# Extreme Emersed!



## dstephens (Nov 30, 2005)

I set up a 5 gallon tank on my back patio about a month ago with flourite base, redsea HOB filter and various plants from my 90 gallon planted tank. I live in Texas where the temperature is averaging close to or over 100 degrees every day now. The temp fluctuation in my tank is 76-77 degrees in the morning to as high as 90 degrees. What amazes me is how well the plants are actually doing. There have been no melt downs. If I hit 90 degrees in my indoor tank, I think things would be ugly. Obviously, the change has been gradual and I assume that has made the difference. 

Anybody have a similar experience? I think I dosed too much liquid ferts because my water turned green, so I did a water change of about 60% and it cleared up. The plants look fantastic and are taking a different look in the warmer water conditions. I have pogostemon stellata, different rotalas, didiplis diandra, Ammannia gracilis, lobelia, limnophila aquatica, ludwigia sp. cuba, ludwigia sp. arquata and glosso. The glosso has taken off and is growing out with very small leaves similar to HC. One of the rotala green stems laid over on the substrate and put down roots and is now growing out about 20 new stems from the main stem. Anyway, I will try to include some photos at some point. I am hoping that the plants will begin to grow emersed once they reach the surface. Darrell


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

When you say the tank temperature, do you mean the temperature of the air or the water? 

They'll probably be able to take warmer water for a bit.

Keep in mind that you can lower the water gradually besides just waiting for them to break the surface. Kind of speeds things up. I've done that and it works well. 

Does that help at all?


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## snowhillbilly (Mar 29, 2006)

Hey I should try that and see how it does. I live in North Dakota where it is in the 80's during the day and drops down to the 40's at night. I to would like to see how the plants react to large temperature swings and the long daylight hours here. Please keep us posted on how these experiments work. During mid summer here the temp will also hit the hundreds. Hey have you tried pumping any co2 into the tank yet and is the tank filtered at all?


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## dstephens (Nov 30, 2005)

Thanks for the follow up folks. Okay, the water temp is where the fluctuations are so extreme. I have seen it as high as 90 degrees and as low as 70 degrees (today as we have a cool front roll in). That's been my main concern. None of the plants have melted, yet. Now, I could move the tank further back in the patio and it would only be receiving filtered light for a few hours in the afternnoon. It only gets maybe an hour of direct sunlight per day, and the plants are growing slower than they do in my regular tank. I dose very lightly compared to indoor. I do add seachem excel as a carbon source. Some of the palnts are growing into beautiful form under these conditions and I have a few growing emersed. I have photos but have yet to figure out how to post them here. I am going to lower my water level a tad to see if that speeds up emersed growth. Thanks


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

I would love to do that in Upstate NY but I am afraid one of our rain storms would pound the heck out of any tank & plants. 

Hey Charley, if you add that special North Datoka Navy Man juice will do the plants smile? 
(I'm trying to remember the name of the stuff.)

:yo:


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## ruki (Jul 4, 2006)

High heat seems to be helping my anubias nursery.

It's in a sun room, with three of the APS 13 watt bright kits for light. The wall thermometer reached above 90 in the past week. Under the lights it must be considerably warmer. I'll have to put a thermometer in there.

The anubias seems to be doing better with the heat. Guess I'll keep the heater quite warm for this in the winter.


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## Jdinh04 (Oct 7, 2004)

Stephen,

I did the same exact thing, but instead with a tubberware container. Some regular potting soil, threw baby tears and rotala rotundifolia in there with some water, about 3 weeks later everything is growing out nicely. Not dosing anything at all, except for co2 in the air and sunlight. 

I've also got didiplis diandra, pogostemon stellatus, hygrophilia polysperma, and some rotala rotundifolia in a mini swap we have in our backyard. Everything is looking great though!


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## oceanaqua (Oct 24, 2005)

lol we must think somewhat alike dstephen, I also live in Texas in the Houston area temperature are 90-100 and my 30 gallon tank outside is doing great. Since the tank is large and plenty of water it does not absorb as much heat from the direct sunlight. It gets nothing but sunlight and pressurize co2, the tap water is the fertilizer. Houston water is something, alot of strange goodies in it that clears away my algae problems. Plants are perling like a connected airstone and plants look more amazing than their indoor counterparts. For example, Luwigia Glandulsa turns much redder, and I only can only grow Nesaea sp. 'RED LEAVED' outdoor only. Sunlight is good stuff


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## Catastrophi (May 23, 2006)

So the tanks recieve no artificial sunlight? I should try this


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## dstephens (Nov 30, 2005)

I posted photos of my tank in a new thread posted in this forum called emersed 10 gallon. This tank amazes me as it has survived everything. Now that we have had sustained heat ovewr 30-40 days some of the plants are looking a little haggard, but none have just melted down to nothing. I dose with excel and a few other nutrients weekly. I noticed that the glosso and a dwarf sag. are growing like weeds down under taller plants. It gets filtered sunlight most of the day and direct sunlight late afternoon for about an hour. I am going to keep it going until late fall to see how the plants adjust to weather changes, temperature changes, etc. I keep thinking that I might have an insect spawn in the tank and deposit some kind of egg casing that will turn into a larval form at some point. Maybe a damsel fly, dragon fly, etc. We will see. Check out the photos if you get a chance.


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