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How to emersed setup?

12K views 25 replies 8 participants last post by  vincel892 
#1 ·
I guess this is the best place here to ask this.

So, I've got a 10 gallon aquarium and nice chunk of aqua soil and organic potting soil around.

I'm thinking I get a light or two and try and start growing some stuff emersed. Specifically, UG, HC, and Monte Carlo (might try some other foreground stuff as well). What do you guys recommend doing that is also as cost effective as possible to get a nice emersed setup going?
 
#3 ·
Well, currently there is no top. I'd either get a glass top or just ceramic wrap the top with some holes poked in for ventilation.

No idea what I want to do for the light, aside from have it be economical. I have no idea how to light a non-aquatic setup for plant growth, I think thats where I probably need the most help.
 
#8 ·
Hi HybridHerp,

For light you can use a single clamp on light with a 23 watt 'Daylight' CFL and probably do fine and a piece of glass for a cover to keep the humidity high. Emersed plants derive almost all of their nutrients from the soil. I use Miracle Grow Potting Mix (non-organic) since it contains Osmocote and fertilizers my plants for 3 months or so. I top with about 1/4" or so of Wal-Mart Special Kitty kitty litter (the cheap stuff) to deter fungus and algae from growing on the surface of the soil. I tried ADA Amazonia but it did not do as well for me as the Miracle Grow does. To augment the Osmocote fertilizer in the potting soil I water with a dilute solution of Miracle Grow Water Soluble General Purpose fertilizer. I used to plant in large containers but now I grow my plants in 3" pots. I seem to get good results:





Cuphea anagalloidea


Pogostemon helferi (Downoi)


Pogostemon helferi; H.c. 'Cuba'; M.u. 'Monte Carlo'


H.c. 'Cuba'
 
#11 ·
So organic potting mix would be better than the aqua soil? I might try both just to see for myself since I have so much aqua soil.

If I wanted to fertilize, couldn't I use the dry ferts or osmocote tabs I have for my aquarium? How often and how do you fertilize?
 
#9 ·
Personally I'd say one or two 23w daylight bulbs in domes should do the trick for lighting. I use one on a Rubbermaid bin and have been seeing growth even from the UG. You can lay them on a glass top, plexiglass should even work but it will bow a bit over time.

I would use the MGOCPS. It's cheaper and it don't think aquasoil is necessary for emersed growth. Also if you choose to grow UG I'd advise peat. I have a couple different emersed setups for UG since I focus a bit more on my carnivorous plants sometimes and it's been growing better in peat for me.
 
#14 ·
Hi All,

Whether I am growing plants in the DIY Peptents (humidomes) I make or in the opaque containers the lower portion of the 3" pots are always submerged in water allowing the wicking action of the soil to bring water to the roots. For the more shallow rooted foreground type plants I typically have the water level about 1" below the surface of the growing medium. For plants with more robust root systems like Erios I have maybe 1" or so of water in the containers.

How wet is that? I would say "Wet" to "Medium-Wet"
 
#24 ·
Many of the plants we keep in our tanks are what's called marginal plants. This means they grow either in shallow water or right near the edge of water in soggy soil. I keep my emersed pots and containers all in 1"-2" of water.

what kind of moss are you adding? aquatic mosses?
I agree with sphagnum moss. It has properties that will help fight off fungus as well as different algae. It doesn't even need to be live sphagnum. You can buy packages of dried LFS(long fiber sphagnum) and it will still do the job. Also eventually the dried stuff will probably start to pop back and you will see live growth in it too. However I don't use moss in most of my containers. I just try to air out my containers a bit once a week or so and don't usually see any fungus. Just occasional BGA on the soil which doesn't seem to do any harm besides looking a little gross.
 
#17 ·
Hi All,

I have tried a multitude of different solutions to dealing with fungus and BGA (Cyanobacteria) in emersed growing conditions including H2O2 and Excel with limited success. Excel in only effective against fungus and just like in an aquarium ineffective against BGA (cyanobacteria). Warning: H2O2 can do a real number on emersed plants even diluting the solution down to 0.3% concentration.
 
#25 ·
Sorry to revive thread, but if I put a layer of kitty litter over the soil, should I plant the Monte Carlo into the litter through to the soil? Or is laying it over the kitty litter enough ?
Also, when not using kitty litter , I'm seeing a lot of mould. Even the second day after planting. I was covering the whole tank in plastic wrap and it was very moist and humid.. Probably the cause of the mould

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