Montecarlo dry start help

[Abarth_1200]

So I started a dry start method with montecarlo, tropica soil, volcanic gravel layered between the soil and then medium sand and finally black sand.

I've kept it wet sucking out excess moisture at the tint of the tank when I see it, light is on 8-10 hours. But a few of the clumps have die, and the other aren't exactly looking any different. I think it's been 2 weeks now. I used tropica tissue culture and some that was already growing in water. Both are failing.
Any help?

What about other plants to go in to complete my tank, thinking some tall thicker grassy plants at the back and maybe some hydrocotle tripartita for the very middle or the far off left and right flanks of the hard scape.

I also would like some moss in here, I have Java moss and cut some up mixed with water and painted it on the rock at the lower sections, but I'm not sure if this is a good idea, how else would I incorparate moss into the scape?

I will have co2 I have a really bright light on order and tank will be around 26-27 degrees c. Soft water low ph etc, I want to go full on planted tank with rich healthy plants so let's hear some opinions on what I could use to make this tank pop.

 

[Abarth_1200]

Probably best to burn it all down

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi
Like your Dragon Stone lay-out! 👍
2 weeks isn't long enough to see much progress with dry start method!
Remove any decaying plant matter.....you could try removing some of the MC and leaving it floating in your other aquarium to encourage transition and extra root mass, then replant when this aquarium is flooded!
Rotala sp would be my choice for the back section of the aquarium.
Below is a method used by some members for attaching moss to hardscape!

hoggie

 

[DaveWatkin]

I did a dry start with monte carlo to great success awhile ago. I didn't even plant, just cut and scattered over the soil and tried to remember to give it a squirt every few days.

Due to work and life it actually sat for a couple months, maybe even three, before I flooded it. It was pretty much a carpet already when I did and it transitioned just fine.

Like everything with planted tanks, slow and steady wins the race, no such thing as quick results unfortunately.

 

[foxfish]

You might need more light, all my best dry starts have been done with natural light, ie the sun.
I would up the lighting period to 12 hours and use bright lighting.
It looks like you have high humidity in the tank, that is good but what is the temperature inside?

 

[Abarth_1200]

Hi
Like your Dragon Stone lay-out! 👍
2 weeks isn't long enough to see much progress with dry start method!
Remove any decaying plant matter.....you could try removing some of the MC and leaving it floating in your other aquarium to encourage transition and extra root mass, then replant when this aquarium is flooded!
Rotala sp would be my choice for the back section of the aquarium.
Below is a method used by some members for attaching moss to hardscape!

hoggie

Thank you! I didn't use yoghurt but did chop it up and mash it a little and it has stuck. I'll look that plant up thanks for the suggestion.

Planting mc in a flooded tank does not seem like my patience hand handle it, I'll leave what's here, and see what happens in the next 4 weeks. I have bought another box which I'll put in my other community tank, there's a fair amount of surface movement so not sure how I'll manage to float it without making a huge mess and ruining another culture of it. I think I need to make an airline ring.

 

[Abarth_1200]

You might need more light, all my best dry starts have been done with natural light, ie the sun.
I would up the lighting period to 12 hours and use bright lighting.
It looks like you have high humidity in the tank, that is good but what is the temperature inside?

It's got at least 100 par for 8 hours, I was worried about burning the leaves but I'll increase it today another hour at a time. I haven't checked temp, room temp is 21c and when I open the clingfilm it's definitely warmer than room temp. Should I be aiming for hotter by much, I was worried about increase in mold if it got too warm.

 

[_Maq_]

I take your difficulties for a natural outcome of what you did. What puzzles me is that some people can do it successfully, even with aquasoils.

 

[foxfish]

There are many approaches, I like to think that I have been fairly successful but others have also been very successful using very different methods !

Emersed Growing

Discuss the various other methods of growing aquatic plants.

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