What is the Dry Start Method? - Start an aquarium dry

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When someone begins to be interested in the world of aquariums, it is normal to start reading information on the internet that can generate many doubts regarding what are the best methods to take the first steps and that we do well. One of these methods is the Dry Start Method, specifically designed for future aquarium plants.

It happens that one of the most common questions when starting an aquarium is regarding the future plants that will accompany our fish underwater. Plants and mosses are not only a decorative element which will give the aquarium a realistic look, as well as comforting for the fish, but also provides enormous benefits to make life in the aquarium even better.

But let's go by points, the first thing you have to know is what exactly the Dry Start Method is and what its advantages are with respect to other ways of starting the aquarium.

WHAT IS TO START AN AQUARIUM DRY?

When we talk about start a dry aquarium we are referring to a previous procedure to fill the urn with water and fish.

This procedure is technically known as the Dry Start Method, and pretends to be the solution to a very common problem that usually happens when we want to have plants in our aquarium: some types plant and moss in particular, which we will talk about later, they have some very small roots that find it difficult to gain depth. To this is added that the aquarium is not infinite, and the roots meet the soil of this and in this way they have even more difficulty.

These roots so small do not get that the plant is attached to the ground, and therefore, when we put the water in, this ends up overcoming the force of the roots and makes the plants float and die.

Another problem that is also important keep in mind, is that when the plants are not properly rooted, they have the possibility of be invaded by algae. These are an element to take into account for the correct development of plant life, and also of the fish, and if they appear they must be removed immediately.

THE DISADVANTAGES OF HAVING ALGAE INSIDE THE AQUARIUM

There is usually enough debate regarding algae in aquariums, because many people believe that algae kill fish and this is not so. In fact, there are some algae species that are good and he is not in such a hurry to eliminate them because do not reproduce and they appear in very small quantities.

But there are others algae that are invasive and they reproduce easily. These are indicative that something is wrong with the water quality of the aquarium, or that our plants are not able to kill them because they are not rooted, as I have said.

Algae that are left to their own devices and not removed will eventually end plant life, which in turn harms fish because ammonia will not be removed just as quickly as the aquarium. What's more, aesthetically spoil all care that we have put in leaving the aquarium well: nothing will be seen and they will dirty the windows.

In short, and when in doubt, it is better to clean the algae, but above all it is better to have the water of a sufficient quality so that they do not appear. For this, it is necessary to be aware of the meters in the water, clean it regularly and have well-rooted plants that kill them. And this is where it is essential to have made a good start of the aquarium in dry or Dry Start Method.

HOW THE DRY START METHOD IS MADE

Next, we are going to tell you step by step how to do the Dry Start Method to be able to enjoy all the benefits that it can bring us. The most important thing is to understand that This method is useful in the event that we want to have upholstery plants in the aquarium. This dry start makes sense precisely with this type of plants that have more difficulties to take root, so if we simply want to do a aquarium with other types of plants, we can start it with other methods about which we will talk later.

However, I already tell you that Having upholstery plants in the aquarium has many advantages, and also make a beautiful scenery:

The first of all is to get a substrate for the bottom of the aquarium that is very nutritious. This substrate must have at least a few 3 centimeters thick, and if possible more, since it will be the beginning of the growth of our plants. There we will put the seeds that will be future plants to beautify our aquarium.
The idea is create a very humid environment to facilitate rapid plant growth. For it the bottom nutrient substrate must be continuously moist (with at least, 1 centimeter of water). This water will be put at the beginning of the process.
For the humidity caused by the water on the substrate is condensed, and when it evaporates it does not escape from the aquarium, it will be necessary to cover this on top with plastic wrap. Has to be well sealed, so make sure there is no air leak. This will cause, as you can see when you do, that the aquarium crystals are full of drops condensation and foggy water. It is important that our aquarium has this aspect when we start the dry method, it means that things are being done well.
¡Very important! During practically the entire time that this dry start method, the aquarium must be sealed in order for the water to condense, but need breath. This means that at least once or twice a day , we will have to open the plastic wrap so that the air and condensation do not age inside. Failure to do so may cause problems such as mushrooms come out and all the plants are spoiled.
Taking advantage of the fact that once or twice a day we are going to open the aquarium from its plastic wrap, a important point is to continue moistening the substrate with the plants growing. For this we can get a little bottle to spray the water, in order to moisten the entire surface of the substrate extra and make sure it doesn't dry out.
It is also very important that the substrate has the permanent centimeter of water but it is distributed in such a way that there are no small puddles or areas with more wateras it will stagnate and will not be anything positive for plant growth.

And that's it! Yes we follow the indications that we have been telling you, no problem has to arise for the growth of our mosses or ground cover plants not be a complete success.

Of course, you have to bear in mind that you have to have enough patience, since this process involves an estimated time of about three to six weeks and until then you must not get carried away by temptation to fill the aquarium with water. If we wait less time than is due, and although from the impression that the plants are growing, when pouring the water the roots will come loose in the same way as if we had not done anything.

TIPS AND TRICKS SO THAT THE START OF THE AQUARIUM IN DRY GOES OUT WELL

Now that we know the steps to follow to do this dry aquarium start, we are going to tell you some tricks that will come in handy and you should take into account so that the plants come out well:

First of all, one of the most important factors for proper growth of the plants es the light. Plants, in addition to humidity and a good substrate, they need light to photosynthesize and grow: we recommend about 10 to 12 hours of light (natural or artificial, depending on the circumstances of each one) so that the plants have enough energy to grow quickly.

Another trick to provoke the fastest growth rate is to use some liquid fertilizer. In our fertilizers section you can find some of good quality that will be very useful. We can put this fertilizer in a small amount mixed with the water spray With which we will sprinkle the surface of the moss every day, thus speeding up the process.

It is also recommended make quick decisions in the event that some kind of problem arises during the drying process: for example, that there is seaweed when the water starts to be added little by little, or for example, that before putting the water out some kind of mold.

A good tip to avoid wasting all the effort of the process is use hydrogen peroxide to clean well the part that has been affected. But above all that cleaning with this hydrogen peroxide is immediate, so that it does not have time to expand to the entire future aquarium and then there is nothing to do.

Finally, another thing to keep in mind is apply patience again By the time the three to six weeks have passed and we think everything is ready.

At this stage the plants should already have upholstered all the soil in the aquarium and have achieved the growth we expect. But it's not a good idea to spoil everything by being in a hurry, so it is not advisable to pour all the water at once: you have to be observant and although a priori it may seem that the plants have grown and have taken roots with consistency, the ideal is pour the water little by little and go testing. First a quarter of the aquarium to see how the roots react and if they resist, then half and finally all the water until we see that the flats will effectively stay hooked on the bottom, that they are healthy and the water will not lift them.

WHAT ADVANTAGES DOES THE AQUARIUM DRY START HAVE?

If it is not the first aquarium that you mount, and you are simply trying new things to start other, you might be wondering what are the advantages of dry start with respect to other startup methods.

Well, as I have already mentioned, the Dry Start Method is especially recommended if we have decided on an aquarium decoration based on a plant that grows horizontally instead of vertical. These plants are usually moss, of which there are many types how can you read in our article on the most common mosses to decorate an aquarium.

El dry start it can be done perfectly with any type of plant, but above all it makes sense to put plants that with any other method would have serious difficulties to survive.

For the rest, here I tell you some advantages of dry start from our aquarium:

El dry start assures us that in the future we do not have to replant. With this way of starting the aquarium what we are doing is ensuring that plant roots grow healthily and therefore safe, so we will avoid the tedium of realizing that your plants or mosses have come loose from the substrate, are floating in the aquarium and must be replanted.
It is a replacement of the traditional starting method of aquariums, and of which I will speak later, the aquarium cycling. If we start the aquarium dry, we will not have to wait for the aquarium to be cycled by a biological filter before putting the fish in.
As the key point in the dry start of the aquarium is water condensation thanks to the aquarium insulation using the plastic wrap, no need to worry about the heating and temperature measurement of the aquarium with a thermometer, as it usually happens when we start the aquarium using other methods.
Nor will it be necessary to prune the plants that have grown at the beginning thanks to Dry Start Method. These plants will grow strong, but covering the ground, and this will make do not grow excessively up or loose and try to root in other places, and we have to worry about prune for aesthetic.

OTHER METHODS TO GET STARTED: THE AQUARIUM CYCLING

Now that we have reached this point in the article, and if this is the first time that you read something about how to start an aquarium, maybe you are wondering something essential:

¿It takes such a long process to start an aquarium well? And the answer is yes, because regardless of aquarium start method that you choose, you must arm yourself with patience and wait a certain time for everything to go well after.

With the aquarium dry start you will have to wait a maximum of six weeks, that is, one month and a half, so that the plants grow as they should and then you can introduce your fish little by little and begin to enjoy this entertaining world. But is that the other startup option It is not much shorter, and this is aquarium cycling.

At Premium Buces blog you can read a extensive article in which we tell you everything you need to know about aquarium cycling. But, anyway, we are going to tell you above: the aquarium cycling is a startup process through which we are going to prepare the future water of our fish to make the chemical changes necessary for them to live well and in a healthy way.

The organic remains that are formed in the aquarium, such as food scraps or excrement, cause a chemical called ammonium and that it is absolutely harmful to fish and, to a lesser extent, to plants. So we need that thanks to the biological filter and the bacteria that live in it, and that is inside the aquarium, this ammonium to become systematically in another call nitrate (toxic too, although less) and after this in nitrogen, What is a chemical element tolerable for life in the aquarium.

This process is done simply filling the aquarium with water and putting the biological filter along with biological remains (fish food, in this case). In this way we let the bacteria that conform and do your job.

It is a process that can last between 30 and 45 days if you do it naturally and without help, that is, more or less the same time that it would take to do the dry start of the aquarium. Choosing one or the other is an absolutely personal matter, and above all it depends on what type of inhabitants you have thought about in your future aquarium, to choose one or the other option.

WHAT ARE THE PLANTS THAT BENEFIT FROM THE DRY START METHOD?

If we look for information on dry start aquarium method Through the Internet and different forums, you may come across negative opinions in this way to start an aquarium.

As in all areas of life there are tastes for everything, and also different experiences because what for some people it can be very useful, for others it cannot be useful. Above all, as I have already said several times, if you choose a type of plant that may not benefit from a dry start, and feel that you would rather have started the aquarium in a different way.

I have already been telling you throughout the post that the plants that obtain the greatest benefit from the dry start are those that they need patience and strength to put down roots or the ability to stick to a surface long enough so that the force of the water does not drag you. But now the time has come to make a key differentiation between plants and mosses as for its way of sticking to the ground, and it is quite different:

The mosses are a type of plant that is reproduced by spores and that it does not have as a result of its reproduction the seeds that other types of plants usually have. This results in it also has no roots as we know them, but their leaves are capable of sticking to certain surfaces of a humid place, and to be able to be gloomy, without the need to have a substrate on which to grow (although it is also possible that it grows on the substrate, but not from roots).

Therefore, when we talked about the roots that must be strengthened so as not to be uprooted With the force of water, we were talking about plants that do have roots and that the dry start of the aquarium benefits them when their living space is going to be full of water. But also mosses benefit from this type of dry start, especially the ones grow horizontally instead of vertical and upholster the surfaces they meet. Still without roots, they need a optimal time and conditions to cover the entire space, and if we pour water on them ahead of time they can also loosen and spoil the experiment.

So, for you to know some concrete example, let's tell you what plantsOn the one hand, they can benefit from the dry start of the aquarium, and on the other hand what mosses are ideal for this type of start:

PLANT TYPES THAT GROW BEST IN A DRY STARTED AQUARIUM

I have told you that in reality Any aquatic plant for our experiment could be tried to grow using the Dry Start Method. But we are going to talk about the types of plants to which this system is especially good, so that you are clear that you have to carry it out if you especially like some of the plants on the list:

LA HEMIANTHUS CALLITRICHOIDES

Buy Hemianthus Callitrichoides

Also called Cuba plant, because its origins go back to Havana. This is one of the plants most appreciated by fans to the world of aquariums. The reason is that it is one of the most beautiful plants for fresh water: is from a very bright green color, and if we get it to have the expected leafiness, it will be spectacular in our aquarium.

Cuba is, in addition to being beautiful, a real challenge since it is not easy to get it to root in the expected way and therefore do not fall into the problem of floating when we put water in the aquarium. Also, it is important to know that the Cuba plant has a very high chance of not surviving if C02 is not added to it: the data say that a 95% of these plants will not succeed and grow without this composition. As you know, the dry start of an aquarium saves us from having to worry about C02 and that is precisely the reason why the cuba plant is one of the best types of plant to do the experiment to start with Dry Start method.

Having patience and doing all the steps that I have told you before, we will have a beautiful Cuba and that we can place in the close-up of our waterscape.

LA MICRANTHEMUM SP. "MONTE CARLO"

Buy Micranthemum Montecarlo

This plant is native to South America and looks like a larger version of Hemianthus Callitrichoides "Cuba", but it is also somewhat similar to the "standard" Micranthemum Umbrosum.

It grows flat on the ground, forming a compact tapestry. The rounded leaves are slightly smaller and darker green than those of M. Umbrosum. When planted high up, loose shoots will droop downward. The Micranthemum Monte Carlo it is easier to maintain than Hemianthus Callitrichoides.

THE ELEOCHARIS "MINI"

Buy Eleocharis Mini

It is still to this day one of the plants considered reference for these types of techniques. The growth height of Eleocharis species is highly dependent on growing conditions (nutrient supply, light, etc.), density and age of the population. The stems are thin and often curve to the side or downward. This fine-stemmed plant forms a dense lawn with predominantly underground corridors that are light green in color.

This Eleocharis is also a ideal option to practice starting the aquarium dry. This is so because it is a plant that grows very bushy at ground level, and you need a quite nutritious substrate to grow fast and without any problem. Thus, it is in fact one of the plants that we most recommend for this small aquarium starter project, it also gives a unique appearance at the bottom of the aquarium and ideal for making a aquatic landscape that is very original.

TYPES OF MOSS THAT GROW BEST IN A DRY AQUARIUM

As I have told you, start with the Dry Start Method An aquarium is also ideal if what we want is that one of the main vegetations of our future aquarium is the moss:

Some mosses grow in shape completely vertical, and therefore they will not need as much strength in the base in which they grow. Nevertheless, many of the mosses that are used for aquariums grow in a carpet-like manner, and is ideal for the aesthetics they make a thick enough layer so that it looks good and gives it the look we are looking for.

So let's tell you some species of mosses that you can find in our online store, and that could be ideal for starting the aquarium dry:

And the famous Java Moss, Also called Dubyan vesicularia

Buy Vesicularia Java Moss

Es one of the mosses most used in aquarium decoration, because on the one hand it has a very dense and robust appearance that can even help us cover lighting equipment for aquarium and thus give the landscape a much more realistic feel.

El java moss It also grows easily, it is not nothing demanding with no parameters or water, lighting or temperature. That in turn makes it perfect for a aquarium dry start, since fulfilling the minimum requirements of this method, which is that it is continuously humid and that it conserves the air inside well for condensation, we will see immediate results and this will greatly encourage us to cultivate other species of plants.

El java moss is easy, but obviously it looks much better the more resistance you have and the better you hold on to the surfaces on which it is expanded. So, under our recommendation, if you are thinking of a moss and in turn you are thinking of start the aquarium dry, this is your ideal moss.

El Phoenix moss, also known as Fissidens fontanus

Buy Fissidens Fontanus Phoenix Moss

It is another of the most loved carpet mosses for those of us who love the aquarium world. You may recognize it immediately, even if you are not an expert, because it has a characteristic grass cushion shape what does it contribute unique paths to the final landscape which will be the habitat of our future fish.

El Phoenix moss is very dark green color and very delicate appearance as if it were a feather. However, if you cultivate it the right way and give it what it needs, right away you will develop a strength that will prevent the force of the water from lifting you. This makes it again a perfect species for the dry start of the aquarium: it will grow fast as long as you keep it moist and this will make when introducing the water, sticks to all surfaces to which you have adhered.

El Peacock moss, which is also called Taxiphyllum

Buy Taxiphyllum Peacock Moss

It's a aesthetically perfect moss, even though be upholstery and extend horizontally, shape branching on its shoots that makes it look a bit like a fir tree, and therefore give an original appearance to a specific part of the aquarium that we want to distinguish from the rest.

I have selected the Peacock moss within mosses ideal for starting the aquarium with the dry method because it is a moss that grows on wet substrate and not only when we put the water directly after cycling the aquarium. This means exactly that It is a moss perfectly designed to do the Dry Start Method, and what if what you want is to see easy results in this experiment and that everything goes well to cheer you up, perhaps it is the moss that you can choose.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE PLANTS IN OUR AQUARIUM?

Now that we have told you everything you need to know about this peculiar starting format in an aquarium, you might be wondering if you really it is necessary to have plants or mosses when what you want is to have fish and that's it.

Well we're sorry to tell you that having plants in an aquarium is absolutely essential for the well-being of our fish, and that if you want them to be comfortable and live in a healthy way and without getting sick, you will have to have plants, yes, the type that you want. We tell you some reasons for the importance of plants or mosses in aquariums:

Plants and mosses have a indispensable function in cleaning aquarium chemical compositions. These often benefit from the first phase of the change of ammonium for nitrogen, which is when the first becomes nitrate. This substance is not good for fish, but it is good for plants, and it will help us make the process of the definitive switch to nitrogen faster. Therefore, plants directly influence the fish water quality, so we better have them healthy and strong through a rooting process such as dry start.
Plants and mosses are also important for something we talked about at the beginning of the article, which is rapid removal of invasive algae. It may be that at some point the invasive algae will play a bad game, having such a presence in the aquarium will not let you see the fish in the water, so green and not very transparent that the water was. The plants provide a fundamental help in this sense, and at the same time the Dry Start Method helps them to have the roots firmly attached and to be more resistant against algae.
Many fish species or other inhabitants of the aquarium such as prawns or snails, that they need for their well-being that there are plants in the aquarium. First, because they can use them to hide, but also because at the time of reproduction they will like to have that part a little more hidden. In the case of prawns this is especially necessary, so if you are thinking of a shrimp, do not forget to start it dry so that your plants are strong and useful for its inhabitants.

CONCLUSIONS ON DRY START METHOD, OR THE DRY START OF AN AQUARIUM

We have reached the end of the post where we have tried to tell as much as possible about this curious method of starting an aquarium, which tries to provide a extra strength to future plants that decorate the house of our fish.

From what we have been able to verify in the search for an extra investigation through the internet, there is not much information in Spanish where they tell you exactly how the dry start is carried out of an aquarium, what are the advantages and especially with what type of plants or moss this alternative to aquarium cycling could be useful.

That is why we have tried collect as much information as possible about this, so that you are clear if you are in the ideal circumstances to start with this method or follow the more traditional. What is important to choose one or the other is have a prior design of what we want our aquarium to be: what plants we are going to want and of what type and if the dry start is going to benefit them especially, and also what kinds of fish we are going to want to: I have already told you that prawns and some other fish are going to benefit from this method. However, and as a last note, keep in mind that also there are types of fish that need not all the bottom of the aquarium to be covered with moss or of any type of plant, but also they need a part where the bottom is simply with the substrate, as is the case with ground cleaner fish or corydoras, of which we have also spoken in our blog.

In the end it all consists of read a lot on the subject before taking a decision how to start a dry aquarium, which is neither better nor worse than another, simply a different way and from which we can obtain many benefits depending on what plants and fish we want.

For any other question, or explore more about the world of aquariums and fish, you can visit our blog.

Other articles of interest may be:
How to Eliminate Aquarium Algae - Causes and Most Effective Treatments
Caridines and Neocaridines - File and Care Aquarium Prawns

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