jamesbarr Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 (edited) So Ive been pretty interested in dry start method for a while but the fact that the plants that are typically put into one are so high maintenance and tend to need co2 and expensive lighting, I havent tried it out. Im a low maintenance hobbyist both by choice and by budget. I have been reading lately however about people being able to keep higher maintenance plants in there with no co2, only high light. Im wondering if this is true or not. I have no experience with this and I suspect that there are folks in here that do. I would love to make a nano iwagumi tank if this is true. Edited February 6, 2013 by jamesbarr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbarr Posted February 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 another thing i would be interested in knowing is if there are low maintenance plants that would work well to carpet a tank which is so impressive in a iwagumi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperGuppyGirl Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 What about a narrow leaf sagattaria? I use them as a carpet like low tech plant in my tanks. Sends out runners so once in a while may have to poke them into the substrate, but over all think it looks nice and very low maintence. I don't dose fertilize and they just grow. http://www.sacramentoaquariumsociety.org/bap_hap/Plant_Reproduction_Report/20070303B_Sagittaria_subulata.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cainechow Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/ is currently my favourite plant site. I've been combing through the search feature for a new project i'm working on. If you have a lot of time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cainechow Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Oh... in reference to CO2, you could get away with using Excel/Metricide for when you switch from Dry to Submerged, then wean the plants of the liquid carbon over say 8 weeks to let the plants slowly adjust to having less carbon available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewels Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 This does not need to be exspensive. The most critical componant is the reflector Like the one on this page http://www.freepaten...om/6698908.html The deeper the better. Over a nano tank ( less than 12 inches tall) , a 13 watt screwy bulb in this fixture will give you all the light you could need - and more. A 2L soda rig will give you all the CO2 you could need. ,,,although not absolutely necessary. Marsilea (my fave) and mini crypts are the least light hungry carpeting plants I know of. Pelia is a good substitute as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbarr Posted February 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2013 (edited) im under the understanding that there are larger co2 requirements after immersion? can i start high maintenance plants and wean them off? i gather that there is no way to get that super dense carpet that is so awesome in the iwagumis in a low tech way? Edited February 7, 2013 by jamesbarr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmullin Posted February 7, 2013 Report Share Posted February 7, 2013 im under the understanding that there are larger co2 requirements after immersion? can i start high maintenance plants and wean them off? i gather that there is no way to get that super dense carpet that is so awesome in the iwagumis in a low tech way? Drystart the plants get co2 from the air...no gas co2 in water so why you need to dose. Not that their requirements are higher but have to fill the void when it was flooded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbarr Posted February 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2013 Marsilea (my fave) and mini crypts are the least light hungry carpeting plants I know of. Im thinking that the marsilea is a good shot. How available is it at a lfs? Im from out of edmonton, should I order it ahead of time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewels Posted February 7, 2013 Report Share Posted February 7, 2013 marsilea ,,,,. How available is it at a lfs? I could tell you I have never seen it in a Medicine Hat Lfs - but that may imply less than nothing. It spreads painfully slow; if you find some - buy up the lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbarr Posted February 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 ok, so another question. Im seeing that people are using a soil substrate in their iwagumis, with a layer of gravel or sand on top and mts to keep from becoming anaerobic. Is this a good practise and if so what are the kinds of soil that people are using? Some folks are putting in a mix of compost, topsoil and peat moss. Others Im seeing using a special organic soil recommended by some Walstad lady. Both seem to yield great results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmullin Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 (edited) changed info Edited September 18, 2016 by ckmullin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbarr Posted February 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 yip still in good practice and kicks @$$! NO compost...unless you make it in specifically you don't know what is in it or what has gotten in it. Im making my own worm compost right now. well, my worms are all from vegetables, eggshells and some coffee. Nothing fish toxic would be in there. Im waiting to get a couple more items in order to set up an experimental tank to try some of it out in there to see what it does to my parameters when added in a media bag to my hob. Just want to know if it will cause a spike or anything before I put it into something that I would invest a lot of time and $$$ into. Glad to hear that youve seen good results. Im looking forward to trying it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckmullin Posted February 8, 2013 Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 (edited) changed info Edited September 18, 2016 by ckmullin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbarr Posted February 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2013 Mullin, I know little about most supplements. Can you recommend a good site to read up on this kind of stuff? Im finding predominantly places to find mixing instructions for liquid dosing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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