# Dry start crypt parva?



## pianofish (Jan 31, 2010)

Has anyone ever tried this. I know the whole melting crypts thing, but melting aside would this work to establish a carpet?


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## Charrr89 (May 15, 2013)

I tried. Parva is a very slow grower though... So I did not see any results in 3 weeks... Might need some major patience. Good luck!


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## MrSwampfish (Jun 20, 2013)

yeah agree with Charrr89, they're slow growing plant. I only keep them in immersed setup, and it have nice dark purple flower..


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## johnson18 (Apr 29, 2011)

Seeing how much melting I'm getting transitioning my C. parva, I probably wouldn't recommend it. Although it would allow the root structure to form, you would probably lose a ton of leaves after flooding. Knowing how slow of a grower parva is I would probably just pack it super full during the initial planting & go from there. I was thinking about getting some more parva for my 20L but I definitely think I'm going to have to wait until I start to see new growth from the plants already there, so I don't disturb the roots of the plants that melted.


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## Xiaozhuang (Feb 15, 2012)

Crypt parva is easy and hardy; should not require dry start to make it work. Sometimes if you get samples that are grown submerged the plant may take more energy getting suited to emersed form.


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

its not going to grow fast enough to fully carpet your tank, take my word for it.

however, it is a nice plant and I consider it an accent to a carpet more than anything.


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## wheatiesl337 (Mar 30, 2011)

I have a full carpet of crypt parva that I dry-started in this tank:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=193367&highlight=

It is one of my favorite plants to work with. It actually prefers to be grown emerged rather than submerged, and if you are willing to dry start for a couple months and keep spreading new rhizomes around, you can get a full carpet of parva.

It does grow a bit taller than most people might like for a "carpet," but I run the above tank without c02, which limits carpet plant options.

Crypts might melt some, but it doesn't really matter as long as the rhizome is healthy. They can grow back from the rhizome even after losing every leaf.


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## pianofish (Jan 31, 2010)

Thanks folks for the replies! Just to clarify. This would be in a sloped 10 gallon tank. So I believe with 10 or so pots to start a full carpet is quite feasible. Secondly. Thanks Wheaties! That response is exactly what I was hoping to hear. It would definitely be a few months process as I also want to dry start to attach moss in specific places in the tank and I know that ill be more satisfied doing that part dry start for sure. I will also probably do some DIy co2 a few months down the road to help with the initial transition. Thanks for the replies!
Let you know how it goes!
Joshua


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## wheatiesl337 (Mar 30, 2011)

10 pots should be more than enough to give you a nice thick start of parva in a 10g. I think I started with about 16 pots for my tank--about the footprint of a 25-30g. It will spread faster if you separate the clumps after taking them out of the pots and before planting.


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## pianofish (Jan 31, 2010)

Yeah thats what I would do. I know it could take hours, but I'd rather plant each rhizome individually. How tall does yours grow in a low tech setup? I'm fine with a taller foreground.


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## johnson18 (Apr 29, 2011)

pianofish said:


> Yeah thats what I would do. I know it could take hours, but I'd rather plant each rhizome individually.


Most definitely your best bet!! There's no doubt planting WILL take hours!!


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

You won't need CO2 for C. parva. Just let it melt and do its thing. It'll start growing leaves quickly enough.

Though, unless you buy everything you need up front, you're not going to see a carpet for close to a year. Maybe longer.


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## pianofish (Jan 31, 2010)

Nah. It would definitely be like 10 pots which would be more than enough to cover the area in the 10 gallon that I had in mind. I really just want it as a soil erosion preventer to hold together my slope. It'll be in Mineralized soil topped with pool filter sand with root tabs underneath. So it should do fine, id think. 

Anyone have a link to a good dry start guide?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Roots from C. parva aren't going to prevent loss of slope, unfortunately. It takes a long time for them to grow and they're not as gnarly as other crypts.

I've had some in place for two years in Aquasoil that haven't grown roots more than half an inch long. Conversely, I've got C. wendtii in a tank with Aquasoil (and one with pool filter sand) that has roots easily a foot long.


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## pianofish (Jan 31, 2010)

I'll suppliment with some of the taller Nevilli possibly? Basically same as parva, but smaller than lucens.

I'll also have rocks dotting the landscape so that along with lava rocks underneath the dirt and sand forming the slopes, I believe should help??


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## wheatiesl337 (Mar 30, 2011)

The parva in my low-tech is 2-3 inches tall generally, some breaking 3 inches in spots. It's low tech, so it could be reaching a bit for the light.

It's true the roots aren't as extensive as other crypts, but I just pulled some up this weekend that I had growing emerged for about 6 months with roots 3-4 inches long. If you want to let it grow emerged for a while, they will develop a decent root system.


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