# Dry start method disaster - HELP!



## GhostMantis (May 20, 2010)

I decided to use the "dry start" in an attempt to grow a HC carpet in a new tank. After the initial planting I covered the tank in plastic wrap. I've been providing 3.6 wpg of light for 8 hours a day and the substrate is AquaSoil. On the third day (today) I've noticed a web-like mold that is starting to grow over some of the plants. I've since removed the plastic wrap, but the mold still seems to be spreading and I'm not sure if my plants will make it. Is there any way to treat/remove the mold without harming my plants?


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## williamsonaaron (Jan 27, 2010)

is the mold blue?


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## VadimShevchuk (Sep 19, 2009)

i had some mold but i tried to remove it as much as possible. Is the water level at the surface of the HC?


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## GhostMantis (May 20, 2010)

The mold is not blue, it's white. It looks very much like spider webbing.

The water level was just a tad bit above the surface of the AquaSoil at the bottom of the slant. After the first day I removed enough water to make it flush with the surface.


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## GhostMantis (May 20, 2010)

It looks like the plants with the mold on them are already beginning to melt :icon_mad:


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## Eden Marel (Jan 28, 2010)

I had that problem too when I tried, gave up and just made my carpet the wet way.


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## csmith (Apr 22, 2010)

Make a 4 part distilled water to 1 parts Hydrogen Peroxide mixture. Spray the moldly areas. You'll hear a fizz just like when you put the stuff on cuts.

I just finished my HC DSM in a 55 and had to do this to get rid of the mold.


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## zdnet (Aug 13, 2010)

To avoid mold, one thing to try is inserting an airline tubing and continuously pump a small amount of air into the tank.


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

There was a bunch of that stuff over my java ferns when i tried growing them emersed. It eventually disappeared, and it's not harmful to the plant. It looked like this:


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## GhostMantis (May 20, 2010)

After removing the plastic wrap, the mold seems to have cleared up a little. I think I'm going to keep it off and just mist the tank more frequently. Although I'm worried about the light drying out the substrate too much while I'm at work, especially on the "hills".


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## fresh.salty (Jul 2, 2010)

I tilted the tank to try and level out the water in the substrate but it was only 3g. Instead of plastic wrap I had a piece of glass on top that allowed some moisture to escape.


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## Armonious (Aug 16, 2010)

One thing that I just though of that you could possibly try out would be placing the tank with the saran wrap off like you already have, but also put a small humidifier next to it, with the outlet directed towards the tank. 

I would imagine that would deter evaporation, and maybe add more moisture depending on the setup.


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