A failed rice farmer's journey

[BadgersSong]

I'm still trying to get some actual rice growing in my rice paddy biotope - those bamboo canes are okay, but it's just not the same as the real thing. I'm a complete failure at growing rice so far, so I really need some advice.

I've got some long-grain white rice seed, specifically the Rex variety. I scattered a small handful of seed in a tray with about 1/8" of water and put it on top of my aquarium light to keep it warm. When I got home from work, I found that the seed had all sprouted - that's a great start!

Now I'm stuck. I want to eventually grow this rice in my tank with about 3" of substrate (sand over soil) and around 8" of water. I'm thinking of growing it in clumps rather than single plants. Can anyone tell me how to get it to grow tall enough to transplant into the water without making a mess? I'd love to hear from anyone with some experience. @coltin, I recall you had some advice on this, but I couldn't find it - would appreciate it if you could share again.

Thanks for the help, everyone!

[Avalon]

I'd suggest placing them in a taller container for the time being, with a mix of small gravel, large sand, and dirt. Then, as they grow, you can gradually raise the water level. When you're ready to transplant them into your tank, a gentle rinse should be enough to remove the dirt without causing too much stress on the plants.

[BadgersSong]

I'll also need to figure out a way to boost the lighting for these little guys.

[Raynae]

I was thinking, what if I started them off in a dry tank initially? That way, I'd get the benefits of unlimited CO2, but then again, I'd have to keep everything really humid and moist, which raises the risk of mould. I suppose that's not really an option now, given I need the water for my fish and other plants.

[BadgersSong]

I was thinking, what if I started them off in a dry tank initially? That way, I'd get the benefits of unlimited CO2, but then again, I'd have to keep everything really humid and moist, which raises the risk of mould. I suppose that's not really an option now, given I need the water for my fish and other plants.

Too late for that now, I'm stuck growing the rice in a separate container until it's big enough. But you know what might just work - since my fish are happy in shallow water, I could draw the water down to three or four inches deep and plant the rice earlier. Then, as the rice grows, I can raise the water level again. That way, I can get a head start on growing the rice in the tank itself, rather than waiting for it to get big enough in a separate container.

[coltin]

I'd recommend starting with a shallow container and some sand - that way you can get the rice growing before transplanting it to the tank. For nutrients, I'd use a liquid plant fertiliser at half strength, once a week. Just use a normal garden plant fertiliser, it'll do the trick. Keep the sand moist but not wet, the plants will get what they need from the fertiliser. When they're about 8-12 inches long, you can either put the whole container in a shallow section of the tank or lift them out of the sand and plant them directly in the tank. Just be sure not to plant them in deep water - 3-4 inches is a good starting point. Once they've grown a bit more, you can increase the water level to 6 inches if needed.

[Lurcher]

I'm still trying to get some actual rice growing in my rice paddy biotope - those bamboo canes are okay, but it's just not the same as the real thing. I'm a complete failure at growing rice so far, so I really need some advice.

I've got some long-grain white rice seed, specifically the Rex variety. I scattered a small handful of seed in a tray with about 1/8" of water and put it on top of my aquarium light to keep it warm. When I got home from work, I found that the seed had all sprouted - that's a great start!

Now I'm stuck. I want to eventually grow this rice in my tank with about 3" of substrate (sand over soil) and around 8" of water. I'm thinking of growing it in clumps rather than single plants. Can anyone tell me how to get it to grow tall enough to transplant into the water without making a mess? I'd love to hear from anyone with some experience. @coltin, I recall you had some advice on this, but I couldn't find it - would appreciate it if you could share again.

Thanks for the help, everyone!

If I draw the water down to three or four inches deep to plant the rice, could I be asking for water quality issues? I'm thinking maybe I should just grow the rice in another container until it's big enough, then transplant it into the tank.

[BadgersSong]

I'm still trying to get some actual rice growing in my rice paddy biotope - those bamboo canes are okay, but it's just not the same as the real thing. I'm a complete failure at growing rice so far, so I really need some advice.

I've got some long-grain white rice seed, specifically the Rex variety. I scattered a small handful of seed in a tray with about 1/8" of water and put it on top of my aquarium light to keep it warm. When I got home from work, I found that the seed had all sprouted - that's a great start!

Now I'm stuck. I want to eventually grow this rice in my tank with about 3" of substrate (sand over soil) and around 8" of water. I'm thinking of growing it in clumps rather than single plants. Can anyone tell me how to get it to grow tall enough to transplant into the water without making a mess? I'd love to hear from anyone with some experience. @coltin, I recall you had some advice on this, but I couldn't find it - would appreciate it if you could share again.

Thanks for the help, everyone!

If I draw the water down to three or four inches deep to plant the rice, could I be asking for water quality issues? I'm thinking maybe I should just grow the rice in another container until it's big enough, then transplant it into the tank.

I'm not too concerned about water quality taking a hit. With all the plants I have in this tank, many of which are emergent, reducing the water level could actually give them a boost, which in turn would improve the water quality. It's counterintuitive, I know. I wouldn't take it below 4" though, and only temporarily at that. If rice is anything like other grasses, it should take off pretty quickly once it gets going, so I don't think I'd have to keep it that low for long.

[coltin]

The adventures of a failed wanna-be rice farmer is quite the apt title - I'm loving it. A book on the subject, eh? I wouldn't count on it just yet, but who knows, maybe someday I'll have some actual rice to write about.

[whetu]

Plant the rice in a shallow container first, then transfer it to the tank when it's big enough. Start with a low water level, around 3-4 inches, and gradually increase it as the rice grows, giving the plants time to adjust. Once the rice is established and the water level is suitable, you can introduce fish to the tank.