# In over my head with dry start



## TLy (Oct 20, 2014)

Lighting: Aquaticlife 4x24watt 24" 12 hour photoperiod
Tank: 17.1 Mr. Aqua
Plants: Round pellia, dwarf baby tears, anubias var. nana petite, java moss
Substrate: Flourite sand










Hi, I'm new to planted tanks. After researching the dry start method, I went ahead and got started on my tank. I figured this next month or two will give me time to continue researching and buy the rest of the stuff I need (pressurized CO2, filter, heater, stand, ferts, test kits, etc....). 

Current situation:
The substrate is damp, not wet - I didn't add any water to it. I also did not rinse it before I put it in. I misted it a lot on the first day to keep it from drying out completely (since I didn't add water) and started doing it once or twice a day after that, taking extra care to get more on the driftwood with the anubias and java moss. I added Flourish to the water for the first three days but stopped after reading somewhere that is not a good idea because of algae?

I'm on day 4 and my anubias have started to wilt and some of the dwarf baby tear leaves are melting.

Is there a certain way I should be misting? I ran out of Prime so the water I'm using has only gone through a Mavea filter. Also, the temperature inside the tank seems to be a little warm. I'm a little worried right now and I really don't want to mess this all up. Any advice on what is going on, what to expect, or anything I'm doing wrong will be much appreciated. Thank you


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## Fishly (Jan 8, 2010)

The plants you have were probably grown underwater and are losing their leaves so they can grow new ones adapted to air. This is normal and you'll see something similar when you flood the tank. 

I wouldn't recommend growing anubias emersed. The purpose of dry starting a tank is to establish strong root systems and take advantage of the higher CO2 levels in air to promote faster growth. However, anubias grow at about the same rate emersed as submersed, don't grow roots that fast to make a difference, and will lose all their leaves as soon as the tank is flooded. It's better to wait until after the dry start for them.


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## Ottoblock (Nov 5, 2013)

Fishly said:


> However, anubias grow at about the same rate emersed as submersed, don't grow roots that fast to make a difference, and will lose all their leaves as soon as the tank is flooded.


I hate to be that guy, but everything I have read so far on this subject has stated the opposite.

Anubias grows (reportedly) almost twice as fast emersed than submerged.

Anubias also doesn't typically loose any leaves when going from emersed to submerged.




I would suggest more humidity for the anubias, I'm pretty sure the heat is fine for it, I could be wrong, but I would go higher humidity.


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## Fishly (Jan 8, 2010)

Dude, it's a forum. If someone gets something wrong, you're supposed to be that guy (as long as you're not rude, which you weren't). Don't sweat it.

My attempt at a dry start failed miserably, so I was thinking of that when I wrote the above. However, after looking back at my journal, I can see that the anubias didn't really melt. My barteri turned black on the edges, but the petites were more or less fine. I still have no idea what I did wrong, but I don't think simply emersing the anubias was what did it.


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## Ottoblock (Nov 5, 2013)

I suggest you get a stock on humidity gauge (the correct name escapes me at the moment) and either stick it, or set it, in your tank. 

Something to note about anubias though is that it will feed via roots while emersed. Most people grow it in potting soil, or at least in a substrate (with rhizome above the substrate) 

If you keep the humidity high, and nothing changes with it, I would suggest trying to move some of it around, just for the time being. Try some in the substrate. Sure, it won't be growing on your log, which sucks, but if the goal is to cover the log, growth is the real goal, and attaching it can come later.


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## TLy (Oct 20, 2014)

Yeah I wanted the anubias to grow on the driftwood but it seems like it'd be less work if I add it after the flood so I'll just take them out for now. My main goal is to get the baby tears to root and the java moss to attach anyway so I guess that's alright. I got a humidity gauge today and it reads 93% @ 83F in the tank. 

I forgot how hard yet important it is to be patient in this hobby lol.


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