rich311k
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sweet looking setup. Good luck on getting some flowers.
An Experiment with Emersed Growth - New Pics 5/12/2007
- Thread starter Purrbox
- Start date
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tropicfishman
Aquarium Advice Addict
thats a really clever idea for plant growth. thats what I need to get my plants full and hearty before I add them to my tank, I hate the way my tank looks waiting on plants to grow in lol are you using the sun as your light source?
The only light my setup gets is from the sun.
It's not necessarily the best way to get your plant ready for your aquarium. Not all aquarium plants can be grown emersed. Those that can be grown emersed often have to go through an adjustment phase when going from submersed to emersed or emersed to submersed, which often involves the loss of all existing leaves. Depending on your setup you may or may not get faster growth than if your plants were just in your aquarium to begin with.
It's not necessarily the best way to get your plant ready for your aquarium. Not all aquarium plants can be grown emersed. Those that can be grown emersed often have to go through an adjustment phase when going from submersed to emersed or emersed to submersed, which often involves the loss of all existing leaves. Depending on your setup you may or may not get faster growth than if your plants were just in your aquarium to begin with.
fish_4_all
Aquarium Advice Addict
Looks good, maybe I will have to try my Lucens and see how it does once I get my setup made.
I added a few more plants tonight. I'm going to be away from home this weekend and still have to pack, so you'll have to wait for pictures until sometime next week.
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'green'
Cryptocoryne wendtii v. 'Tropica'
Cryptocoryne cordata v. 'blassii'
Cryptocoryne beckettii 'petchii'
Cryptocoryne walkeri (lutea)
With the latest additions, I've only got a few pots left empty. The Cryptocoryne wendtii that I added a few weeks ago has melted as has one of the Cryptocoryne x willisii 'lucens', overall everything is growing well and seems to like the tweaked arrangement.
I also picked up some 1/2" CPVC a week or so ago and plan to redo the frame. Hopefully it will be sturdier and easier to work with that what I'm using currently.
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'green'
Cryptocoryne wendtii v. 'Tropica'
Cryptocoryne cordata v. 'blassii'
Cryptocoryne beckettii 'petchii'
Cryptocoryne walkeri (lutea)
With the latest additions, I've only got a few pots left empty. The Cryptocoryne wendtii that I added a few weeks ago has melted as has one of the Cryptocoryne x willisii 'lucens', overall everything is growing well and seems to like the tweaked arrangement.
I also picked up some 1/2" CPVC a week or so ago and plan to redo the frame. Hopefully it will be sturdier and easier to work with that what I'm using currently.
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
Have a fun trip! Can't wait to see pics!
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
Still waiting for pics! 
I would love to see emersed crypts.
I would love to see emersed crypts.
rich311k
Aquarium Advice Addict
Looks like they are starting to take off.
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
Purrbox said:
Hmmm....can I borrow your tanks for Easter so I can have something to show off to my guests?
The plants look great! What did you do to the HC - you said it wasn't doing well before but it looks nice and full now. The anubias has gotten very big. The crypts look a little different than the submersed form. The petioles look longer.
I'm not sure how well your guests would like looking at the algae farms, but you're welcome to borrow the 2.5 gallon and 5.5 gallon if you want to come pick them up the day before Easter. I'll need them back by the day after though. 
I'd lend you the 10 gallon, but I need it to show off to my guests!
The HC still isn't thriving the way it should emersed. It just doesn't seem to like me. It's always done a reasonably well and spreads, but doesn't get nice, lush, and thick.
The Anubias have settled in and while not growing particularly fast, are slowly putting out new leaves.
Most of the crypts haven't been in my emersed setup very long, so they're still showing growth patterns from the conditions at the vendor. In another month or two I'll have a better idea of how they'll look long term for me.
I'm still planning to do a new frame for the humidity dome and actually have the parts on hand to work with when the weather is nice enough at the same time I have some free time.
After this weekend, I'm also planning to add some moss to the setup at the bases of the crypts. This is supposed to help keep algae and other nasties away from the plants, and looks pretty nice too.
I'd lend you the 10 gallon, but I need it to show off to my guests! The HC still isn't thriving the way it should emersed. It just doesn't seem to like me. It's always done a reasonably well and spreads, but doesn't get nice, lush, and thick.
The Anubias have settled in and while not growing particularly fast, are slowly putting out new leaves.
Most of the crypts haven't been in my emersed setup very long, so they're still showing growth patterns from the conditions at the vendor. In another month or two I'll have a better idea of how they'll look long term for me.
I'm still planning to do a new frame for the humidity dome and actually have the parts on hand to work with when the weather is nice enough at the same time I have some free time.
After this weekend, I'm also planning to add some moss to the setup at the bases of the crypts. This is supposed to help keep algae and other nasties away from the plants, and looks pretty nice too.
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
Purrbox said:you're welcome to borrow the 2.5 gallon and 5.5 gallon if you want to come pick them up the day before Easter. I'll need them back by the day after though.
After this weekend, I'm also planning to add some moss to the setup at the bases of the crypts. This is supposed to help keep algae and other nasties away from the plants, and looks pretty nice too.
OK - that sounds totally doable!
The moss idea sounds interesting. What kind of moss? Can algae still be a problem on the emersed leaves? Keep us updated with pics!
In an emersed setup you sometimes get algae on the substrate where the water level is at. If exposed to the air on the leaves it will die out or at least go dormant. So far I haven't had any problems with this, but I'd like to to take a proactive approach to help ensure that I don't run into any problems in the future.
I'll probably be using Weeping Moss, simply because it looks nice and I have a ton of it as a result of floating it in my 10 gallon for a couple of months. Pretty much any moss should be able to fill the task though. I'll likely try some of my other mosses too, and see if I can get them to spread more quickly that way.
I'll probably be using Weeping Moss, simply because it looks nice and I have a ton of it as a result of floating it in my 10 gallon for a couple of months. Pretty much any moss should be able to fill the task though. I'll likely try some of my other mosses too, and see if I can get them to spread more quickly that way.
fish_4_all
Aquarium Advice Addict
With the success I have had with Excel in my aquariums I wonder if it will wrok if it is put in the water for an emersed setup? I would think that it should since the roots will take it up and give a good carbon source for growth if the plants need an extra carbon surce.
Zezmo
Aquarium Advice Addict
Emersed growth, will benefit from CO2 diffusion. I have used it for terrariums with good results. A simple set-up with DIY CO2 and an airstone over the plants is all that is needed.
fish_4_all
Aquarium Advice Addict
I just figured it couldn't hurt with my track record with emersed growth. I think I will stick with Excel in the fish tank and get some better lighting.
I finally found the time to put together a new frame for my emersed setup. I like it so much better than the old one. It's much easier to work with. I built it out of 1" CPVC pipe and dry fit all the connections. There was no need to glue it together since it's not going to be carrying water and the pieces fit snuggly together. The bottoms of the legs were rounded in with a Dremel to allow them to sit on the rim of the sweater box better.
At the same time I also added the C. pygmaea back from floating and the C. parva (I'm not sure which type of Crypt was actually sent) that Bill sent me. I also added some Weeping Moss around the base of all of the plants except for the HC.
And of course a picture to go along with the update.
At the same time I also added the C. pygmaea back from floating and the C. parva (I'm not sure which type of Crypt was actually sent) that Bill sent me. I also added some Weeping Moss around the base of all of the plants except for the HC.
And of course a picture to go along with the update.
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rich311k
Aquarium Advice Addict
Nicely done. Sweet looking setup.
