Suggestions on Emersed Plants

[Zimmanski]

So recently I've really enjoyed and had fun with a little side project with emersed grow out tubs. I started with just one Rubbermaid food storage tubs and a desk light with a GE "plant growth" bulb, then I got a second tub and desk light. The first tub has Glossostigma elatinoides, the second Hemianthus callitrichoides (dwarf baby tears) and both have done great, I started with one pot of each. So now I've bought a large storage type Rubbermaid tub to expand this a little and once I transfer the glosso and HC I will still have a ton of space. I'm interested in carpeting plants but I'd also like something different too, almost picked up some crypt wendtii but wanted to ask here first. Anyone have any suggestions for plants that I should try?

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Really neat Zim! I need to try emersed growth sometime! Have you seen some of the awesome wabi-kusa style planted tanks? I mean, you're not far off... you can experiment with some creative ways... like here:
Wabi-Kusa Tutorial: Cube by James Findley - YouTube

Anyway, I have only tried HC and Staurogyne Repens via the DSM. I know some have grown Downoi emersed. If you grow some Downoi and UG emersed, I'm sure you can sell those QUICK through the classifieds (if that interests you). Other emersed capable plants are hydrocotyle sp. japan and Lindernia rotundifolia 'variegated'. Should be others, but Rivercats would probably know of more.

 

[jetajockey]

Cool setup. You might want to reduce the amount of water in the tubs, it only needs to be enough to keep the roots wet. You may have to compensate with humidity control. This will cut down on algae later on.

Most aquatic plants grow emersed, so the list is long. Every crypt and sword that I know of grows emersed, as does the various sagittaria species. The weedy stems are fun but some grow really fast so they'd overtake your setup pretty quickly. Maybe do something somewhat uncommon. I've got tons of plants emersed right now, but I think the most interesting is the few stems of ranunculus inundatus and ludwigia inclinata 'curly tornado'. For color it would probably be Crypt wendtii 'florida sunset', although I need to get it in a spot where it gets more sun.

 

[BBradbury]

Emersed Plants

Hello Zim...

If you want to take this type of plant keeping to the next level, look into Aglaonema (cutlass variety), Philodendron, Pothos, Peace lily and Impatiens (Shady Lady variety).

B

 

[Zimmanski]

Thanks Brian! I bet you'd love it, it has been surprising fun and challenging but also far less actual work than one of our high tech tanks. I have seen the wabikusa video too, its pretty neat and I actually kept that in mind when I was planning this!

Thanks BBradbury, I will definitely keep those in mind, I think for now I would stay with plants that are capable of being fully submerged but I'll remember those if(probably when) I ever do another one like this.

Jetta, thanks for chiming in, I actually created my tub as a loose variation on your greenhouse! The water levels is one reason why I made the switch from the small tubs to this larger one. I have been thinking about your little curly tornado in your growbeds, ill be looking through your site and expect an order from me in a week or so! I need to play with the setup a tad before making any living purchases.

I stayed up until 330 last night tinkering and racking my brain with this thing last night but I finally figured it all out. Now I've got a way to bring water up from the reservoir and have it flow though the containers greeting a perfect water level. I used a bunch of spare parts like a quiet flow motor, some different tube sizes and airline hose, and an intake from an eheim canister and came up with this. What do you guys think?

 

[bud29]

Most aquatic plants grow emersed, so the list is long.

Yup. The plants that can't grow emersed, off the top of my head are elodea, blyxa, vals, cabomba, and certain erios. But most can, definitely. I have 23 (I think, last time I checker) species in my emersed tubs, ranging from simple stuff like wisteria to a bit more demanding plants like UG and blood vomit.

My experience with downoi emersed, if you are wanting to try it out some time, is that it is extremely touchy. It actually IME liked LESS light that what I was giving it. I had to cut the lighting in half actually to get it to finally turn pale green instead of brown.

 

[Rivercats]

If you could find Micrantherum umbrosum "monte carlo" I know it can be grown emmersed. The same with some of the Tonia species. Blood vomit would be another good one to work with.

 

[jetajockey]

If you could find Micrantherum umbrosum "monte carlo" I know it can be grown emmersed. The same with some of the Tonia species. Blood vomit would be another good one to work with.

Do you happen to know what hte difference between regular m.umbrosum and 'monte carlo' is? They look the same to me in the photos, there's a field of it growing under a bridge by a creek near my house. Wasn't sure if they were just naming it because it has a distinct variance or because it just sounds cooler.

 

[jetajockey]

Jetta, thanks for chiming in, I actually created my tub as a loose variation on your greenhouse! The water levels is one reason why I made the switch from the small tubs to this larger one. I have been thinking about your little curly tornado in your growbeds, ill be looking through your site and expect an order from me in a week or so! I need to play with the setup a tad before making any living purchases.

I stayed up until 330 last night tinkering and racking my brain with this thing last night but I finally figured it all out. Now I've got a way to bring water up from the reservoir and have it flow though the containers greeting a perfect water level. I used a bunch of spare parts like a quiet flow motor, some different tube sizes and airline hose, and an intake from an eheim canister and came up with this. What do you guys think?

It seems really complicated, but awesome! With emersed growing you just need to get their feet wet so it's as complicated as you want to make it. I just put in 3 more big grow beds so I'll have another build video coming up later today. I also do emersed tubs, but they are typically just tubs inside of tubs with soil in them, or an inch or so of substrate that the plants rest on. I've never taken technology to it.

 

[bud29]

If you could find Micrantherum umbrosum "monte carlo" I know it can be grown emmersed. The same with some of the Tonia species. Blood vomit would be another good one to work with.

IME with blood vomit, it mainly just develops roots and not leaves. TBH it has been a pretty big disappointment for me. Especially considering the price I paid for it

Edit: it has been this way EMERSED. I know people have grown it well submersed.

 

[Rivercats]

Do you happen to know what hte difference between regular m.umbrosum and 'monte carlo' is? They look the same to me in the photos, there's a field of it growing under a bridge by a creek near my house. Wasn't sure if they were just naming it because it has a distinct variance or because it just sounds cooler.

Honestly it looks the same to me too but Tom Barr swears it's different. He had some for sale not too long ago. I did some research but there is very little info about it.

Also I have some of the Mini Alternanthera Reinekii that came from two places. Some from here in the states and some from the UK and the ones from the US are not staying small. So far the ones from the UK are so this is another example that makes me wonder like the Monte Carlo. Both outwardly look the same but the ones from the UK are staying small like they are suppose to. I'm thinking there is some very small variance in the Monte Carlo that makes it different but you can't see it in the pic's.

 

[Rivercats]

IME with blood vomit, it mainly just develops roots and not leaves. TBH it has been a pretty big disappointment for me. Especially considering the price I paid for it

Edit: it has been this way EMERSED. I know people have grown it well submersed.

That's a shame Bud as I know it's very pricey. But I think that is also one of those plants that either does really well for someone of it doesn't. I got some Tonia Lotus Blossom and know my tank parameters were as close to the tank it came out of as possible. But out of 6 stems only one made it and is beginning to grow now. I know I'm talking immersed growth with it but the point is I think success with some of these plants just varies from person to person. I know some have successfully grown the Blood Vomit emersed.

 

[Zimmanski]

Very good info guys and I'm very thankful. Speaking of alternathia reinekii that may be a plant I try sometime. Jetta, I know you said "technology" but its really more of just parts forced together until I have some playing around money haha. I'd bet you have all the same equipment I have laying around somewhere. Basically I looked at this tub like the green house, then each of the trays as growbeds, then I forced together a pump and now I have in theory what you do but on a much, much smaller scale.

So far I'm set on the glosso and DBT that I already have, and then I'll give growing my corymbosa a shot but we'll see how that goes. Still have a lot of working space left. I'm about to start planting what I have so ill post some pictures in a little while!

 

[Zimmanski]

Well I put the finishing touches on everything and i am indescribably happy with out it turned out. I through in some microsword, corymbosa, very few pieces of DHG and a random hitchhiker plant I got from the LFS the other day just to take up space until I get some really good plants in. I know corybosa can flower emersed sometimes and that peaks my interest a bit, are there any others that flower?

 

[jetajockey]

It really looks great man, it's a sleek look for sure. Most plants will flower, my current favs are probably hairy bacopa and rotala rotundifolia. I've even had E.vesuvius and dwarf sag flower, lol.


I put together a video of the new grow bed install, it's uploading now and should be up in about 20 minutes.

http://youtu.be/6A611gX0WXs