Can I go this low tech?!

[dan4x4]

I like this chinwag, make sure to do an update once its all grown in! I don't know where your from but aquarium gardens comes recommended from me if your ever after new plants. I live in the north east and there's nowhere really selling anything other than java fern and anubias.

My mam was about to throw out a glass bowl that an orchid was growing in. The orchid is dead so thats in my compost pile now. Anyway I now have a glass bowl

So I'm thinking of using a tiger lotus that I have in my main tank which is going to be replaced by some Hygrophila corymbosa & Cryptocoryne crispatula. I'm going to do dry start, never tried that before.

Probably fill half way up to maximise surface area for gas exchange. I also have some Sagittaria subulata that I've been growing emersed that I plan on utilising

Im going to use garden soil & compost mix this time too this time and a layer of sphagnum moss then gravel.

Nothing is going to live in it. Its probably too small. I'll post some pictures when its done!

 

[chinwag]

Thanks @dan4x4 bizarre coincidence, I got a bit obsessed with Tiger Lotus after seeing this on IG.

I took a look at Aquarium Gardens and ordered one, so thanks for the recommendation. If you have any pointers let me know, probably not my smartest move but I couldn't help myself! lol.

Definitely keep us posted once you get the bowl set up, I'm well interested to see it.

I've planted up a whole bunch of jars since, mostly aquatic compost capped with grit, just to see what happens really but there's not really anything to post yet! I think I made a mistake in not getting the compost nice and wet before capping it, it looks a bit too try at the moment.

 

[dan4x4]

From what i've heard they like plenty of nutrients.

You want to rest the bulb on the surface n push it slightly so its approx 50% in the substrate. This will help stop it from rotting I believe.
I have also found that mine are doing better now that they are in areas of low flow.
Mine melted at first, like really bad I thought I was going to loose it. It proved me wrong though. It has grown slow in my tank but my tank is deep so my be because of lack of light.

Your project will be awesome if you let that lotus grow to the surface and flower I can imagine that looking sweet.

I set my bowl up today. I used some beech twigs, some moss, java fern, Sagittaria subulata, Hydrocotyle tripartita and anubias coffeefolia. I'm trying dry start I'll get some photo's up. Doesn't look much atm.

I used sea glass and some shells as a gravel cap.

 

[dan4x4]

That IG post is awesome!

 

[chinwag]

Cool, thanks for the pointers @dan4x4 - hopefully it'll be here for the weekend and I can get it planted.

I'm going to replant most of the stuff I setup already as well, as I've been doing a bit of googling about low tech and jar setups and I want to revise what I've done.

I've also got a daylight spectrum LED bulb but I think I might have gone too bright - it's like living on the sun!

Your bowl is looking good so far - def want to see some more pictures of that as it progresses!

I might start a new thread after the weekend once everything's planted up, just to post the jars etc and see what people have to say about what's going wrong. lol.

The IG link - I DM'd the guy, he was really helpful, I noticed on a lot of his posts he mentions that the jars have been up and running for a while so that's promising.