Moose-Factory

Hello,

Over in the NPT forum someone recently posted this article on a dry startup method: http://www.barrreport.com/articles/3...aquariums.html

Now, I was interested in using this emersed method on starting my 55 gal NPT. I wanted to try this so I could get a nice bed down of ground cover plants before I submersed and planted everything else. Since ground cover supposedly grows very slowly in NPT's, I thought this dry startup method could work nicely to jump start.

However, I wanted to get the opinion of someone who has done emersed growth here to see how feasable this technique is, so I post this message in addition to the other i made in the el natural forum.

My main concern is that a lot of people on this forum plant for emersed growth in pots and have water pumps and circulation, whereas I would be starting out with just my substrate, no fertilization or water to circulate.

I'm also concerned that this is my first ever planted aquarium, and I my be biting off more that I can chew with emersed techniques, etc. However the dry startup method seemed like an interesting way to jump start my NPT maybe?

What I'd like to find out is if people think this is a good idea to try or not with what I'm attempting to do.

My tank specs are:

55 gal
1-1.5" topsoil
1" pool filter media gravel (aprox 2mm granules)
dolimite lime mixed with the topsoil (my water is very soft)
2 60w compact coralife flourescent bulbs

The plants I was going to start with for the emersed tank startup period are:

CLOVER, FOUR LEAF Dwarf(Marsilea quadrifolia)
Dwarf Baby Tears (Hemianthus callitrichoides)
glossostigma
Pennywort, Brazilian (Hydrocotyle Leucocephala)
Baby Tears (Hemianthus micranthemoides)

Would these plants be ok for what I'm trying to do? I will have no water circulation or pumps for the emersed period, just these plants in my wet substrate. No added ferts, just cover and spray mist until I have a good bed/matt of this stuff down. Then submerse and plant larger stem plants.

Will that work? comments, suggestions?