Emersed substrate, which and why?

[fish_4_all]

Flourite
Onyx Black Sand
Shultz profile Aquatic plant soil
Perlite
Eco Complete
Miracle Grow Soil
Pool Filter Sand
Other
Combination of the above


Personally I think that Flourite Red with Onyx Sand is going to give me the best results but I am having descent results with Aquatic Soil. I think the flourite and onyx sand will have the better nutrient retention and nutrients in them and also make it easier for roots to take hold.

What do you think? Remember, this is not for the aquarium although it would be interesting to know if you think that it would work in a planted aquarium also and why it would or wouldn't.

 

[travis simonson]

I've talked to a few people who raise emersed Crypts and they swear by a thin (very thin) layer of peat at the very bottom of the substrate. Also, if you can suction up some mulm from an existing tank to top the peat with and then use some good rich soil (again, a fairly thin layer) on top of that, then lay down the substrate of your choice on top of that, I hear it does wonders, at least for emersed Crypts. Joe (czcz) is probably the guy to talk to when it comes to emersed growth. He has more experience with it than anyone else I know

 

[czcz]

... but my emersed growth experiments are mostly failures In my moderately successful setup, I used Schultz as a base with java moss, then in the end mostly use emersed moss as the planting medium, with Schultz to help keep stuff in place. There is nutrient-rich water constantly cycling through the system from a connected high light tank. I've also used Schultz, soil, and FloraBase (with combinations of pumice, peat, mixes, and nothing as a bottom layer) in potted setups, but no dice yet. I don't think it's because of the substrate.

Schultz/Profile has a much higher CEC than many of those substrates, including Flourite and Onyx btw, and therefore should retain introduced nutrients much better.

In the end I don't think there's really a best or such rules. I think just as with an aquarium the method extends well past substrates, and focussing too much on one thing without a working/functional system can be detrimental. JMO.

I can't wait to see the results fo your experiments by the way. It will be great to see what planting medium you prefer most for HC and stuff.

 

[fish_4_all]

Well the HC is growing so far. The rosetta swords are withering but the roots are strong. The best growth has been in the Profile where perlite has done nothing but grow algae. If Profile has the best CEC then I will stick with it. I plan to soak some in a nutrient soluiton before romving the peat dividers I have in the setup.

I wasn't refering to a paludarium, I am not even close to confident enough to try anything that elobarate. The closest I have come is thinking about setting up a mixed bag, plants in a substrate over the top of an aquarium or behind or whatever they do. Your paludarium is far out of my league. Too complicated and way too many factors. I have a hard enough time growing plants in the fish tanks.

 

[czcz]

My paludarium isn't really a paludarium to me anymore, its just this ugly thing The idea for the water flow through levels and planting pockets were for the plants not animals btw. I was thinking it'd be well oxygenated, nutrient rich water feeding the root system, while using it as a sump. Like Hydroponics with a loose planting medium, using moss because others have great success with it. My ideas weren't good in application though.

I agree: too complicated and too many variables. I should have done it your way. Great setups. Keep the pics coming.

 

[fish_4_all]

Ultimately, I want to learn how to do the emersed so that I can set up the ultimate planted biofilter above and do a gravity overflow to the lower tank with the fish. That won't happen until I can learn to grow emersed, submerged without fish and submerged with fish. But if it ever happens it would be a site. I thought your paludarium would have come along nicely once you figured out the symantics of it. Will keep the pictures coming, probably take one shortly.