# Tank cracked, converting it into emersed tank?



## Tanan (Mar 11, 2009)

Hey.
So my Dutch-ish 55G tank cracked. It was heavily planted. So instead of taking the plants out and planting another tank. I just sealed the top and turned it into emersed tank. Now I did give the plants a major trim but left around 2/3 of their stems intact. Should I mow them more or thin the jungle to help them convert to emersed form? I am misting 2 times a day and adding co2 too. Will post pics later. What would be your suggestion to such conversion?


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## Tihsho (Nov 4, 2015)

Are you trying to grow them out as an emersed display or just to grow them out? The reason I ask is that trimming here is key for a display. You will also want to keep humidity consistent throughout the tank with a misting system/fogger and a waterproofed fan. External gas exchange will also be important so be sure to give the enclosure a chance to get fresh air a few times a week. 

As for the CO2, atmospheric CO2 should be enough, but I have injected CO2 into emersed setups before to test growth. You will notice different growth because you're providing more CO2 than the atmosphere. That said, you won't need to provide as much as you normally would in water as you're not trying to saturate water.


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## Tanan (Mar 11, 2009)

Not for the display. Just growing them out till I setup another high tech tank.


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## Tihsho (Nov 4, 2015)

I would mow them down a little more then. This will allow them to produce emersed growth with more sturdy stems to support its own weight.


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

I'd have it a bit open all the time but with the fogger. Total closure and excessive humidity invites fungus.


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## Tihsho (Nov 4, 2015)

Not always the case. I've kept a few containers that have been tight sealed that I opened up maybe once a month to provide a gas exchange as well as maybe trim without fungus issues. I've always noticed fungus and mold starts when there is wood present.


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Not always, but I have seen leaf spot and other things. Another thing that can happen with excessive humidity is plants growing emersed but with leaves that look like those of submersed plants. Really weird when it's something like _Hygrophila difformis_.


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## Tihsho (Nov 4, 2015)

That is actually the reason I keep my humidity up. With the higher humidity keeping plants in their submersed forms I'm able to move them to the submersed tanks without that weird phase of converting. Plus, it makes it easier to trade plants as most people want the submersed forms.


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