# Pictures of my 75 gallon Anubias emersed set up



## wantsome (Aug 22, 2009)

Here are some pictures of my 75 gallon emesed set up. I posted on another website and didn't get many responses so I figured I'd repost here. I've been keeping anubias off and on for the past 8 years.

I'm growing

Anubias Barteri Broadleaf x3
Anubias Barteri Nana x 5
Anubias Round Leaf x3
Anubias Nana Narrow leaf x4
Anubias Nana Golden x8
Anubias coffeefolia x2
Anubias Congensis x3
Anubias Frazeri x2
Anubias Petite x70
Anubias Snow White x1
Anubias Pangolino x1
Java Fern Needle Leaf

I just set the tank up a week ago. I used cuttings from my old 30 gallon emersed to fill my 75 gallon. In about 3 months this entire tank will have ever square inch covered in plants.

I'm going to use a bunch of these plants when they grow out to do my 55 gallon all anubias aquarium with. I had so much java fern from the last batch I still have a gallon bag half full. I don't even know what to do with it.

I'm waiting for the snow white to grow just a tad more. I'm hoping to get 4 plants out of it when I chop it up. I left a lot of space in some areas for the plants to grow. In my old set the plants were sprouting 2-6 leaves a week with multiple rhozomes. After 3 months I had a bunch of giant mother plants. I'm hoping to do the same with this set up. I don't change the water or add any ferts. My last set up I just forgot about it for 3 months. The tank was wall to wall with plants. I couldn't see the substrate at all.


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## JSeymour (May 26, 2016)

Looks great!

I'm always curious about setups, so I hope you don't mind the questions. You said you don't fertilize, have you ever thought about root tabs or the like? Seems like they would work well with your low maintenance setup and maybe grant a boost in growth. My Anubias really seem to enjoy the DIY Osmocote + capsules. What kind of lighting and how long is your photoperiod? Do you provide heat?

As I said, it looks awesome! You'll be drowning in Anubias before long.


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## wantsome (Aug 22, 2009)

JSeymour said:


> Looks great!
> 
> I'm always curious about setups, so I hope you don't mind the questions. You said you don't fertilize, have you ever thought about root tabs or the like? Seems like they would work well with your low maintenance setup and maybe grant a boost in growth. My Anubias really seem to enjoy the DIY Osmocote + capsules. What kind of lighting and how long is your photoperiod? Do you provide heat?
> 
> As I said, it looks awesome! You'll be drowning in Anubias before long.


I guess I misstated when I said I don't use ferts. Basically I do add some osmocote to the soil when I set it up. After that I don't add any. I have a light period of 14 hours. I'm using a coralife T5 high output fixture. I have a heater and pump in the bottom of the tank. I keep the water temp at 82*f. I add flourite on top of the soil to keep algae and fungus away. I could have used gravel but it's just what I had on hand.


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## wantsome (Aug 22, 2009)

Just an update for those watching. I'm still learning about growing anubias emersed and fertilizing plants in general. In my set up prior to the 75 gallon I used the same system just on a smaller scale with a 30 gallon tank. I didn't dose any ferts other then the osmocote I added to the soil upon set up. I left it alone and things grew. 

I was planning on doing the same thing with the 75 until the other day. I tested the water in the tank and my nitrate test was off the chart above 80ppm same with the phosphate test. The soil I used has a lot of ammonium nitrate. I saw some deficiencies and decided if it wasn't N or P it had to be K or a trace element. So a week ago I added some secheam equilibrium because it's high in K. Holy smokes have the plants taken off. I have one plant that is sprouting 6 leaves at once on one rhizome. The results have been astounding. All of my petites are growing like gangbusters also.

By the way I'll elaborate a bit more about the pots I'm using. I'm using coconut fiber pots. I filled them half way with miracle gro potting mix non organic. Then I added red pottery clay chunks with a bunch of osmocote + pellets and topped it off with more dirt. Before I planted the plants I saturated the pot by dumping aquarium water in it. I planted the anubias roots and left enough room for a layer of flourite between the soil and rhizome. 

I keep the humidity high around 90%. I had glass lids cut and lowes. I used a glass cutter to cut the corner off of one of the panels. Just enough for the cords to fit in the tank.

I'm using a false bottom with cut PVC to hold up some light defuser. I have about 30 gallons of water in the tank with a 100 watt heater and a powerhead.

I have the light elevated off of the tank. It's hanging about 10 inches above it with some chains. The reason I elevated the light is it puts out a lot of heat. It heats the air in the tank and the humidity drops.

The petites are growing in plastic containers with just flourite. There is enough nutrients in the water that they don't need soil. Also the petites are the fastest growing plants. I started out with 3 plants a couple years ago. Now I'm up to my eyeballs in them.

The tank water temp is 82* F.

I'll keep the thread updated with pics from time to time. 

If anyone has any questions feel free to ask.


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## JSeymour (May 26, 2016)

At one point I remember reading a post stating a similar experience with potassium. I don't test my water, but I personally use a high potassium fertilizer regimen myself. Seems to give great, colorful results. Your system sounds alot like my 90, but I use alot of fertilizer in my water and I keep my lights right on top. The heat and lower humidity help keep my Crypt leaves dry and my moss short and thick, issues you won't have.  Let me know when you have some snow available, I'd love to buy a piece.


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## wantsome (Aug 22, 2009)

JSeymour said:


> At one point I remember reading a post stating a similar experience with potassium. I don't test my water, but I personally use a high potassium fertilizer regimen myself. Seems to give great, colorful results. Your system sounds alot like my 90, but I use alot of fertilizer in my water and I keep my lights right on top. The heat and lower humidity help keep my Crypt leaves dry and my moss short and thick, issues you won't have.  Let me know when you have some snow available, I'd love to buy a piece.


Sure I'll let you know. I tried crypts emersed and they grew pretty well. I had one small leaf of a crypt lutea in my set up and it grew into a monster within a couple months. I have some extra room in my set up and I'm thinking of planting a bunch of crypt parva. I don't know how it will do but I'm gonna try it.


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