# Growing HC (Dwarf Baby Tears) Emersed- Help



## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

I just started a dry start on HC myself, so I'll share what I have heard. Btw, dry start means starting the plant out emersed, and then filling the tank up with water after the carpet has formed.

1. I use organic potting mix, I think it is the best option but if you plan on keeping this setup emersed then you could probably just use organic potting soil. As far as what to not have in soil, anything that is not natural really, you are just going to want to use organic.

2. I don't think it would hurt. In my dry start I added some root tabs and peat moss to the substrate so I doubt some liquid ferts would hurt.

3. I wouldn't worry so much about the substrate only because you could always pull it off when adding the plant into another tank.

4. Personally, since I am very bad with procrastination, I am just setting my dry start tank outside in some partial shade and using sunlight. However, I'm pretty sure whatever fixture you would use for it submersed would be fine for it emersed as well.


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## Gafi (Aug 5, 2011)

I guess the issue I am having is the substrate/soil....would it be ok to have the soil submersed with livestock in there once the HC has carpeted? Is there any ill effects that anyone knows of? Does it require a cap? I was going to use Flourite Black Sand for the sub, as I cant get Eco-Complete around here


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

as far as caps go, I think sad makes a better cap then eco-complete any day
I use eco complete alone, and its okay but its not the greatest.

Dirted tanks are not uncommon, and I plan on filling mine up when I'm done with the dry start. I'm doing soil and a pool filter sand cap. Although I did see someone on this forum using MTS and Potting Mix together with nothing else submerged so idk how needed a cap is or isn't.


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## Gafi (Aug 5, 2011)

so you put like a layer of the soil, then sand as the cap....and eventually have the tank submerged with fish shouldnt be an issue?


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## Gafi (Aug 5, 2011)

also how hard would it be to pull that HC off and plant it in another tank


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

I wouldn't think it would be hard to pull it out and replant, I mean HC is just difficult to plant in general though so I should say that it wouldn't be any more difficult to plant this HC then it would be to plant any other HC.

And yah, it shouldn't be an issue with the dirt, I've seen it a few times around. There are probably other posts and journals on this forum with info in this or just people that have done the dirt thing for themselves.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

I set up an emersed tank out in the backyard (free light). I'm using sand and a little osmocot. That's it. So when I move the plants into an established tank there won't be any mess.

It has only been a few day but the glosso is growing like a weed. The HC is doing ok but it doesn't look like it likes the 90+ heat we're getting.


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## Gafi (Aug 5, 2011)

mistergreen said:


> I set up an emersed tank out in the backyard (free light). I'm using sand and a little osmocot. That's it. So when I move the plants into an established tank there won't be any mess.
> 
> It has only been a few day but the glosso is growing like a weed. The HC is doing ok but it doesn't look like it likes the 90+ heat we're getting.


 
so how do you plan on transplanting it from that tank to the established tank....I mean the way I look at it I thought the emersed method would help rpevent algae as well as the HC from floating (allowing it to get established)......doent transplating it into another tank kinda contradict what we are trying to do? maybe someone needs to explain it to me


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

It'll post picts later. I got the idea from Amano. He uses these balls of plants call wabi-kusa when he sets up a tank.

http://www.thegreenmachineonline.com/articles/tips-techniques/wabi-kusa

You'd transplant the ball, not individual plants. But that's besides the point. You can dry start your tank too. Whatever you want to do.


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## Gafi (Aug 5, 2011)

Im thinking that it might be easier to dry start my ACTUAL tank with the substrate that Iwill be growing in.......seems counter productive to dry start, only to transplant into a new tank


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

unless you were to use a secondary tank so that you could always have HC on hand and never need to buy any ever again


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## Gafi (Aug 5, 2011)

HybridHerp said:


> unless you were to use a secondary tank so that you could always have HC on hand and never need to buy any ever again


 
this is true.....I am going to try to grow it in Flourite Black Sand....see how it goes


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## csmith (Apr 22, 2010)

Gafi said:


> this is true.....I am going to try to grow it in Flourite Black Sand....see how it goes


Be careful with that. Remember, the HC won't have a water column to pull nutrients from. If you go the flourite route the only source of nutrients are if you mist with them.


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## Gafi (Aug 5, 2011)

do you suggest adding my npk to my mist then?


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## Gafi (Aug 5, 2011)

ultimatly I want this tank to house shrimp with the HC so if I can get away with the soil and sand cap I may do that instead


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## csmith (Apr 22, 2010)

DSMing in dirt/soil/nutrient rich substrate would be more beneficial, in my opinion, than flourite.


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## Gafi (Aug 5, 2011)

ok...ive never done it....so what type of soil and what type of sand?


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## csmith (Apr 22, 2010)

I personally just stuck with ADA AS. I've never done dirt.


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## Gafi (Aug 5, 2011)

yeah i cant get ADA up here in canada


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

I'm just using organic potting mix


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## milesm (Apr 4, 2006)

a few tips to dry starting hc: 1) use nutrient rich substrate like mts or ada as. cap mts with 1 inch of ~2mm sand; 2) maintain high humidity (at least until it starts rooting and spreading), cover, leaving a small opening and mist frequently; 3) grow outdoors in filtered sun; 4) lay strands of hc on the surface, no need to plant in substrate; 5) allow a couple of weeks or so for it to adapt and establish itself, then sit back and watch it grow like a weed.


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## Gafi (Aug 5, 2011)

Great.....but can't get ada where i am in Canada....what is mts ?


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

milesm said:


> a few tips to dry starting hc: 1) use nutrient rich substrate like mts or ada as. cap mts with 1 inch of ~2mm sand; 2) maintain high humidity (at least until it starts rooting and spreading), cover, leaving a small opening and mist frequently; 3) grow outdoors in filtered sun; 4) lay strands of hc on the surface, no need to plant in substrate; 5) allow a couple of weeks or so for it to adapt and establish itself, then sit back and watch it grow like a weed.


WHAT? You're saying I could've just layed my HC on the substrate???
Gah, I spent forever with tweezers, and it was only one portion in a flippin' 5 gallon tank.


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## csmith (Apr 22, 2010)

HybridHerp said:


> Gah, I spent forever with tweezers, and it was only one portion in a flippin' 5 gallon tank.


I'm sure we all did that the first time.


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## csmith (Apr 22, 2010)

Gafi said:


> Great.....but can't get ada where i am in Canada....what is mts ?


MTS is mineralized top soil.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html


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