# HC DSM in NPT question



## xriddler (Feb 16, 2012)

*Dry starting in dirt tank question*

When dry starting hc cuba in a natural soil substrate do we cap it first or grow the hc and then cap it? if we dry start without capping it how do we pour the gravel over the hc or if we cap it first and plant the hc to dry start. the roots of the hc will only be touching the gravel and not the soil which is rich with nutrients. so do we flood water up to the gravel?


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## xriddler (Feb 16, 2012)

bump... does anyone know how to dry start hc in a dirt tank?


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

I have no clue at all. Hopefully someone has an answer for you soon.


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## NuclearTech (Mar 23, 2008)

So there may not be anyone here that's done this recently/ever. I've not done it as yet, but I've seen pictures elsewhere of people having great success. I hope when you figure it out you'll take the opportunity to share here!

If I had to guess, and I may be way off, I'd cap it first. It seems to me that if you add water to the base substrate but not over the plant, the moisture and nutrients would be drawn up through the capping and made available to the Hc. Just my $0.02


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

I did this journal a long time ago it's not dirt but dry start.

This is not my first time doing dry start and I have done dry start with dirt before. And I came to a conclusion. Don't do dry start with HC cuba, no point. I can grow it faster submersed then emersed with my setup. when you do dry start you will always get bad algae after filling it up. DON'T DO IT. get co2 get fertz do it the proper way.

http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25526


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