The Rescape! Chlorophile's Mini M - Now with driftwood!

[Chlorophile]

Originally Posted by sayurasem

dood it would be cool if you have a tripod, take pictures of the same frame everyday, then silde shows over 3 weeks period!

Oh I do have a tripod and I tried that before but I don't have the diligence to take the pictures every day and I rarely leave my tripod in one spot for more than a week because I like to photograph weird stuff that needs a long exposure.

[Chlorophile]

Week 2 - Day 14 HC is growing in quick - interestingly the stuff in the shade on the right side of the tank is growing faster - I wonder what that is about..











Please pardon the HC cupcake sitting on my big rock!
Saving it for a wabikusa once I have funds to make a light for it.

I also noticed you can't really see my fifth rock.. makes it look like I have 4 which isn't so great.

[Chlorophile]

And here is an HDR of the tank!
Not the most realistic but it was fun to make anyway.

[Doc7]

How do you make an HDR? Growth looks great

[thief]

Keep us posted! I'm really interested in how the final product of your HC carpet is going to look considering the fact that you are keeping the HC "moist." Most journals I've seen show the substrate very saturated with water.

[synaethetic]

You're dry start is going very well. I've got to try your technique of not actually planting them, seems to work better.

I tried a dry start a few months ago. Didn't go so well, half of it yellowed and the parts which managed to spread were overcome with some sort of emergent hair algae.

Very clean combined set up, digging the foam cut out for the stand's openings. Slick!

[HypnoticAquatic]

whats your lighting schedule like? doing it the way you are is a basic aeroponic set up with a couple things changed, which is why u will have much better growth and no root decay. if your shaded side is growing faster that could be a sign that its getting to much light (time/intensity) but if its just growing up thats normal as its shaded and trying to grow to the light. either way u should know soon either way if that side fills in try toning down the light if its just growing up then u know its just from shade, if thats the case just tape some aluminum foil to the side to help light get around that rock and back to the substrate

there are little tips and tricks to make it even faster not really needed and u have down what u need imo. if u can cover all the sides so no light can get in or out might help out, and id do a 14hrson 10off or 18on 6off light sched. just watch your plant it will speak to u when its happy or not.

[kcartwright856]

Love the rock pieces that you chose! With the plants, it reminds me of a hillside in Great Britain.

[sayurasem]

Originally Posted by HypnoticAquatic

whats your lighting schedual like? doing it the way you are is a basic aeroponic set up with a couple things changed, which is why u will have much better growth and no root decay. if your shaded side is growing faster that could be a sign that its getting to much light (time/intensity) but if its just growing up thats normal as its shaded and trying to grow to the light. either way u should know soon either way if that side fills in try toning down the light if its just growing up then u know its just from shade, if thats the case just tape some aluminum foil to the side to help light get around that rock and back to the substrate

there are little tips and tricks to make it even faster not really needed and u have down what u need imo. if u can cover all the sides so no light can get in or out might help out, and id do a 14 8 or 18 6 light sched. just watch your plant it will speak to u when its happy or not.

I don't get what you mean by 14 8 or 18 6 light sched.

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

Loving the setup, really love the Ohko stone you have in the tank!!!!

[Chlorophile]

Originally Posted by Doc7

How do you make an HDR? Growth looks great

You can make an HDR in photoshop CS5 or in Photomatix by combining multiple pictures that are taken at different EV (exposure values)

Originally Posted by thief

Keep us posted! I'm really interested in how the final product of your HC carpet is going to look considering the fact that you are keeping the HC "moist." Most journals I've seen show the substrate very saturated with water.

Thanks for the interest! It is growing quite well, the coming 2 weeks will be where most of the growth happens, the first 2 weeks are all adjustment and roots.
You can see how all there is in the tank is condensation - all the soil is moist from the constant evaporation and condensation that repeats as the tank warms and cools.

Originally Posted by synaethetic

You're dry start is going very well. I've got to try your technique of not actually planting them, seems to work better.

I tried a dry start a few months ago. Didn't go so well, half of it yellowed and the parts which managed to spread were overcome with some sort of emergent hair algae.

Very clean combined set up, digging the foam cut out for the stand's openings. Slick!

Sprinkling the HC on the surface definitely seems to give more of a headstart and the HC puts down roots just fine - if you have the patience to not flood it for a while this is the way to go, but if I flooded right now I think about half of it would float.

I've had issues with yellowing the past, and the emergent hair algae - it was a nightmare and eventually killed all my HC, this method is much better for preventing algae, although you do see a good bit of yellowing where some leaves and roots die off as a result of just laying on the surface.

Originally Posted by HypnoticAquatic

whats your lighting schedule like? doing it the way you are is a basic aeroponic set up with a couple things changed, which is why u will have much better growth and no root decay. if your shaded side is growing faster that could be a sign that its getting to much light (time/intensity) but if its just growing up thats normal as its shaded and trying to grow to the light. either way u should know soon either way if that side fills in try toning down the light if its just growing up then u know its just from shade, if thats the case just tape some aluminum foil to the side to help light get around that rock and back to the substrate

there are little tips and tricks to make it even faster not really needed and u have down what u need imo. if u can cover all the sides so no light can get in or out might help out, and id do a 14hrson 8off or 18on 6off light sched. just watch your plant it will speak to u when its happy or not.

I'm on a 16 on 8 off light cycle right now.

I think the stuff in the shade is growing better because of moisture issues.
It doesn't get as much light so I think it's not drying out as much but the stuff in the middle is doing good, just not quite as good.

There is a bit of what you mentioned too - leggier taller growth in the shade, but the leaves are bigger too and it looks a lot fuller as a result.

Hadn't thought about it as a makeshift aeroponic set up - it does meet certain criteria!

Originally Posted by kcartwright856

Love the rock pieces that you chose! With the plants, it reminds me of a hillside in Great Britain.

Interesting! My mothers side of the family actually lives in Stoke-On-Trent and I recently visited and we went up to Wales which did have a similar kind of look now that you mention it!

Originally Posted by sayurasem

I don't get what you mean by 14 8 or 18 6 light sched.

He's talking about how many hours the lights are on vs off - but made a little booboo on the hours in the day when he said 14 8.

Originally Posted by xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx

Loving the setup, really love the Ohko stone you have in the tank!!!!

Thanks! I like them a lot, they are an underrated stone IMO.
I really love the blue and red tint they have - even more pronounced when underwater too!

[HypnoticAquatic]

lol fixed, its due to those days that feel real short and u dont know why ;p.

[Chlorophile]

Originally Posted by HypnoticAquatic

lol fixed, its due to those days that feel real short and u dont know why ;p.

That explains it!
This year is a leap year, I guess its to make up for when we all have a day with only 22 hours in it haha!

[HypnoticAquatic]

if your seeing better growth from the side that is retaining more water then u really should spray once a day, or use a humidifier *lazymansway* you can also have water standing in the bottom where no roots will get to might help with a little extra humidity just keep about 1.5 inch min away from the root, then u could also use a heat pad to heat the water and provide more humidity and faster growth depending on curent temps. there are other things u can do but you should get and be pleased with the growth soon(gotta keep some secrets) ya know.

[akpoly]

I started my tank a week before you did and flooded my soil. Got some fungus problems that took half of my HC. I gotta say I took out most of the water in my tank (about 2 inches below the surface) and the hc isn't having any fungus problems now.