# First Try at Emersed Setup



## goldfishes (Nov 26, 2008)

Hi all. I recently purchased a fantastic portion of both java ferns and taiwan moss from Zapins. When the plants arrived, I was pleased to find both hygro sunset (awesome plant) and a bit of gorgeous glosso which was blooming little white flowers! Zapins has been kind enough to explain the process of emersed setups.

I originally set it up in a plastic shoe box at the end of December, but I was fighting fungus gnats, so I tore it down this week. Wish there were pictures, I was too annoyed with the bugs to think about it. Stupid little bugs like to fly up your nose. :rant: I then transfered everything to my 5 gallon critter keeper and new top soil with a layer of sand near the top. Here's some pictures. Everything is doing great.

There's a bit of glosso, a crypt lucen, lilaeopsis sp., mini rotala types I and II and java moss. The crypt was completely melted and there was no leaves. Now I see thirteen baby leaves in just a couple weeks! The rotala lost all of the submerged leaves, but tonight I noticed new stems sprouting with leaves! My camera sucks for close ups, so I will have to borrow a friend's to show the progress. 
The liaeopsis is actually doing really well. The gloss is doing the best though, it is taking off.

Even talking, here's the pictures. Sorry I am still new at taking pictures, so they are very sad.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Nice job so far! In a few weeks your plants should fill in completely. 

The more light you add to the setup the better.


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Zapins said:


> The more light you add to the setup the better.


Totally. It's pretty hard to overdo it with emersed plants.


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## goldfishes (Nov 26, 2008)

Thanks for the advice! I was thinking the one flourescent bulb wasn't enough. Could I move it into direct sunlight? Or would this create a problem for the plants?


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

As long as it doesn't end up getting overheated, it should be fine.


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## goldfishes (Nov 26, 2008)

How do you know if it is getting overheated?


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Just get one of those floating glass thermometers for three bucks and suction it to the inside glass. My ten goes from about 70-72 at night to 80-82F during the day and that seems to work fine.


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## goldfishes (Nov 26, 2008)

Thanks a lot Cavan Allen! I will get one this weekend. I appreciate your help on this.


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Call me Cavan, please. 

Let us know if you've got any more questions.


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## goldfishes (Nov 26, 2008)

Okay, Cavan it is. Thanks a lot. I put it near a window and added more light like you and Zapins suggested. I swear the plants look a lot perkier already!


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## goldfishes (Nov 26, 2008)

Updates! I actually put this in my back room with just window lighting after the light kept falling down and forgot about it. I took some pictures tonight of the progress. I am really excited! The bacopa and glosso is really taking off. And the rotala mini has tons of little shoots. The crypt lucens and microsword is chugging along quite nicely as well. :cheer2:


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Wowowow!!! A far cry from when it was first setup!!! Your emersed setup is really coming along. 

By the way, I also set up another emersed tub with downoi, utricula g., and that new low growing hygro. from South America. So far the plants seem to be taking their sweet time converting to emersed growth form. Its been about a month now and only the utricula has made good progress.

I'll PM you in a bit to catch up, been busy with college and signing up for courses lately...


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## goldfishes (Nov 26, 2008)

Awesome. You get that downoi started, hook me up. I bet you have been busy with your last year and all.


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## steffish (Feb 22, 2009)

sewingalot said:


> Awesome. You get that downoi started, hook me up. I bet you have been busy with your last year and all.


I second that! I would love to have some downoi in my paludarium!!


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## goldfishes (Nov 26, 2008)

Updated pictures!

Front View









Crypt Lucens









Giant Baby Tears (Micranthemum umbrosum)









Downoi









Rotala Mini 1 (top of picture) and Rotala Mini 2 (bottom)









Glosso and Bacopa Moneri


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

The downoi I got that was emersed was an ugly plant. I would never have bought it if I hadn't known what it turned into submersed. I'm surprise that yours still looks like the submersed form.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Great progress! I can't believe how much growth you've got in there! Good job and keep the updates coming. 

I've got to update my emersed setup pics soon. I'll email you this weekend about them.


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## hooha (Apr 21, 2005)

That's coming along nicely!

Don't be surprised if your Downoi gets very different as it grows emersed. The emersed form is a long, gangly stem with large internodes between small leaflets. If you convert it back to emersed form each node with the leaflet grows out the typical 'downoi' plant again under good conditions.

Is that Bacopa moneiri? Don't be afraid to hack back the Bacopa as it grows out - in my experience it grows quickly and can overtake your setup if you let it!


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Yeah, good point about the bacopa. A lot of stems and other fast growers tend to do this. Especially glosso, I have 2 separate tubs next to each other and the glosso routinely stretches over and tries to grow in the HC tub. 

Set up more emersed setups! I've got 3 now, they multiply much like fish tanks - when you aren't looking


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## goldfishes (Nov 26, 2008)

Tex Gal and Hooha and you are correct. I just added the downoi recently to the setup. It made it through 10 days so far, yeah! Thanks for the heads up on how ugly the plant looks. I just googled the emersed form and was shocked to see how different it will look. At least now I won't panic! 

Hooha - yes it is Bacopa Moneri. They were pity stems that almost went in the trash. I was surprised how well they took off. I actually like it better in the emersed state.

Zappins, you created an emersed monster! I actually have a ten gallon waiting for me to start up another setup, lol! I am addicted. Isn't it wonderful to see the different types of growth on this board?

Oh, and have you experienced algae in the actual soil? Below the soil line on the left side, I am seeing green growth similar to algae. Should I be worried?

By the way, cannot wait to see an update on your setups and the 90 gallon as well! How is school going?


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Yep, its normal to see some algae growing on the soil. It seems like cyanobacteria to me. It doesn't spread onto the plants so it isn't a problem. It probably enriches the substrate with nitrogen so in the end its good for the tank.

School's ok. I've got some midterms next week though. So I'll have to start studying this weekend 

I'll probably be going home tomorrow, so I can take some pictures of my tank. Make sure to check out the 90g thread soon!


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## goldfishes (Nov 26, 2008)

Zapins said:


> Yep, its normal to see some algae growing on the soil. It seems like cyanobacteria to me. It doesn't spread onto the plants so it isn't a problem. It probably enriches the substrate with nitrogen so in the end its good for the tank.
> 
> School's ok. I've got some midterms next week though. So I'll have to start studying this weekend
> 
> I'll probably be going home tomorrow, so I can take some pictures of my tank. Make sure to check out the 90g thread soon!


Never had cynobacteria before, I'm worried. Stupid question if there is nothing on the plants themselves, with this spread to the tank if I put the emersed plants into a submersed state? I am wondering since the roots are in the soil with it.

Wow you are into midterms already? Good luck studying. Not much longer until your finished! I look forward to seeing this 90 gallon update.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

I don't think so. Cyano doesn't really get established in a tank unless conditions are right for it. So, even if you were to introduce a large amount of healthy cyano it would go dormant very quickly in a normal tank. Keep in mind all tanks have all the algae spores, and the spores only germinate when conditions are correct for them to do so.

Every time I've added plants grown in the cyano soil there has never been a problem.


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## goldfishes (Nov 26, 2008)

Thanks, Zapins. You're too good to me!


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