# Natural soil (from garden centre) with inert substrate



## Zatoichi1983 (24 Oct 2021)

Apoligies if I am asking a question answered 100's of times before. 

I am wanting to dry start a tank using soil from a garden centre, put down hairgrass seeds (with some soil on top of the seeds and then an inert substrate 1-2 inches on top. The substrate is 1-3mm in size. Will the hairgrass grow through the substrate and produce a good carpet of grass? Also any tips you have would be most appreciated. Thank you


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## foxfish (24 Oct 2021)

Where do you plan to buy the seeds from?
 I ask because there are a few threads about members buying what was advertised to be aquatic grass seed only to discover it was not at all.


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## Zatoichi1983 (25 Oct 2021)

I got these - Dwarf Hair Grass Seeds/ Eleocharis parvula (Plants for fish tank or aquarium)   | eBay


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## bazz (25 Oct 2021)

I might be wrong but that doesn't look like aquatic Dwarf Hair Grass Seed to me.
Cheers!


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## Hufsa (25 Oct 2021)

99,99999% of aquatic plant seeds online are a scam. 
0,00001% are aquatic but still not what you ordered


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## dw1305 (25 Oct 2021)

Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS. 


Zatoichi1983 said:


> put down hairgrass seeds





bazz said:


> I might be wrong but that doesn't look like aquatic Dwarf Hair Grass Seed to me.


You are right, they are definitely "grass" (Poaceae), rather than "hair grass" (Cyperaceae).  Have a look at <"(Probably not) _Glossostigma_">.


Hufsa said:


> 99,99999% of aquatic plant seeds online are a scam.
> 0,00001% are aquatic but still not what you ordered


It really p*sses me off, from the web-site.


> ......... _Dwarf Hair grass is a popular choice when it comes to adding plant life to your aquarium. This extremely versatile plant is commonly used to “carpet” areas of tanks and
> gives off a seaweed-like vibe, making the motion in the aquarium very obvious_..........


I've emailed the vendor, the reply, if there is one, could prove interesting. This is what Spike Rush (_Eleocharis_ spp.)  looks like, so they haven't tried very hard to make sure their product is what they say it is.







Zatoichi1983 said:


> I am wanting to dry start a tank using soil from a garden centre, put down hairgrass seeds (with some soil on top of the seeds and then an inert substrate 1-2 inches on top.


It would be fine. I wouldn't start with seeds and you only need a thin layer of soil.

cheers Darrel


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## Zatoichi1983 (25 Oct 2021)

I'm using seeds as I am on a budget. Can someone possibly send me a link to legit hairgrass seeds if possible please


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## dw1305 (25 Oct 2021)

Hi all,


Zatoichi1983 said:


> Can someone possibly send me a link to legit hairgrass seeds if possible please


I think the issue is that there really aren't any legitimate Hairgrass seeds. I'd probably guess that there actually aren't legitimate seeds (of this type of "aquarium" seed) of any description.


Zatoichi1983 said:


> I'm using seeds as I am on a budget


Understood. There maybe members who could help you with spare plants? I <"don't do carpets">, but I have <"other spare plants"> if you want to PM me?

<"Pets@Home"> is a potential source of cheap plants that will be suitable for both dry start and the flooded tank. I'd recommend plants from the <"Tropica Easy range">.

Also when you get to 25 posts you have access to the <"sale/swap/wanted forum">.

cheers Darrel


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## foxfish (25 Oct 2021)

If you are on a budget then I would suggest you look at working on a dry start using a couple of pots of hairgrass.
Dry starting a tank is really fun and interesting, there are lots of post telling you how to go about it.


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## Zatoichi1983 (25 Oct 2021)

Hi Foxfish thank you for the suggestion. DW1350 with the seeds I have already purchased would they still work if I sowed the seeds as in I would end up with a carpet of grass of some description?


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## Hufsa (25 Oct 2021)

Zatoichi1983 said:


> ...the seeds I have already purchased would they still work...


If you do a dry start with these seeds they will likely sprout grass. However as soon as you flood the tank with water, the grass will start the process of rotting. The species of grass sold in these seed scams are not aquatic, meaning they cannot survive under water. It may appear OK for a little while, but the grass will inevitably rot and cause a huge mess.
I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we do not recommend proceeding with the seeds, they will only cost you more money in the end when things go bad.

I second foxfish suggestion of using a modest amount of real hairgrass from pots to start the carpet process. From what I have seen the grass spreads fairly rapidly when doing a dry start compared to an underwater start.


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## dw1305 (25 Oct 2021)

Hi all,


Zatoichi1983 said:


> DW1350 with the seeds I have already purchased would they still work if I sowed the seeds as in I would end up with a carpet of grass of some description?


You would get a carpet dry start, but they won't enjoy being flooded. They are a lawn, or agricultural grass, something like Rye-grass (_Lolium perenne_).

*edit what @Hufsa says.

cheers Darrel


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## Wookii (25 Oct 2021)

Zatoichi1983 said:


> Hi Foxfish thank you for the suggestion. DW1350 with the seeds I have already purchased would they still work if I sowed the seeds as in I would end up with a carpet of grass of some description?



How big is your tank? You get a lot of individual plantlets in the Tropica 1-2 Grow pots. If used sparingly, split into individual plantlets of 5-6 leaves and spread out evenly, as @foxfish says, you should be able to get away with two pots, maybe even one pot as George Farmer did in his 'One Pot Challenge':









						George's One-Pot Iwagumi Challenge
					

Hi all,   New journal time.  :)   Spec -   Tank and Cabinet - TMC Signature Range Lighting - TMC GroBeam 1500 Ultima x 2 CO2 - 2Kg FE, Dennerle reg with solenoid, 1BPS with Fluval bubble counter, Up Aqua inline diffuser Filter - Fluval G3 Substrate - 15 litres TMC nutraSoil (black) Ferts -...



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## Zatoichi1983 (25 Oct 2021)

340 Litre tank, i imagine 30% would be taken up with hardscape


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## Conort2 (25 Oct 2021)

If you’re very patient you can break down those 1-2 grow pots into tonnes of plantlets. Maybe worth getting a few pots and splitting them out as much as you can with the dry start method. It’ll get there eventually, however it all depends how patient you are and how many pots you’re willing to purchase.

Cheers


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## Lex_ac.aquarium (25 Oct 2021)

I agree, I have used many 1-2 grow pots now and they always amaze me at the quantity included and the area they cover.


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## Kelvin12 (30 Oct 2021)

I had a crack at the ebay "hair grass seeds" actually a couple of goes at it.  It thrived in the small plastic capped pots on paper towel with just a touch of distilled water.  Planting in the tank they did hang on for a bit but eventually failed.   I had more success with the ebay leafy plants both fine and larger leaf varieties.  Again planted in the aquarium they did well and are still there after months.  I wouldn't  say they were thriving or spreading, they don't seem to be a spreading variety of plant but the shrimp love them so that could be the reason they are not thriving.thriving.   I have a few more growing ready for another tank that I am going to leave in the plastic pots for a bit longer this time then plant the out later.
Dirk


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