# Updated pics of emersed tray #1



## Justin Fournier (Jan 27, 2004)

Here are a couple pics for you guys who are interested in the emersed setups.









The first tray with prototype canopy.









Rows of Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica'









Cryptocoryne becketti 'petchii'









Closeup of Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica'

Second tray is going up tomorrow with 20x20 heating pad and same 130W of CF, just turning the bulbs so they run across both trays, and possibly lowering them.

Don't mind the algae on the peat, it pops up where the light is not shaded by plants. It's somewhat unavoidable until the leaves fill in more.

I decided to increase to two trays because I am out of space, and the plants are growing wide and short, maybe because the light intensity is very high. I hope to get them to stretch a little by spreading the light. We will see in the following weeks how they are effected.


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## EDGE (Feb 28, 2004)

The plants are looking nice and healthy. Really waxy looking too. 

here is a question for people in BC. Do you think it will get too cold in the summer to have emersed tray outside?

backyard is facing west, so it will get plenty of light. 

I am about to put a 21" x 21" x 10" dome on the outside


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## Justin Fournier (Jan 27, 2004)

Depends on the plants, though I would venture to guess it's not humid enough and not warm enough. Crypts are tough, and should be able to take really cold temps, though I am not sure how well they will grow. My tray is temperature controlled between 80f-82f.


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## Chuck H (Jan 25, 2004)

Very nice, Justin! Beautiful, vibrantly healthy growth. I can't wait to see some of those Crypts flower! 8)


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

Justin,

That's absoutely gorgeous!!! I can't get over how healthy that foliage looks!

I was wondering how that higher light would affect the growth habit of the plants. Mine are growing taller and more compact than yours with the NO bulbs. I'll be getting some more pictures this weekend. 

Best,
Phil


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## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

Justin,

Excellent growth. Good job!

Are you using any type of foliar spray?


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Looking good! Keep it up!


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## Corigan (Mar 15, 2004)

Looking great justin. Threads like this just make me want to get my butt in gear and build an emersed setup. Looks like I need to go to home depot and start buying some cheap light strips. Keep up the great work justin and keep us updated with those pictures.

Matt


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## nonamethefish (Feb 25, 2004)

Very nice! Is your prototype hood one of those plastic containers the strawberries grapes etc. come in?


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

Justin,

You have convinced me to place extra lighting (PC) over my plants, and try a peat/Schultz Aquatic Plant Soil mixture. Those plants look absolutely amazing.

Carlos


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

OM, Justin , you are the man....i love it...it's absolutely gorgeous and you've got the emersed thing down pat.... how long they been growing?


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

OM, Justin , you are the man....i love it...it's absolutely gorgeous and you've got the emersed thing down pat.... how long they been growing?


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## Justin Fournier (Jan 27, 2004)

Thanks for the compliments all, the tray has been an awesome experience so far, and that is exactly why I am expanding my operation 8) 

Chuck,

Me either!

Phil,

I would love to see some closeup's of your setup to compare the growth patterns. I plan to redo the tray this week adding the second dome, more light and another heating pad for the second tray of course.

Art,

Foliar spray is touchy. I have experimented with B1 and several nutrient mixes in my Crypts and Echinodorus. No results have been overly positive. From my understanding, foliar spray is only necessary to give the plants nutrients while their roots are too underdeveloped to provide enough nutrient gathering capacity to support fast growth in the plants. IE cuttings. After they have established even modest root systems foliar spray should not be needed, and even pose possible negative side effect by blocking the plants ability to resperate. I have experienced this firsthand.

Foliar nutrient mixes of several ratios have provided no positive results, and have even slowed the growth. In the case of a general fert solution with B1 pretty much destroyed 100% of the sword leaves, while no negatively effecting Crypts. In the future, I will only spray water, as a fine mist bi-weekly to provide humidity. All nutrients will be provided via General Hydroponics FloraGro, FloraBloom and FloraMicro. They have been fantastic so far.

Corigan,

Do it!! But skip the NO and get either CF or an envirolight. Even go HPS or MH if you really want to play.

nonamethefish,

They are 10"x20" hydroponic seedling domes with trays. One solid tray that is water tight to hold the pots and hold the water. The second tray around the outside is a mesh tray but very sturdy to provide structure while moving the flimsy one that is full of water.

Carlos,

Glad to be of service  Get some PC on there, roughly 100W per dome is excellent :lol: 

hubba,

Those plants have been in there coming up on their 4th week, transitioned to emerged growth about 3 weeks ago and started propagating by runner last week.


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## EDGE (Feb 28, 2004)

I am thinking of using a submersible heater in the 20 by 20" setup when it sit outside. natural daylight + warm water should create enough humidity in the dome. This will be a similar setup as Phil with the crypts rack.3-4" deep of water. I am going to see how the plants will react to the nutrients when I use jobes stick in the pots with pmdd micro in the water column. 

Do you still have the 'red special' in the dome?


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## Justin Fournier (Jan 27, 2004)

By all means experiment. Just let us know how it goes. 

Yes I do have Red special still. I tried a Foliar spray on it and it was not impressed. I have one plant in a pop bottle and the bottle is no where near as good as the tray is. The bottles keep them alive, but that is about it. The 3 in the tray were spectacular till I sprayed them. In the next couple days I will have a second tray up and going, and it has much bigger pots. Swords will then be moved to that tray. I plan to grow a few mother swords in that tray room permitting. Hopefully to supply all the Echinodorus fans with some of the rare Tropica swords I occasionally get my hands on.


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## EDGE (Feb 28, 2004)

Did you guys get any harbich in?
How tall is your new dome? 

I am going to put 6 redflame in the dome to see how well they will handle to the outside weather.

I am guessing it is eaiser to flower swords in emersed setting, right?


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## Justin Fournier (Jan 27, 2004)

No harbbich yet. No Tropica yet actually.

The new dome is roughly 7" tall.

Of course it would be easier to flower anything emersed then submerged  Not many things flower underwater, but a few do! From my limited experiance, I find most plants grow better emersed then they to submerged.


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

This weekend I start my emersed trays. They are very similar in style. Using Profile and the Flora Series. I am using a vaccant area on the side of my parents house. Light will all be either indirect or direct through shade cloth. should be interesting to see how they compare


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## Justin Fournier (Jan 27, 2004)

Skip the shading and allow as much light as possible. Also rotate the trays every few days to reduce photo trophic response.


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

Ijust worry about southern california weather....direct sunlight might cook them


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

Justin,

I've had success with daily misting with fish water due to lack of circulation. I don't think a fertilizer that low-grade has any negative effects. In fact, it's seemed to work out really well in a couple different substrate mixes.


Gomer,

If you're worried about direct sun head down to the garden center and get a little bit of shade cloth. Most greenhouses use them to mitigate some of the problems with intense direct sunlight. 

Best,
Phil


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

Already did that. got some that I'd estimate to be ~ 40% (it is the "economic" one). I wanted to shade some, but not 70+% with the "quality" ones


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

You should be just fine then. If you need more try stretching nylon stocking over the pane, that should do the trick if it will fit.


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## Justin Fournier (Jan 27, 2004)

I bet if you ease them into it they will be fine in direct sun. Consider you will have all types of condensation on the inside of the dome, all which play with the light levels. I can't even see inside my dome unless I tap on it to make the condensation form droplets and drip down.


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

It depends on how hot it really gets. Air circulation is a must. Here in south texas I have had plants die from the heat very quickly. I think Art mentioned cutting holes in your dome to allow air circulation and to gradually adjust the plants to less humid conditions.


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

that is the plan. I also will try and instal a misting system before summer hits


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## DelawareJim (Nov 15, 2005)

So it's been a couple of years now, hows the setup going over the long term?

Cheers.
Jim


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