# Best way to convert stems from submersed to emersed condition



## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

I want to grow a number of soft stem plants to their emersed state, do I always have to keep the plants initially under water and wait for them to grow above? My emersed setup has 10 cm of water to it and it would be difficult to keep the plant initially under water cause of this height. Is there another way to start them like lets say keep them even initially outside the water but really moist?
Freemann


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## brad (Jul 10, 2005)

Make sure you have a 'dome' over the plants to trap the humidity. Most of my plants make the transition quite well, while others not so well. My crypts usually lose all but the youngest leaves then come back nicley.


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## williamst (Nov 24, 2005)

You could try floating the plants on the water. Depending on which species of plants, some will try to grow emerse shoots, while some will not. 



William S.


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## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

So from what I have read from previous posts as well the best way to convert stem plants to emersed form could prolly be to have a separate small tank that could be my conversion area it could prolly be a tank with like 3-4 cm of potting soil covered with gravel, enough to keep it down and maybe 3 cm of water above. I could plant small or long pieces of plants in submersed form in it let them float maybe even let the water evaporate by aerating a bit more than normal and wait for them to convert to terrestrial form before transferring them (the top emersed form?) to the pots in the tank with just maybe 1 cm or 2 total water under the pots. Would you agree on that? Also I read about lots of different approaches on substrate mediums, sand and peat, sand and peat and soil, soil alone , Beach tree soil maybe (I hear it is good for growing most crypts in some mixed with some in some acidophilic alone), also I read that some coarse light material (perlite, pumice or something similar could be nice to keep the soil from compacting and let the excess water drain would be nice which one of all this would you consider the best approach? for my final setup with pots and which substrate for the conversion from submersed to emersed state?
I know different people use different approaches with good results but couldn't one of this methods be more appropriate than the others?
Also what of aerating the closed tank do I keep some slit open all the time or maybe just aerate them once in a while? and do I need to add additional ferts in the water while rich soil is in the pots (people do that as well, adding even more ferts to the water)? Also is motion in the water a good thing and would an air stone be a good option in the water to move it around and transfer fresh air from the outside in the tank and increase humidity by bubbling?
Sorry for all this questions but maybe it will help others as well and create some kind of reference material.
Thanks in advance.
Freemann 

P.S By the way this is my want to be emersed setup:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=2534&catid=searchresults&searchid=211


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

Freemann,

I prefer to mix topsoil and coarse sand together for emersed growth. If you're going to be using Beech tree soilI would definately recommend 2mm size sand. The method I've found to work the best is to just lay the stems down horizontally and just barely cover them with water. They'll grow new shoots from a number of the nodes and will go emersed quickly. That way you can get a lot of plant from a small initial mass. 

Since you're using that larger top container you may want to get some trays for the stemplants. Crypts will grow well in pots in that container. There's no real need to keep the water very deep in that, 2cm or so for humidity would be sufficient. As long as the soil in the pots is moist your plants will grow well. In fact, letting them go not quite completely dry before watering again will encourage strong root growth.

Regards,
Phil


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## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

> I prefer to mix topsoil and coarse sand together for emersed growth. If you're going to be using Beech tree soilI would definately recommend 2mm size sand. The method I've found to work the best is to just lay the stems down horizontally and just barely cover them with water. They'll grow new shoots from a number of the nodes and will go emersed quickly. That way you can get a lot of plant from a small initial mass.


Nice trick sounds good to me. As I asked in the other thread aswell won't that mean that there will be no holes in the tray, pot? and what of the floating soil?



> I prefer to mix topsoil and coarse sand together for emersed growth. If you're going to be using Beech tree soilI would definately recommend 2mm size sand..


So what is it going to be topsoil or beech tree soil from the local forest for general keeping?
Also what are the ratios of gravel to soil you use?
Wouldn't some lite material liker vermiculite be a better option than gravel?


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

I usually just lay them down horizontally like Phil said and let them grow new stems from the nodes. That works really well outside. And there's nothing wrong with getting emersed growth from stems that have grown out of the water. I have some emersed _Limnophila aromatica_ that I got that way.

Here's an older picture of some emersed _aromatica_, _R. rotundifolia_ and _B. caroliniana_ that I obtained by the horizontal method.










A mixture of humus and Flourite along with the same ferts I use for submersed growth has worked for me.


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## Navarro (Feb 12, 2004)

I have many open top aquariums and I allow the plants to change and then transfer them to pots.
Luis Navarro


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## russell (Dec 7, 2004)

freemann, did you ever try this method? what happened?


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## bigstick120 (Mar 8, 2005)

With spring here I would like to try to grow some of my submersed plants emersed. So let help me understand if this is what to do, trim a stem, lay it horzontal in a tray with topsoil and sand mix and cover the plant with water. Any other tips


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Are you talking about outside gardening? If so, then yes, that might work.

Wait a while until the weather warms up or at least bring it in every night until it doesn't drop below about 70. You can use tank water and the same ferts you use for your tank if you want. Just go on the conservative side for that.

_Hygrophila_ and _Polygonum_ species, among others, easily grow above the waterline in aquariums so you might consider that if you'd like to try them.


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## bigstick120 (Mar 8, 2005)

Yes I was going to pu the trays outside, thanks for the help!


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