I am considering dark cycling my new aquarium as I have some Tropica aqua soil due for delivery today or tomorrow but I am going to be away a lot over the next few weeks for work so cannot do regular water changes. Unfortunately, I also ordered plants at the same time! Some of these I can put into a bucket outside as it is warm, but I expect I may lose some, but that is fine. There are some in-vitro plants which may last the duration but I could also lose these. But I have ordered a couple of pots of java moss and java fern, both of which I know are tough as old boots. I wondered if it might be worth attaching these to the hardscape anyway while it is cycling. There is some ambient light in the tank, but I still haven't bought a light yet. I could put these outside in the bucket as I am sure they'd survive fine, but I would need to disturb the hardscape by removing it at a later date to attach them. My scape is not going to be easy to attach moss to, particularly, while in the aquarium.
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Dark cycle with java moss and java fern - is it feasible?
- Thread starter Dr. White
- Start date
Hi all,
cheers Darrel
I'd go for that. I like @foxfish 's <"cling film method">.
That is a <"tricky one dry start">, it needs <"very humid conditions"> and it might be best submerged.
cheers Darrel
That did cross my mind, especially as I have a couple of pots of Marsilea hirsuta i'm hoping to carpet with. The trouble is, I will be away from home all next week surveying on the Llangollen canal so won't be able to mist them, nor monitor water levels in the substrate. And I don't yet have a light. Would likely come home to find they're all expired. Seems a good chance to do a dark cycle, however, and leave the plants in a sunny spot in water in the garden. Except the in-vitro ones, which I don't give much hope for, but we'll see.
Tim Harrison
Administrator
Most plants will be fine for a couple of weeks, in-vitro, as well as those grown emersed or immersed. Leave the in-vitro somewhere light and cool. Leave those grown emersed in a plastic bag with about a cm or two of water in the bottom, with the top slightly open, blow some air in to the bag to inflate it slightly so the plants have some room to breath and grow. Immersed grown, you can put in the your bucket. Obviously all out of direct sunlight and in a relatively cool place.
Java fern will be fine dry start, so long as you mist daily and cover the tank with cling film. Lift the cling film off for 5 - 10 mins a day to let fresh air in, mist and recover. It's also a good idea to leave a corner open. If you try dry start don't let the water level get above the substrate. I keep a bottom corner free form substate and use a turkey baster to remove excess water.
Java fern will be fine dry start, so long as you mist daily and cover the tank with cling film. Lift the cling film off for 5 - 10 mins a day to let fresh air in, mist and recover. It's also a good idea to leave a corner open. If you try dry start don't let the water level get above the substrate. I keep a bottom corner free form substate and use a turkey baster to remove excess water.
Hi all,
cheers Darrel
That is the advantage of @foxfish 's "clingfilm sealed method", you don't have any water loss.
Tell us more........
cheers Darrel
Bit of an unusual one for me, I'm going to be taking flow readings among submerged and emerged plants (and ID'ing them, of course) to assess their ability to provide refuge for fry. Unusually for a canal, there is quite a strong flow through the Llangollen (about 7 mega litres per day) as it is used to transfer water. Looking forward to it, as I've never been to the Llangollen and it looks really nice. And I'll be on a boat. Should be a pleasant week - touch wood the weather is nice
Thanks for you help, Tim.
To be honest, when the plants arrived this afternoon I was not particularly impressed. The java fern trident looked good, the standard java fern looked healthy but was very threadbare. The java moss was probably the best of the bunch. The in-vitro pots looked a little past their best, but there are only two of them. I've not really got anywhere cool and bright to store them so I have written them off in my mind and put them on the kitchen windowsill for now. The two stem plants were not impressive, but if they survive the bucket in the garden, then I'll be happy, but not surprised if they don't.
I can't do a dry start as I will be away for too long to mist daily, unfortunately. I just hope that I have some survivors left in the large gardening tote full of water in the garden in a couple of weeks when the tank is cycled, but if I don't, well, so be it. I will chalk it up to learning. One of the lessons is to buy from shops rather than online!
I put the gardening tote in a place where it will get some direct sun for about 4 or 5 hours, thinking they are tropical species and would benefit from those conditions. I'm interested to know why you suggest a cooler and more shaded position?
_Maq_
Member
Greenhouse effect. The temperature inside may easily reach dangerous levels.
Tim Harrison
Administrator
The idea is to just keep them ticking over in a predictable environment until you’re ready to plant them. Like @_Maq_ mentions the temp in a bucket could increase to the point it induces stress and irreparable damage. Which in turn could favour algae.
