# Dry start



## SRP3006 (6 May 2019)

Hi all,

I am 9 days into my dry start with eloecharis acicularis and saggitaria subulata and things seem to be growing pretty well in my inexperienced opinion. The hairgrass is sending out new shoots daily it seems, and roots of both plants have grown so that i can see them through the glass at substrate level. However I have noticed something white and furry on top of just one blade of hairgrass it seems. I haven't noticed it on any other plant and it's very very small right at the tip. Is this something I should be concerned about?

Also my redmoor root has turned a horrible shade of grey/white. I've been unable to get a solid answer to whether this is bad or something that will go with time.


Cheers.

Sam.


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## alto (6 May 2019)

SRP3006 said:


> horrible shade of grey/white.


Isn’t this just movable mould?

As for the furry grass tip, I’d just trim

Are you airing the tank enough?
Some DS seem to not mould at all, others seem inundated - obviously if you’re in an area with higher natural mould spore counts, there’s higher chance of various moulds appearing in your aquarium


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## SRP3006 (7 May 2019)

alto said:


> Isn’t this just movable mould?
> 
> As for the furry grass tip, I’d just trim
> 
> Are you airing the tank enough?



I'm airing the tank daily as advised for between 5 and 10 min. 
I have been told not to cut the grass as the damage to the grass can cause mould, is there any truth in this?

As for the wood I can remove it, I am just trying to understand if I need to move it or am I just prolonging the growth that most new wood develops?


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## Zeus. (7 May 2019)

A Pic would help 



SRP3006 said:


> 9 days into my dry start



That was fast for mould to show 


SRP3006 said:


> I'm airing the tank daily as advised for between 5 and 10 min.



I would/did air longer esp with mould, left mine open for days but was months into DSM not 9 days



SRP3006 said:


> I have been told not to cut the grass



I wouldnt cut it 



SRP3006 said:


> As for the wood I can remove it



I only left the wood in that I couldnt take out with my DSM as it does seem to be prone to get mould


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## SRP3006 (7 May 2019)

Zeus. said:


> A Pic would help
> 
> 
> 
> That was fast for mould to show



I might be worrying about nothing as it's so small on the top 2 or 3mm of a single blade of grass. That's why I haven't attached a photo as I think it's far to small to capture (especially through the condensation). 

I think that I possibly damaged one of the blades when I was planting which has caused some form of growth in the humid conditions. 

When I get home after work I will try to capture it. 

As for the wood I will remove and try to find somewhere big enough to soak whilst I do the DSM.


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## SRP3006 (7 May 2019)

Zeus. said:


> I only left the wood in that I couldnt take out with my DSM as it does seem to be prone to get mould



I will only loose a small amount of moss that I have painted on via the yogurt blender method so I will remove and tie the moss on when flooding.


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## SRP3006 (7 May 2019)

I can't get a decent pic of it due to the light reflecting through the condensation and due to it being very small..


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## Zeus. (7 May 2019)

A pic of what it looks like even with the condensation can be helpful

mine just after planting








as you can see not all the tank had condensation on the glass on the side view, later on during the DSM I tried to keep the condensation level just above the highest plant level so about a third of the way up the glass


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## SRP3006 (7 May 2019)

Zeus. said:


> A pic of what it looks like even with the condensation can be helpful



I noticed from your journal that you too have a ND aquatics tank, and I was just wondering did you use cling film as well as the cover glasses. 

The glass doesn't fit airtight and you Have the holes at the back for filter pipes etc, so I have used clingfim to completely seal the tank.


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## SRP3006 (7 May 2019)

If u need any other/close ups let me know.


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## Zeus. (7 May 2019)

SRP3006 said:


> I noticed from your journal that you too have a ND aquatics tank, and I was just wondering did you use cling film as well as the cover glasses.
> 
> The glass doesn't fit airtight and you Have the holes at the back for filter pipes etc, so I have used clingfim to completely seal the tank.



For about a week small bits betwwen the glass covers and the holes then I didnt bother with it.

From your pics I would say too much water in the tank, AS looks very wet




I would take it down to the red line. There is moist then saturated, your AS looks saturated

Pics from journel here of DSM stage of my tank


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## SRP3006 (7 May 2019)

That corner has had most of the sand dug out from to allow me to remove water if it goes above substrate level. 

Bearing that in mind if I remove the water to the red line won't the normal and upper layers dry out in your opinion?

I have attached a photo of the other side of the tank at substrate level to show where the water sits.


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## SRP3006 (7 May 2019)

Here is one of the front grass


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## SRP3006 (10 May 2019)

I have lowered the water level over the last few days but i have noticed a couple more spots of mould on the eloecharis. I have aired the tank as much as I can when I am home (so I can keep an eye on the plants) and have removed the cling film and am just using the cover glasses. Will the constant ventilation from the gaps at the back of the tank be enough to stop the mould spreading or are there any other steps I can take?

The photos aren't the best quality but the mould is just visable I believe.


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## Zeus. (10 May 2019)

Had covers off mine for days near end of DSM but in early days it was all about balance. Wet enough for plants to thrive is moist but not so wet the mould does well. I have a couple of propagators which I play with.







This one was a bit too dry  so not doing too good ATM so misted it OFC









Second one is only a few weeks old with HC in and its fine and the AS isnt that wet


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## SRP3006 (10 May 2019)

Ive been constantly lowering water level to get it a little less saturated, plus extra air vents and I'm hoping that should stop mould growing too rapidly.


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