# My old emersed setup



## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

Thought you may want to see my old emersed setup.


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## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

Used a floating system with metromix. Hydroponic fertilization with complex B vitamins. The structure is a DIY greenhouse where temps stayed in the mid 70s.


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## Rob G (Oct 19, 2004)

Awesome, Art. Thanks for sharing the photo. Have you had much experience with converting emerse-grown plants back to a submersed environment?


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## Trebol-a (Dec 6, 2004)

Great! 
This is where my actual emersed setup 









A questions, what substrate you have use? Do you have the plants with the submersed roots?


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## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

Yes, actually. I grew crypts and echinos that I would use in my aquarium. I've found that emersed grown plants are much stronger than aquarium grown, at least eventually. Transition wasn't hard. Do you have any questions on this?


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

Rob,

I would hazard a guess to say that most of us here have had experience with putting emersed plants in a submersed enviroment. 90% of the plants one gets from the store are grown emersed. Putting the plants in water is all that needs to happen to get them started growing submerged.

Trebol-a,

That's a good looking setup you've got going on there. Are you using plastic sheeting to maintain humidity?


Best,
Phil


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## Rob G (Oct 19, 2004)

Art and Phil, thanks for the replies. Phil, you make a great point, one that I foolishly overlooked. 

Specifically, I am curious as to what to expect during the transition for Anubias sp. Should one expect to see emerse-grown leaves fall off or change in some way once submersed?

I fear I may be hi-jacking this thread, so please feel free to pm me with a response.

Thanks again for sharing the photo, Art.


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## Trebol-a (Dec 6, 2004)

Phil Edwards said:


> Trebol-a,
> 
> That's a good looking setup you've got going on there. Are you using plastic sheeting to maintain humidity?


Yes, like a little greenhouse with a GROWLUX 30 w in every shelve.

Art, I ask you it because observed plants growed better when i regularly water what they stay with the root submersed. i think they love the oxigen in the root and the stagnant water without movement is worse than frequent irrigation.


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## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

Trebol-a said:


> Art, I ask you it because observed plants growed better when i regularly water what they stay with the root submersed. i think they love the oxigen in the root and the stagnant water without movement is worse than frequent irrigation.


Actually, you are quite right about that. Stagnant want will not bring needed nutrients to the plant roots, especially in a hydroponic setup. While in my system the plant roots were always submerged, the water was far from stagnant. This is similar to Tropica's system in that they use a floating hydroponic system for most of their plants.

The two growing trays were linked to a large sump. Water circulated through the system at a relatively high flow rate. This kept the water oxygenated and bathed the roots in the nutrient solution.

One observation I had was that plants with roots in MetroMix (a professional potting mix) did better than those in Grodan (rockwool) or bare-root. By better, I mean in terms of growth.


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## Trebol-a (Dec 6, 2004)

Art_Giacosa said:


> The two growing trays were linked to a large sump. Water circulated through the system at a relatively high flow rate. This kept the water oxygenated and bathed the roots in the nutrient solution.


Well, my system is more poor... a simple hole in the tray, when i water the pots this slowly run at last tray where I gather in a bucket :?


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## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

Why don't you just add a small pump to push the water back up to the top and make it recirculating?


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## Trebol-a (Dec 6, 2004)

Because is just over here, in my job center, !! I don´t want any thing of noise :-s ... perhaps in summer, when i can take out it.

I don´t know "MetroMix", what does that product contain? is from hidroponic?


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## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

Metro Mix is a professional mix made by a US company called Scotts. It is a potting mixture and not specifically for hydroponic use.


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