HC dry start advice

[Florio]

Hopefully yes. I wouldn't imagine that fungus can last very long being submerged. The fungus you get on driftwood when you first add it dies out pretty quick so that's what I've based my advice on. I'd also keep dosing excel to recommended or even 2x if you have no fish or shrimp in the tank

Mmmk, I've been hearing mixed recomendations of exel melting hc and some say it's very good. I didn't have any fungus other than the stringy stuff but I imagine it's probably going away by now.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Mmmk, I've been hearing mixed recomendations of exel melting hc and some say it's very good. I didn't have any fungus other than the stringy stuff but I imagine it's probably going away by now.

Oh really? I dosed excel for a week without any issues with HC. Fresh2o on this forum also doses a ton of excel and his HC carpet has amazing growth rates. Check out his thread

 

[Florio]

Oh really? I dosed excel for a week without any issues with HC. Fresh2o on this forum also doses a ton of excel and his HC carpet has amazing growth rates. Check out his thread

Could you link me?

 

[Bert2oo1]

FresH2O's 20g planted rescape

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?t=266250

 

[Florio]

FresH2O's 20g planted rescape

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/showthread.php?t=266250

Thanks!

So everything above is happening as well as metricide dosing.

Plants seem to be 70% melted with small signs of hope like very tiny new leafs. Any one have any ideas of what I should test for or do to help this out?

 

[Fresh2o]

Thanks!

So everything above is happening as well as metricide dosing.

Plants seem to be 70% melted with small signs of hope like very tiny new leafs. Any one have any ideas of what I should test for or do to help this out?

I'll spare you the trouble of wading through the thread; go to post #2596 (12/19/2017) to see the HC planting. It's 8 weeks old and has nearly 100% substrate coverage.
Your melting is probably due to the ferts misted during DSM. I did the same to some HC I had planted in a couple of terrariums; I drizzled some macro and micros and within a week there was melting and yellowing. It persisted for several weeks.
HC does surprisingly well with infrequent misting. I misted the terrariums every 2-3 weeks; sometimes more frequently. Lighting was provided by a SW facing window; not much direct lighting. Potting soil with no additional ferts added. I used the HC in the terrariums to supplement the replanting of the rescape done in December.

 

[Florio]

I'll spare you the trouble of wading through the thread; go to post #2596 (12/19/2017) to see the HC planting. It's 8 weeks old and has nearly 100% substrate coverage.
Your melting is probably due to the ferts misted during DSM. I did the same to some HC I had planted in a couple of terrariums; I drizzled some macro and micros and within a week there was melting and yellowing. It persisted for several weeks.
HC does surprisingly well with infrequent misting. I misted the terrariums every 2-3 weeks; sometimes more frequently. Lighting was provided by a SW facing window; not much direct lighting. Potting soil with no additional ferts added. I used the HC in the terrariums to supplement the replanting of the rescape done in December.

I didn't actually mist any ferts till 2 days before I flooded I'm more than sure it was due to fungus, once I layed off the misting they seemed to be drying out and dieing so here I am...

 

[Fresh2o]

I didn't actually mist any ferts till 2 days before I flooded I'm more than sure it was due to fungus, once I layed off the misting they seemed to be drying out and dieing so here I am...

The plants were directly exposed to the ferts (even in a mist is MUCH more concentrated than normal dosing) for greater that 24 hours; I still think that is the culprit.
I would continue to add CO2 and fertilizers and keep and eye on them. If you see new growth then that's a good sign. With glut treatments I've noticed some yellowing of the leaves; with H2O2 treatments I've seen "shredded" leaves.

 

[Florio]

Okay so in submerged conditions would you recommend I keep regularly dosing the tank with metricide?

Is this going to help or hurt.

It's a pretty close battle right now. I think I'm on the brink of saving them.


And on the misting front the fert was heavily diluted and most of my problem was there before hand.

 

[Fresh2o]

I would continue dosing Metricide. It should reduce any algae growth while the plants are settling in.

 

[Florio]

I would continue dosing Metricide. It should reduce any algae growth while the plants are settling in.

I'm doing that thanks!

Could anyone tell me if these plants are just too far gone? They don't seem to be getting better or worse since being submerged so that's keeping me hopefull


The dust is calcium clay so don't worry about that.

 

[Caliban07]

They don't look very moist to me. The one in the last pic looks a touch too much but the others look of from what I can see.

 

[Florio]

They don't look very moist to me. The one in the last pic looks a touch too much but the others look of from what I can see.

They're under water.

If you haven't been following I submerged 3 days ago cause it wasn't doing well.

I mostly just want to know if they are dead or will come back. They haven't changed condition since submersion but they were quickly degrading before the submersion so hopefully they are just settling in and then will start to grow.

 

[Caliban07]

They're under water.

Ok that would explain. I was looking for dark patches of moistness assuming they were still emersed. Can you not separate the little plantlet's?

I've not had any experience with HC but when I plant a similar plant like Monte Carlo I plant each stem individually. It's a drag but I think you increase your chances of having a nice flat carpet

 

[Florio]

Ok that would explain. I was looking for dark patches of moistness assuming they were still emersed. Can you not separate the little plantlet's?

I've not had any experience with HC but when I plant a similar plant like Monte Carlo I plant each stem individually. It's a drag but I think you increase your chances of having a nice flat carpet

I would but I feel like they are on the verge of starting to come back from the dead and I really don't want to hinder that process. I would be interested in that once I know they are growing and not dieing.

 

[Bert2oo1]

They look pretty bad to be honest. I'd almost get a new lot. I've heard HC can sometimes die really easily when transitioned from emersed to submerged and same the other way. It could be that your plants were grown submerged and try starting them started to kill them and then submerging again was the nail in the coffin.

 

[Florio]

They look pretty bad to be honest. I'd almost get a new lot. I've heard HC can sometimes die really easily when transitioned from emersed to submerged and same the other way. It could be that your plants were grown submerged and try starting them started to kill them and then submerging again was the nail in the coffin.

Ya you're probably right but I honestly think there is hope cause they have stopped degrading in health.

Have you ever seen any HC come back from this condition or am I just driving over a dead horse here.

 

[Caliban07]

I would but I feel like they are on the verge of starting to come back from the dead and I really don't want to hinder that process. I would be interested in that once I know they are growing and not dieing.

Yeah I know what you mean. Hard to know what to do for the best but the 'are they aren't they' can be frustrating.

I'm not a fan of dry start personally. I don't know many people that have had great success with it and if the end goal is to submerge I'd just do this straight off the bat and save myself the time and hassles of having to go through possible melt and algae problems as the plants adjust to being submerged.

Do you see any new green growth starting anywhere? I think that is your indicator now that things will be getting back on track. The dry start may have hindered progress to the point of no return. For me just to remove all doubt I would start again with new plants. If you have the means I'd say do the same.

 

[Florio]

Yeah I know what you mean. Hard to know what to do for the best but the 'are they aren't they' can be frustrating.

I'm not a fan of dry start personally. I don't know many people that have had great success with it and if the end goal is to submerge I'd just do this straight off the bat and save myself the time and hassles of having to go through possible melt and algae problems as the plants adjust to being submerged.

Do you see any new green growth starting anywhere? I think that is your indicator now that things will be getting back on track. The dry start may have hindered progress to the point of no return. For me just to remove all doubt I would start again with new plants. If you have the means I'd say do the same.

I do see some small leaflets on some of the plants that look new and healthy but it's just such a small amount compared to the plants as is.

 

[Caliban07]

I do see some small leaflets on some of the plants that look new and healthy but it's just such a small amount compared to the plants as is.

Is it large enough to remove and replant? You'll find that cuttings tend have a tendency to grow quicker. Even if the new left is buried slightly it should still grow.