# 1st set-up plans and question.



## LVKSPlantlady (Oct 4, 2009)

So I just got a 5.5 gal tank and am thinking I'm going to try my hand at making an emersed tank. I read the post about how to set it up but I hate the Shoe box thingy, so I'm not going to use them.

Here are the plans:

5.5 gal glass tank
15 Watts Plant light 12+ hours a day.
Glass Top with 1/2 inch opening on front and back<Is this too much?>
1" Dirt under layer
1/2" inch Plain ol' aquarium gravel top layer (I don't want to see the dirt)
Driftwood, a rock and a Small pot for decor.

For plants:

Echinodorus osiris: that is for some reason near death in my 29 gal tank. 
Eleocharis acicularis: just a few sprigs that have gotten loose and are floating around.
Sagittaria subulata: going to plant in the pot so it does not go eveywhere.
Cryptocoryne wendtii v. 'Tropica': should I cut all the leaves off and just plant the rhizome?
Rotala macrandra 'green', not having much luck with it in my NPTs.
and last but not least Java moss, not sure exactly what type, going to attach to rock and driftwood.

These are all plants that I already have submersed in my tanks, so whats better for them, planting them and only getting the dirt wet or planting them and the filling the tank up halfway and letting the water evaporate out over a month of so?

That's all my question, any input would be nice, thanks.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

Just plant them, get the soil wet (but don't fill the tank with water) and seal teh top with plastic wrap or something else to avoid evaporation.

Pull the leaves gently off your crypts and they will sprout new leaves for you. The others, just plant and let them do their thing.

Oh, and post pics when you do it. We LOVE pics!!


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## LVKSPlantlady (Oct 4, 2009)

Sweet, thanks for the quick reply. It wont be til monday when I set this up, but I will post pics.


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## LVKSPlantlady (Oct 4, 2009)

So I ended up having to go to work yesterday so I'm running behind on my set up plans, this is what I have so far, minus the rock and the pot...OK WTF WHY ARE ALL MY FILES NOT VALID FILES! So you'll have to go to http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=8742329&albumID=3143835&imageID=75388977

And a close up of the rock side
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=8742329&albumID=3143835&imageID=75388989

I used Aquarium sealant to glue the rocks on, that was sunday, and it still stinks! Should I wait to plant my plants. I put the top on yesterday for a few hours and the smell got all built up in there and was just as bad as when I had finished on sunday! As long as I keep the lid off it's fine, but I know doing so will let all my humitity out! What should I do?


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## LVKSPlantlady (Oct 4, 2009)

And those links don't work see my new thread...thanks!


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