Emersed Questions

[Zefrik]

I thought I could just start a thread so I could ask questions about emersed setups. I have mine running and I always question myself about how I am doing with the tank.

1- Airflow

* Do you have airflow?
* If so how do you keep humidity up?

2- Mold

* How do you prevent the stringy, silky mold?
* Does the mold hurt plants?

3- Bugs

* Are gnats harmless?
* What are these red spider like things?


Ideas?

- Small computer fan to vent air in or out to have good o2/co2 exchange.
- Could anything like a frog go in to eat bugs and stuff?

[Willamette]

What sort of plants?

The most common emersed start is with HC, and at least in that case I wouldn't worry so much about ventilation. Just open it up a bit every day or two to make sure its got O2 at night and CO2 during the day.

Whats more important is humidity. Keep the tank lidded or plastic wrapped at the humidity will naturally stay high. Also helps to mist the plants with some tank water from time to time.

Best to keep the water level just barely beneath the surface of the substrate.

[@marko@]

my emersed setup is a bin outside. the only ventilation are the holes i poked in the seran wrap ontop.
so far no problems with mold or bugs.
i think it depends on the mold. i had shrooms popping up in a terrarium once. didnt seem to harm anything. but there are fungal plant infections.

[BIG_Z]

1- Airflow
* Do you have airflow?
One some yes on some no (on the ones that are yes its a CPU fan)
* If so how do you keep humidity up?
If I have a fan I have a fogger
2- Mold
* How do you prevent the stringy, silky mold?
Cobweb mold? If that is what you refer to I manually remove it, GFM I normally just let go though.
* Does the mold hurt plants?
It seems to bother some...Has not killed any yet but does seem to slow down certain plant growth.
3- Bugs
* Are gnats harmless?
You cant fear the gnats
* What are these red spider like things?
O.o You mean mites....I hope not