoor containers, its quite an easy plant when grown this way.

I guess most Monte Carlo from LFS are grown emersed too, so there is a transition period for them to adapt to submersed growth. Ample Co2 injection should help in the transition process, the older emersed growth will usually melt and then newer submersed growth will gradually replace them.

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## ck1222

> I actually have Monte Carlo growing emersed around house plants in outdoor containers, its quite an easy plant when grown this way.
> 
> I guess most Monte Carlo from LFS are grown emersed too, so there is a transition period for them to adapt to submersed growth. Ample Co2 injection should help in the transition process, the older emersed growth will usually melt and then newer submersed growth will gradually replace them.


Thanks for the info. I got the MC from emersed form and doing DSM for about 4 weeks time. This is my first time to plant MC and wonder it need more transition period from emersed to submersed. Hopefully it grow well after a while.

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## LegoMan

Hi Urban Aquaria, recently just started the DSM with HC on my nano tank 13L, exact same setup as yourself with ADA Amazonia Powder Substrate and Pro Z LED with no coverage. Natural Air and Misting a few times per day with 14 hours light period. It has been almost a week liao and I can see that the HC has browning (not completely) but at the same time, there are runners as well. 

Question is, is there such thing is misting too much? I did not flood/pond the substrate but mist it like with 10 squeezes from the bottle so that the top soil is very wet. 
Is the HC browning common and to wait for the new growth as suggested in your blog?

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## Urban Aquaria

> Hi Urban Aquaria, recently just started the DSM with HC on my nano tank 13L, exact same setup as yourself with ADA Amazonia Powder Substrate and Pro Z LED with no coverage. Natural Air and Misting a few times per day with 14 hours light period. It has been almost a week liao and I can see that the HC has browning (not completely) but at the same time, there are runners as well. 
> 
> Question is, is there such thing is misting too much? I did not flood/pond the substrate but mist it like with 10 squeezes from the bottle so that the top soil is very wet. 
> Is the HC browning common and to wait for the new growth as suggested in your blog?


Yeah, its normal for portions of the HC to brown during the initial period of DSM, those are just the old or damaged leaves melting away.

In my case, i only started to see the browning end and the overall healthy growth accelerate after the 2nd week, thats also when the roots can be seen growing and establishing into the soil.

As long as the soil is damp, then the misting is fine, just make sure not to mist until the soil is submerged in stagnant water (which will tend to result in fungus and mold issues).

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