# Dry Start 10 gal Iwagumi



## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

nice tank!

If you have your co2 setup already, use it 

I dry start my 10g and pump co2 gas from my paintball setup 2BPS. Poke a hole with a pencil through the saran wrap and just insert your co2 tube in there. 

*make sure you make another hole(s) for air circulation. and turn off co2 at night.


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

you can't just exhale into the tank from time to time (lol)?
the CO2 should get recycled in the system between day and night to some extent.


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## dmattbfan5 (Sep 11, 2011)

Newman said:


> you can't just exhale into the tank from time to time (lol)?
> the CO2 should get recycled in the system between day and night to some extent.


Oh awesome. I wondered what would happen if I added c02 to it like that. I'll give that a shot! Thanks!


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## Newman (Jul 3, 2010)

keep us posted how that goes. i'm wondering if it will be enough to show great growth =)


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## dmattbfan5 (Sep 11, 2011)

sayurasem said:


> nice tank!
> 
> If you have your co2 setup already, use it
> 
> ...


This was GREAT advice! Ive been pumping c02 in it for 2 full weeks now. 



Newman said:


> keep us posted how that goes. i'm wondering if it will be enough to show great growth =)


Here are the results:


Yikes, its taken me almost two full weeks to get an update on here. Thats what 60+ hours of work a week will do to ya! Anyway, I took your advice and punched hole in the plastic, feeding the c02 tubing into the free air. Whew! When you pull that cover off to mist, it takes like pure acid! Haha. I am shocked by how much growth I've had in a week due to adding this to the atmosphere inside the tank. Awesome advice guys! Thanks so much. I also added a few other plants to the back. (Thanks rey!) I'll update again after Thanksgiving. 

This is week 3 (prior to adding c02)









This is week 4 (after running c02 24hrs a day with a 12 hr photo period)









Here's a macro up against the front wall. Proof that the dry start works well! I obviously couldn't have planted a root up against the glass like that.


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## magma (Oct 31, 2011)

Hey dmattbfan5,

I had a little success with dry start with HC, until it melted when I flooded the tank(hah!). One thing you want to do is suck out the puddles of water. I put a small piece of clear tubing on the corner to gauge the amount of water. About 1/2 to 1cm below the substrate is ideal. This encourages the plant to root deeper.

Also make sure to overdose on co2 when you do flood(without any fish!). I made this mistake and lost most of my HC.

-magma


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## dmattbfan5 (Sep 11, 2011)

Thanks magma! I wondered about the water level. I'll do that as soon as I get home from thanksgiving.


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## KenRC51 (Oct 13, 2011)

Nice setup, how is the Odyssea T5 HO? I'm skeptical about buying this brand.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

KenRC51 said:


> Nice setup, how is the Odyssea T5 HO? I'm skeptical about buying this brand.


Whats so skeptical about it?


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## bpb (Mar 8, 2011)

sayurasem said:


> Whats so skeptical about it?


I've read stories of some of their older equipment starting fires. From what I understand they have fixed their issues and make very reliable equipment now. I wouldnt hesitate to buy new oddysea gear.


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## KenRC51 (Oct 13, 2011)

sayurasem said:


> Whats so skeptical about it?


Lots of bad reviews of reliability. I'll give them a chance, hehehe


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## dmattbfan5 (Sep 11, 2011)

KenRC51 said:


> Nice setup, how is the Odyssea T5 HO? I'm skeptical about buying this brand.


I read all the bad reviews before I bought it too. I paid like $36 on ebay for it. I think its awesome for the price. Its super bright, doesn't get too hot, it has a long heavy duty cord, and I'm actually going to buy one of their 48" ones for my 55 gallon. I honestly can't tell a difference between the Odyssea and a Coralife fixture. My plants don't seem to either.


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## dmattbfan5 (Sep 11, 2011)

Here's the new progress as of November 29th.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

wow thats fast like a nascar!


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## magma (Oct 31, 2011)

The glosso is looking great! Are you getting non fish people looking at you funny because of an empty tank. I used to get that a lot, with my dry start.


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## Jerrayy (Mar 16, 2011)

I have an odyssea fixture, 2x39w. T5ho. It's been my workhorse for almost six months now. Great, cheap fixture. Mine was bought local for 100

Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk


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## dmattbfan5 (Sep 11, 2011)

magma said:


> The glosso is looking great! Are you getting non fish people looking at you funny because of an empty tank. I used to get that a lot, with my dry start.


Hahaha. Yes, my wife's friends all think I'm growing medical marijuana because I work in the medical field. Plus in Arizona, the laws are getting much looser on that kind of thing. Blah! I don't let it bother me much.


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## dmattbfan5 (Sep 11, 2011)

Well the cold weather (32 degrees last night) in Phoenix started to kill off my glosso. Without water I didn't know how else to heat the tank, so I just decided to call it good at 5 weeks and flood the tank. I did so yesterday VERY slowly and then added excel, and did a 25% water change last night to get some more c02 into the tank from my other 55 that has a 10lb cylinder running. I moved the cycled filter (thats been running on my 55 for 2 months now) and added the heater. The glosso in the front of the tank that is taking the brunt of the flow is pulling up just a touch, but nothing else floated up. I'm mostly concerned about not having c02 running. My paintball tanks are empty and the Dicks near my house broke their refill machine, so I haven't gotten them setup yet. Cross your fingers for me. I hope it doesn't all melt! 

Heres the first photo of it flooded though. I LOVE the lighting that this Odyssea gives off. It looks great!


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## KenRC51 (Oct 13, 2011)

dmattbfan5 said:


>


How many watt is that heater? I'm looking for a short heater for my 9g. My 200 watt is kinda long for the tank but warms up the water quick.


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## dmattbfan5 (Sep 11, 2011)

KenRC51 said:


> How many watt is that heater? I'm looking for a short heater for my 9g. My 200 watt is kinda long for the tank but warms up the water quick.


Its a Hydor Theo 50w. I have another 50 w in my other 10 gallon shrimp tank and its always 72 degrees on the dot. Thats why i went with another 50w. The hydor one in this photo is awesome because its only like 6 inches long. When i plugged it in, it made my hand really hot before i could get it in the tank. I had to hold it by the cord. I'd recommend it for sure. It was like $18 on [Ebay Link Removed]


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## KenRC51 (Oct 13, 2011)

dmattbfan5 said:


> Its a Hydor Theo 50w. I have another 50 w in my other 10 gallon shrimp tank and its always 72 degrees on the dot. Thats why i went with another 50w. The hydor one in this photo is awesome because its only like 6 inches long. When i plugged it in, it made my hand really hot before i could get it in the tank. I had to hold it by the cord. I'd recommend it for sure. It was like $18 on [Ebay Link Removed]


So sounds like the hydor 50 watt is enough. I have the hydor 200 watt (taken from my 80g tank) in my 9g tank right now. Gonna buy the 50watt tonight.


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