# Emersed substrate



## Axelrodi202 (Jun 7, 2009)

What substrate is good for emersed crypts? I know the amount of peat will depend on species but am wondering about other mix-ins like perlite, sand, gravel, etc.

I've had terrible luck maintaining emersed crypts long-term in the past despite being able to grow emersed stems very well. I just put some topsoil and peat in a bin and fill it up to soil level with water, but this seems very prone to compaction or sudden drying.


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## DutchMuch (Apr 12, 2017)

I Did my own mix of the miracle go stuff in the small (or large) lime green bags? forget the name of course... 
And I bought a bag of peat moss and just mixed it in and put them in a plastic planting container (like you buy plants in) and my wendtii is doing fine.


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## JSeymour (May 26, 2016)

DutchMuch, probably Miracle Grow Organic Potting Soil, MGOPS for short. Many people use it with good results, some of the more finicky species will want something a bit different.

Personally, I make my own soil, but I'm blessed with a great native abundance of materials. In general, I use a 3 part peat, 1 part loam, 1 part clay for most of mine. Provides a pH of about 5.5 with rodi water. My more finicky plants get 3 part peat, 3 part leaf compost, <=1 part clay. The exact species will decide how much clay. The leaf compost I use comes from sumac, but almost any leaves will do. Maple is high in carbonates, so stay away from large amounts of it. Oak and beech are the most popular. You can use almost any stage of leaf compost, I use the black stuff right under the leaves on the top of the soil. That said, the bigger the leaf chunks are, the fewer compaction issues.

There are things you can add to loosen the soil too. Leaves as mentioned above, but also charcoal, perlite, and vermiculite.

What species are you doing? 

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## Axelrodi202 (Jun 7, 2009)

I hope to cultivate species I can used in my submersed tanks. Stuff like keei, cordata, bullosa, etc.


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## JSeymour (May 26, 2016)

A heavy peat and loam mix would work great. Most forest mulch or leaf compost as well. Use ro or rodi and you should do great. I know a few people that keep them in MGOPS plus peat, but they don't grow as robustly as the specialized soils above. 

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## DutchMuch (Apr 12, 2017)

Can you do aquaponics crypts?
just curious


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