# hc rot in a dry start 5 gallon



## hornedtoad1 (Jun 24, 2011)

been having some problems with this 5 galloon dry start tank and sure would like some help.
setup was on june 15, just about 2 months ago now. it was done with a layer of yard dirt, mgoc potting mix and local sand on top.
lighting is a 13w cfl for 14 hours per day.
the problem is with the hemianthus callitrichoides, which started off growing well.
growth slowed down a month or so ago, so i added some fert (terrestrial plant type). that was a mistake, as i got a really good growth of bga. treated that with erythromycin and it seemed to take care of the problem.
now the hc is rotting; there's a hole in the mat, and also some rot beneath the mat in other areas.
should i just flood the thing?
any suggestions would be much appreciated.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I would add water. You have enough of a start now for it to take off.


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## hornedtoad1 (Jun 24, 2011)

sounds good to me. time to get this show on the road.


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## hornedtoad1 (Jun 24, 2011)

an update on the 5-gallon--
i filled it up yesterday, here's a picture. put 6 baby platies in to check it out and feed the plants, altho there'll be red cherry shrimp in there when i'm sure of the tank.
tests after the flood showed moderate hard water, ph of about 7.6 and no amm etc. this is my first dry start, so i'm not sure what to expect, but it looks good so far.
flora--java moss, anubias nana, hc, amazon frogbit and cryp. parva.
some of the hc floated, i stuck it back in the s/s.
lighting is a 13w cfl.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Fingers are crossed for you!


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Between BGA, rotting plants, and an ugly tank with water condensed on the glass I have reasons to believe that now you understand why the dry start hoop-jumping exercise is a pretty lame idea. 

A brand new approach to start a tank is to setup a very nice hardscape that makes the tank look good from day 1 until the plants fill in. You may want to try that in the future. Or do another dry start.

--Nikolay


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## hornedtoad1 (Jun 24, 2011)

thanks tex gal--be good to see this thing settle in and do well.
niko, you must be talking about a tank like the current apc cover story, the one from turkey. really an incredible aquarium. it's nice to know that there are alternatives.
a while back you'd mentioned an easy cure for fungus in a dry start, i was wondering what that was. plants in the 5 gallon pretty much stopped growing in the last couple of weeks; maybe not fungus, but definitely a mystery.


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## hornedtoad1 (Jun 24, 2011)

another update--
the hc was struggling, so i've been giving it small daily doses of flourish excel for several weeks now. it's showing new growth, so i've gotten cautiously optimistic; there are still some brown patches, tho. just transitioning i guess. the other plants have been doing well, altho the amazon frogbit was starting to die back. i've been giving the platies lots of food; that and the excel seem to be working, because it's got new growth. this tank seemed pretty sterile when it got flooded. 
ammonia and nitrite are currently zero.
thanks everybody for your help; it's much appreciated.


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