# Pics from emersed tray.



## Justin Fournier

Here are a couple of pics from the emersed tray I set up a few weeks back...









Emersed Echinodorus sp. "Red Special"









Emersed Cryptocoryne wendtii "Tropica"


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## jerseyjay

Beautiful growth Justin. 

Can you go over the details:

- substrate
- light
- fertilization
- misc


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## Phil Edwards

Really nice Justin! What are you using to cover the plants?


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## Sir_BlackhOle

Yes lets hear some details. I have a freshly started emmersed tray. Do you think radican sword plantlets would transfer over to emmersed growth well? How big should they be before I transfer them? Any ideas?


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## tsunami

Nice setup Justin. I'm glad that's working for you.  

My Cyperus is beginning to shoot out daughter plantlets like a sword plant on my tray. Barely any attention...

Carlos


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## Justin Fournier

Thanks for the compliments guys, means a lot comming from you!

On to the details,

It's a standard 20x10 tray with a Large clear dome. The same ones you can readily pick up from your local hydroponics store.

Substrate consists of River sand, mixed with peat 50/50 by volume. The organics were in there just to give me a little bit of security incase I didn't get the fert's right. This is my first attempts afterall.

Light is a whopping 2x65W CF ballast with one 6700K and one 9325K bulb. Considering switching to a 10K/9325K but I will think about it more on my days off.

The only ferts I have used on this tray so far are the General Hydroponics FloraGro/FloraBloom/FloraMicro based on thier recomendations for the fert levels dependant upon what stage the plants are on.

Misc, it has a heating pad on a controller keeping the temp somewhere around 80-82. This is to make sure the humidity is very high, which it is. The air in my house is very dry. Also, the plantlets from the E. red special are growing at an astronomical rate. Those pics are now 2 days old, I will update them tonight so you can see the change over 2 days. Your not going to believe you eyes. The crypts have been in there for a bit over 2 weeks, and have just finished adapting to emersed growth. I will put a pic up tonight of a Crypts I don't know the species of for a possible ID. All the "tropica" are throwing up daughter plants already. 

This tray is FUN!!

The radican sword should do fine, just make sure it has a good amount of roots, and then put it in the tray. I left about 1" of stem on either side of the plantlet for now.

Anything else?


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## tsunami

Justin,

How do you have the lights suspended on top of the dome? After seeing the growth on yours, I think my plants could get a little bit of a boost with some extra light.  I have a spare 96w 6700k PC w/ballast lying around. Wonder if the reflector w/ bulb can just be placed on top of the dome or would it get too hot?

Carlos


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## Sir_BlackhOle

Thanks! I will try sticking one of the radican plantlets in my tray today. Cant wait! 

Carlos, I would think that the PC would get a bit too hot for that plastic. You could easily make a mount for it out of some scrap wood though and have it sitting over the dome.


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## Robert Hudson

Justin, your pictures aren't loading for me.... perhaps because they are so big? You could make them half the size and they would still be plenty big enough. Having the same problem in Wet Thumb where you posted them as well.


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## Justin Fournier

Carlos,

They are roughly 10" above the dome. Not really inclined to move them closer as the plants are already looking like they will outgrow the dome in a couple weeks. Not sure if it would melt the dome either. I would keep them high though, no need to take a risk for nothing. You also want a good spread so all the plants don't lean into the center.

Robert,

The website was down for atleast a couple hours today, not sure why. Seems to be back up now.


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## Justin Fournier

Kevin, post some pics, give us the details! I am sooo curious to see what eeryone else is doing...


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## Justin Fournier

Here is an update after 48 hours.


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## Phil Edwards

WOW! That's some SERIOUS growth, I need to transplant my 2xPC fixture now..... :shock:


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## Sir_BlackhOle

I'll get some updated pics up tomorrow


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## Sir_BlackhOle

I posted some pics up http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4071#4071

Enjoy


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## MiamiAG

Here's my old emersed setup.


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## Phil Edwards

That's awesome Art! What did you use to make the greenhouse portion of that? What all did you have growing in it?


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## MiamiAG

Thanks Phil.

I needed something to grow out my tissue cultured plants. I built a frame out of 2x2 and lined it with heavy mil plastic used for painting as a drop cloth. The system itself was a raft hydroponic system. Two trays connected to a reservoir. The plants were in plastic pots floating on styrofoam rafts.

As for what I had, I can't remember.  All types of Crypts and Echinodorus. I was getting ready to start selling my plants wholesale. Problem was that the plants were growing too big, too fast.


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## Steve Pituch

OK,

I am just starting out with these emersed plants so....









Alternanthera _reinekii_
I have been pinching these so they don't hit the top of the cover, but this helps make them bushy.









Ammannia _latifolia_
I have seen Amano and others use a plant by this name but this one is totally different and the real thing, locally obtained, and pinched to make it bushy.









Ludwigia _repens_
We found it half in the water and half out. Thats why we know its L. _repens_









Water sprite
Store bought narrow leafed.

Steve Pituch


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## Sir_BlackhOle

Steve, I have been wanting to try water sprite emmersed. How did the transfer from the tank to the tray go? Did all the leaves fall off? Thanks!


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## Justin Fournier

Nice Art. I like the Marble Queen in there, looks good! What happened to the wholesale idea?


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## Steve Pituch

The water sprite were ones that were floating and had developed roots. Half of them died when planted emersed, the ones that didn't have a lot of roots. I think the leaves got wilted but survived on the ones that had a lot of roots.
Steve


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## Sir_BlackhOle

Great thanks for the info. Ive got a few pieces floating around in the tank. I will wait untill they develop more roots before transfering them.


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## EDGE

how tall should the humidity dome be when going emersed plant? I need to DIY one for a custom tank.


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## Justin Fournier

Completely depends how tall the plants you want to put in it are going to get. Figure out how tall you want the plant to get in there and add a couple more inches.


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## Daemonfly

Interesting.

Only emersed stuff I'm growing is Xmas moss, Erect moss, and a no-name moss that grows _straight_ up, as well as some glosso for a bit. Temporary until I get the BGA problem in my main tank fixed, as well as setup a new 15g for my dwarf puffers. I get these take-out sandwich, etc.. plastic containers with black bottoms & clear tops. Put some flourite in the bottom, fill to top of flourite with water & lay the moss in. It's only a temporary setup, but has worked so far.


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## EDGE

lets try this again. How tall should the dome be (in general) for growing emersed crypt?

I know I need it extremely tall if it is for swords and such..


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## Justin Fournier

Lets try this again, lol. Your going to catch more fly's with honey then vinegar. I am not sure what you expect me to tell you, I guess you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

Ok well some Crypts can grow 24" tall. Will you be growing those? Then your going to need the lid atleast that tall. Will you be growing something that stays less then 2"? Then your only going to need a few inches.

I don't mean to sound harsh, but I am trying to help. 
DIY is all about trial and error, finding out what works for you and what doesn't. If you want to DIY, then DIY. Don't run around expecting everyone to spoon feed you everything you might need. DIY.


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## EDGE

How tall are the hydroponic plant domes? What is the general height of the growing space people use for their setup? That was what i was trying to ask in the first place. 

I guess I need to be really really clear on the info I am trying to get.


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## Justin Fournier

They come in 2 sizes that I have been able to find. One about 2" and one about 7". However the ones I have seen in people pics are mostly DIY at various hieghts. Some are even pop bottles. 

Yes your right, if you want specific answers ask specific questions 8) 

Yes your right, I did ask a question, a specific one regarding which diameter people prefer, and gave as many details as possible. I asked a specific question, and got a specific answer. :lol:


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## MiamiAG

EDGE,

The standard flat domes are 2 inch or 7 inch. Obviously go with the larger one. However, your plants may outgrow them. All of my plants pictured above were started as plantlets in domes flats but outgrew them. You may have to make something yourself that is taller.


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## hubbahubbahehe

Justin, you really are good in ALL aspects of plant culture, aquarium culture. I'm very impressed by all the setups you got.


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