# Minerlaized soil and Dry Start Method(DSM)



## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Just as a factoid, when you do the DSM, you also mineralize the soil say if you use ADA aqua soil, or worm castings or top soils. Since after keepi enough wate rto keep it moist, fully saturated for typically 3-10 weeks as the plants fill in and root well, before...........you actually flood the tank, the bacteria are much better established and you do not disturb their layers when you transfer the soil into the tank, since the soil was there all along. 

You also typically mineralize the soil longer than recommendations using the DSM, but you do not waste the NH4, since plants can take it up and convert the NH4 into plant biomass. Plant roots also help establish better and more specific bacteria relationships/colonies since they add O2 to soils.

When you flood the tank, these same soil/root communities are preserved.
So you kill 2-3 birds with one stone this way.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Jim Miller (Dec 24, 2002)

I was planning to do this for as many plants as possible on my initial planting rather than just a foreground carpet as I usually see.

Seems like a great way to get everything going with less mess and also to do some rearranging if necessary before the water column comes into play.

jim


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## Joe.1 (Nov 23, 2009)

Does that mean theres no need to DSM with MTS?


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## jargonchipmunk (Dec 8, 2008)

Joe.1 said:


> Does that mean theres no need to DSM with MTS?


Actually, it means there's no need to use MTS with DSM. :wink:


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## Green Leaf Aquariums (Feb 26, 2007)

Hmm, nice.. So to be clear. 

You can use the mineralize soil concept, but without all the heavy work? Just dump,cover then start your DSM tank..


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## OoglyBoogly (Oct 19, 2010)

I'm planning on using your DSM technique and I was wondering how it applies to a dryscape that has a lot of elevation and perhaps tunnels/caves in it. I thought about doing 2 things:

1. circulating a little bit of water from the bottom and letting it run down the highest points of my topography but that makes me wonder if the NH4 will be leached out of the "hills" similar to how it happens with runoff in the real world. I won't be using a high flow of water where it's like a mini river running down the mountain but I'm still concerned about this factor. "Edit: I just realized that if I'm using the water that gets leached out to be pumped back to the top I'd in essence be replenishing the NH4"

2. Misting the tank constantly by placing a humidifier inside the tank but I'm worried I'll have algae growing all over the glass/plants if I use the water in the tank as a resevoir. I thought about putting some distilled water inside the humidifier and setting it on a timer but I'm not sure how long I'd need to keep it on and how frequently to kee peverything moist/saturated.


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## Jim Miller (Dec 24, 2002)

I think I'll still employ some of the MTS early activities such as an initial float to remove lightweight chunky bits, a single drying followed by coarse screening to remove a few more things that would otherwise take too long to decay.

After that I'll rewet it and plop it in the tank, top it with Flourite black sand and plant as much as possible.

I'm planning to cover the top of the tank with saran wrap to keep it nice and humid, provide plenty of light and CO2 to encourage growth. I'll probably take the top off weekly to mist with some ferts just for good measure.

Jim


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## fishykid1 (Apr 5, 2010)

So with what I'm doing in my thread. Should I fill the bucket up all the way then get all the "floaters" off then start light sifting and drying process?

Are you saying that, after the basically first drying process, that i can just put it in the tank and start DSM while it mineralizes?


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Green Leaf Aquariums said:


> Hmm, nice.. So to be clear.
> 
> You can use the mineralize soil concept, but without all the heavy work? Just dump,cover then start your DSM tank..


Yep, same for ADA AS, worm castings, or any nutrient macro rich sediment type.


Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Jim Miller said:


> I think I'll still employ some of the MTS early activities such as an initial float to remove lightweight chunky bits, a single drying followed by coarse screening to remove a few more things that would otherwise take too long to decay.
> 
> After that I'll rewet it and plop it in the tank, top it with Flourite black sand and plant as much as possible.
> 
> ...


The wise would use less light, not plenty.:icon_idea

Light drives => CO2 which drives=> nutrient demand.

It is not a race to get the fastest growth possible.
Better to get longer use out of the sediments and much more wiggle room adding CO2.

We generally want nice lush growth, and no CO2 competition between species, adding CO2 does this and also helps with much higher light use efficiency, since the plants do not have to scrape by trying to nab CO2, they are instead free to catch every bit of light that comes in.

They can allocate their resources and energy to catching light, not CO2 in other words. 

More of this notion:

http://www.tropica.com/advising/technical-articles/biology-of-aquatic-plants/co2-and-light.aspx

Then all this nutrient monkey business is far simpler and easier.

If you take this concept a step farther........if you also add ferts to the water column....now you have all locations for nutrients and dosing the water column is much easier(you can flake out more without issues).
So light+ CO2 + nutrients in both locations = best management practices.

Add a simple fill in method for the start up phase, now things have become quite simple and long lasting.

Then you can muddle with design, gardening and such........which is more or less what folks had in mind from the start anyhow.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Jim Miller (Dec 24, 2002)

Hi Tom

I only plan to use 2 T5HO once the tank is up and running. With the height above substrate planned I should end up between low and mid light. 

I was only considering "high light" during the DSM bog phase.

Bad idea?

Thanks

Jim


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