# The sumerged way for those black water ones...



## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

After seeing this post..

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...or-state-cryptss-biotope-tank.html#post341234

I need to try few black waters ones in the sumerged way.

I started with C.minima 'Bukit Merah' few month ago.

But seeing the above link, I can´t leave to go to my hand the oportunity to try the Kota Tinggi crypts at the sumerged way.


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## ts168 (Apr 13, 2004)

Hey Xema, Will you be showing us this setup.


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Yeah, I will, but I have not my camera -it´s the technical Service for a while-. so I will need time to take a picture.

It´s a simple set up, a 80x40x30 cm tank divided in 3 part, in one of them I add a sort of soil AZOO brand with lot fagus leaves.


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## ts168 (Apr 13, 2004)

Thanks. 
- Will there be any filter/pump to circulate the water?
- Will the tank top be coverup?


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

ts168 said:


> - Will there be any filter/pump to circulate the water?


Yeah, it set up a HM Filter covering the whole back side wit a little pump.



ts168 said:


> Will the tank top be coverup?


Yeah, It is covered for a 3mm glass, and the light is a T5 39w for the 3 tanks.










It´s the rack in the middle. But it´s an old pictures before re-setting.


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## Stephan K. (Apr 30, 2006)

Hi Xema,

what soil do you use (Azoo?)?

Stephan


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Hi Stephan, nice to read you!! I hope, we will meet next year in Vienna.

About the soil, it´s a kind of soil quite similar to ADA soil named Azoo plant grower bed.
I am testing minima and keei in the same tank with pure akadama as soil, and both are growing nicely!!


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## ts168 (Apr 13, 2004)

Hi Xema, I notice that the soil in your setup is very thin layer. or did not see wrongly?
1inch soil?


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## DaFishMan (Dec 4, 2005)

Wow Xema I remember your emmerse setups being very nice but you have been holding out.
Nice tanks as well !


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## Stephan K. (Apr 30, 2006)

Hi Xema,

I hope that you will join the meeting next year. 
Have you tested Kanuma too? It should be more acid than Akadama.

Stephan


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## Kai Witte (Jan 30, 2006)

Hello Stephan & Xema,

Kanuma works for me. However, I'm utilizing it for crypts growing in rain water. No need to add inorganic stuff for growing blackwater crypts. If you really want to have a "heavy" soil mix, you can also use pure quarz sand as a base and mix it with some leaf-mold...


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Stephan K. said:


> Have you tested Kanuma too? It should be more acid than Akadama.


Yeah, I do. All my bacwater stuff is growing in a mix of kanuma, fagus leaves mould, and granulated peat or peat moss. I am testing a mix of kanuma with ADA aquasoil, it´s working fine with longicauda too.



Kai Witte said:


> Kanuma works for me. However, I'm utilizing it for crypts growing in rain water. No need to add inorganic stuff for growing blackwater crypts. If you really want to have a "heavy" soil mix, you can also use pure quarz sand as a base and mix it with some leaf-mold...


For those plants which need soft water, I am using pure akadama, I ma getting a unexpected success with C. keei and C. striolata in the emersed try.
C. keei is growing submerged in a bed of akadama + aqualit, covered with a thin grain sand. it´s growing really fast, 1 or 2 leaves every week.
This is a picture few days after planting.










In the same way, I cut few rhizomes from this plant before planting, and put them in a full akamad tank -the same one where I am testing submerged minima-, rhizomes are sending new leaves in the last 2 weeks.


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## DelawareJim (Nov 15, 2005)

What grain size are you using? I've been looking at giving Akadama or Kanuma a try but haven't decided on a grain size. Small seems as though it would provide good anchorage, large good water/nutrient flow. Compromise on medium?

We have something similar here called Turface that I've been thinking about too.

Cheers.
Jim


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Jim,

I am using a grain between 2-3mm. I use to buy the bag used for mame-bonsai.

A picture of the keei growing on pure akadama.









And minima on pure akadama too.









Both in the same tank.


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Updating...

Here the picture of the tank...










I added yesterday at the same tank, minima, and longicuada for testing.


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## ts168 (Apr 13, 2004)

Nice setup Xema, I wonder what will you keep inside? Betta?

What are those leaf? Will the make the water browish?


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

I have not though about what I can keep inside... Probably I will tray breeding some species of boraras.
The leaves are Fagus sylvatica leaves, they get a low pH of the water.


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## Khamul1of9 (Oct 25, 2005)

How do you keep the leaves from fouling the water??


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Khamul1of9 said:


> How do you keep the leaves from fouling the water??


Sorry I can not understand what you mean.

Do you mean if leaves are messing the water?


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## Khamul1of9 (Oct 25, 2005)

Yes, como previenes que se pudra el agua con esas ojas?


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Ok, Leaves are the same stuff as wood, leaves don´t increase the nitrates and so on, only drop the pH. Of course if they are totally dried.


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Updating...

C. sp. Kota Tinggi









C. longicauda









Both growing slowly but healthy.


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## Ghazanfar Ghori (Jan 27, 2004)

Looking pretty good! Have you tested any water parameters? pH/KH/GH


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

Hello Ghazanfar,

Thanks for your comment.
I have not yet tested it, but I supoose pH around 6, kH around 1 or 2 and GH around 5. I am thinking to add a bag of peat or pines needles and fagus leaves in the filter.


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