# does anyone have experience with monte carlo with dry start method in natural planted tank?



## sundara77 (Dec 24, 2021)

merry christmas everyone

I'm planning to start a walstad method tank with a 16x16x16 inch tank approximately around 16 gallon.
I have a lot of questions but I don't know where to start , i've read an article of experiment about small planted tank for pet shrimp by diana walstad which also provides good information about DSM im wondering if monte carlo requires the DSM in a walstad tank like hemianthus callitrichoides or it can work without DSM?


should i worry about mold/fungus? my room temperature about 29c-30c (84f-86f) midday , 26c-27c (78f - 80f) at night , relative humidity around 68%-82% can be fluctuate depend on the weather
im thinking to add 1 layer aquarium filter sponge at the base of the tank so the soil remains in an aerobic condition is that possible? or better keep it simple with just only soil?

for those who have tried monte carlo with DSM on an NPT/walstad tank, are there any tips for success or are there things i should avoid?

my equipment
-40x40x40cm / 16x16x16" (16 gallon)
-yard dirt
-1-3 inch size of gravels
-18W aquarium LED light
-monte carlo (DSM)
- planning to add pearl weed (as background) , rotala rotundifolia , bacopa monieri, rotala nanjenshan or cabomba caroliana

TIA


----------



## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

I forgot I did this years ago. You need to cover your tank tight with clear plastic so the the humidity inside is close to 100%. Keep the water level to the substrate. It’ll grow well until you flood the tank. I used cheap sunlight for the dsm. Once I brought the mat of monte Inside, they didn’t grow much. I think they need more light and CO2 than what a dirt tank can provide but they lived.

keep it simple with the soil. No need for something under the soil.


----------



## sundara77 (Dec 24, 2021)

mistergreen said:


> I forgot I did this years ago. You need to cover your tank tight with clear plastic so the the humidity inside is close to 100%. Keep the water level to the substrate. It’ll grow well until you flood the tank. I used cheap sunlight for the dsm. Once I brought the mat of monte Inside, they didn’t grow much. I think they need more light and CO2 than what a dirt tank can provide but they lived.
> 
> keep it simple with the soil. No need for something under the soil.


thanks for sharing your experience , do i have to poke the substrate after flood the tank? I saw a lot of people doing that but not sure its safe or not for the carpet plants
which one do you think much more easier between dwarf hairgrass or monte carlo? im thinking to get DHG instead if the monte is too difficult


----------



## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

I didn't poke the soil. I didn't smell any rotten eggs which is a sign of anaerobic conditions.
I had the same problem with DHG in a dirt tank. It grew great outside emersed but didn't grow much underwater but lived.

Try some easy foreground plants. You can train, trim pearlweed, Hydrocotyle tripartite, Staurogyne repens, and moss.


----------



## johnwesley0 (Feb 23, 2021)

mistergreen said:


> I didn't poke the soil. I didn't smell any rotten eggs which is a sign of anaerobic conditions.
> I had the same problem with DHG in a dirt tank. It grew great outside emersed but didn't grow much underwater but lived.
> 
> Try some easy foreground plants. You can train, trim pearlweed, Hydrocotyle tripartite, Staurogyne repens, and moss.


Has this become a problem over the years because so many of the big chains only sell plants in little humidified plastic tubes these days? In other words, they are already sold in a semi-emersed state and the trick is to get them acclimated to water? And, do we know the number of transitions, from wholesaler to hobbyist, the average sprig of [name that plant] has to go through before finally having some water poured over it?


----------



## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

johnwesley0 said:


> Has this become a problem over the years because so many of the big chains only sell plants in little humidified plastic tubes these days? In other words, they are already sold in a semi-emersed state and the trick is to get them acclimated to water? And, do we know the number of transitions, from wholesaler to hobbyist, the average sprig of [name that plant] has to go through before finally having some water poured over it?


It depend on the conditions and the plants. If you have enough light and CO2, transitioning will be easy. Some plants need more CO2 than a dirt tank can provide.


----------



## tenoldstein48 (Oct 17, 2021)

sundara77 said:


> thanks for sharing your experience , do i have to poke the substrate after flood the tank? I saw a lot of people doing that but not sure its safe or not for the carpet plants
> which one do you think much more easier between dwarf hairgrass or monte carlo? im thinking to get DHG instead if the monte is too difficult





sundara77 said:


> merry christmas everyone
> 
> I'm planning to start a walstad method tank with a 16x16x16 inch tank approximately around 16 gallon.
> I have a lot of questions but I don't know where to start , i've read an article of experiment about small planted tank for pet shrimp by diana walstad which also provides good information about DSM im wondering if monte carlo requires the DSM in a walstad tank like hemianthus callitrichoides or it can work without DSM?
> ...


I have started a few using the air pump / water bottle set up and it has been really easy doing it that way . If you are interested you will find the instructional video on Brooklyn Hardscape ...it's on his You Tube . I added some extra moisture once it got closer to flooding. I set the tank on a MET seedling starter waterproof
heating pad I bought on AMZN for $11 & the CYRUS humidity spray bottle for $13


----------

