Dry stat method outside?!

[MattE64]

So where I live next week it is supposed to be 30-32 degrees Celsius (86-90) Fahrenheit with lots of sun!! Anyway I am having problems getting my Monte Carlo to spread fast enough and root since my cories uproot it. I have become interested in the dry start method and was wondering if this could be done outside with lots of sun and with the MC in soil with osmocote plus. Will this work?

[madagascariensis]

Make sure you gradually acclimatize the plants to the outdoor sun. Aquarium lights are much weaker than sunlight and a sudden move will burn the plants.

[MattE64]

To do this should I give it roughly 3-4 hours of sun a day

[BluewaterBoof]

It will be very difficult outside in that kind of heat.

Aquatic plants thrive in cold water. You will be blasting them in temps much hotter than what they will be comfortable in.

Dry start is only "dry" in the sense that the tank isn't filled with water. You will still need to keep the plants misted and the tank humid. This won't be so much of an issue if your climate is very humid, but if you are in an arid/dry climate, the sun will dry out your plants very quickly.

Why don't you just keep the tank where it is indoors where you can manage it more efficiently? Monte will grow just fine with DSM with a cheap desk lamp fitted with a Philips T2 Twister CFL bulb.

[MattE64]

I have fitted some Saran Wrap over a container and poked some holes in it to allow gas exchange but trap moisture. The problem is I only have one tank and I want to propagate some MC before my cories uproot it. Maybe I'll move it inside under a lamp then!

[BluewaterBoof]

I'd definitely move it inside. So much easier to keep an eye on temp and humidity.

I use these for my smaller tanks. Great compact and cheap option compared to expensive LEDs. I've grown everything from moss and crypts to helferi and dwarf baby tears with them. High output, perfect spectrum, and extremely low energy consumption.

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-433557-100-watt-Twister-4-Pack/dp/B00M6SR1JM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499095969&sr=8-1&keywords=philips+t2+twister (https://www.amazon.com/Philips-433557-100-watt-Twister-4-Pack/dp/B00M6SR1JM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499095969&sr=8-1&keywords=philips+t2+twister)

[angelcraze2]

Great info from Boof on the dry start method^^^

Another cheap option:
I used to use those CFL spiral fluorescent until I tested these

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JM72W6C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499097046&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=Philips+10.5w+slim+5000k&dpPl=1&dpID=31YvFKeGo8L&ref=plSrch

I've tested all sorts, round, and even lower wattage LED bulbs like 9.5W, but for Monte Carlo the higher wattage is probably needed.

You can find them cheaper at a hardware store, just look for the 5000k daylight bulbs. But as far as I know, they won't lose intensity or spectrum over the years, last longer and don't contain mercury.

[angelcraze2]

Lol, I didn't read Boof's post properly, the LEDs are more expensive, but I do find the CFLs lose intensity, I've been able to use my LEDs longer for sure. But for cheap good light temporarily, the CFL spirals would be best : )