# New emersed setup for propagation



## kshitij (Dec 23, 2009)

Hello everyone,
I am going to start a new emersed setup and have some doubts regarding that. First let me explain a bit,wat setup i am planning to make. Actually i got inspired by this setup http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=6199

So i shall start the setup in my 3 feet tank it self and later made a tank for it, because first i want to experiment and then later i will do it in large scale. I really need help from you guys for this setup as this is going to be my first emersed setup  . This is what i am planning: 
The setup shall be for the sole purpose of propogating plants,the box is a 3 feet tank. The water will b filled to only 2 inches and the plants will be grown in pots. I will also keep a large box inside it for growing glossostigma and hairgrass. Now my main doubts are :

1. Where should i put the co2 tubing, in water or air ? is it really necessary ?
2. For carpet plants like glosso and hairgrass, should i put them in a rectangle like box containing potting soil ? (The box shall have holes underneath) ? 
3. Should i install external fans ?
4. For the lightning i am planning to install 2 lights instead of one because i want it indoor .
5. Wat should be the dosing in water ? any needed ?

I am mainly thinking that covering is not really necessary and misting it with spary bottle twice a day will work, also if i put a mister will timer inside the tank, will the mist escape because i am not covering it ??

Any inputs shall be really appreciated 
Thanks in advance .....please guide me


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## kshitij (Dec 23, 2009)

Some help please :help::!: ](*,)


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## endgin33 (Jun 10, 2008)

I couldn't follow your link without signing up, and I am lazy, so I didn't get a chance to look at that other setup. However, I might be able to help a little. You should definitely check out Zapins beginners guide to emersed culture below on this page (In fact I think it should be a sticky at the top of the page). I set up essential the same set up he recommended and it works quite well (and was cheap).

Question 1: Not much point in CO2 supplementation- emersed growth gets a lot more co2 that submersed growth. The additional CO2 could help but probably not necessary.

Question 2: I just "float" plastic shoe boxes with holes drilled in the bottom of a larger plastic tray. Keeps the soil moist and seems to work fine for glosso and hair grass.

Question 3: Keep the air kinda humid and circulating additional air probably wouldn't hurt.

Question 4: Well put as much light over it as want- its not like you'll get algae...

Question 5: Soil should provide everything your plants need.


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## kshitij (Dec 23, 2009)

Replied :


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## kshitij (Dec 23, 2009)

Hello endgin33,
Thanks for your response.
I did see " Zapins beginners guide " but that kind of setup os very good for keeping plants for yourself only but i need to make a setup for proporgation so will have to change certain things. Also will hae to spend a little more than that i think.
1.I did read a lot and also listening to your answers i have finally decided not top put co2 as there is enough co2 in the atmosphere. 
2.For the hairgarss and glosso, will do exactly as you are doing.
3.Can you please explain me this :
"Keep the air kinda humid and circulating additional air probably wouldn't hurt."
How ? 
4. For the lights i am going for sunlight, will not use direct sunlight.
5. I think you are right, soil will do everything so no additional nutrients.

Thanks again


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## aquatic_clay (Aug 17, 2009)

k****ij said:


> Hello endgin33,
> Thanks for your response.
> I did see " Zapins beginners guide " but that kind of setup os very good for keeping plants for yourself only but i need to make a setup for proporgation so will have to change certain things. Also will hae to spend a little more than that i think.
> 1.I did read a lot and also listening to your answers i have finally decided not top put co2 as there is enough co2 in the atmosphere.
> ...


I think on #3 they are trying to say to keep the humidity at around 70-80% and if there is extra circulating air then it may of may not hurt anything. I wouldn't worry too much about the EXTRA air circulation. IMO i would think that adding a fan would lower the humidity too low.


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## kshitij (Dec 23, 2009)

Hello again aquatic_clay,
I think you are right bcause if i put a fan then the humidity will escape, so a small ares left for circulation will be enough because wat i think is that maximum air circulation with MAILTAINING THE HUMIDITY will only do.
Thanks.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Hello k****ij, I thought I'd reply since I saw my name mentioned 



> 1. Where should i put the co2 tubing, in water or air ? is it really necessary ?


I wouldn't add CO2, simply because its a hassle. Though adding it would probably speed up growth rates just as it does in green houses and our tanks. The problem with actually going through with this plan and adding it to the tub is that there is no way to regulate how much CO2 stays in the tub. As you may or may not know, CO2 is heavier then the other gasses in the air and so it will sink. If you are injecting CO2 into a tub, even at a low rate it will build up inside the tub since it can't make it over the edge of the tub and there is no air turbulence inside the tub to jostle it out. Eventually this will lead to a nearly totally 100% CO2 atmosphere inside the tub which will kill the plants.



> 2. For carpet plants like glosso and hairgrass, should i put them in a rectangle like box containing potting soil ? (The box shall have holes underneath) ?


I think using rectangular boxes (like the 1$ plastic shoe boxes I recommended in my thread) is probably the best way to go simply because round pots are difficult to arrange and not have gaps between them that go to waste. A rectangular container like the shoe box inside a rectangular larger container like a tub means that you use virtually all of the growing space available except where the shoe boxes come together, in other words you get more plants out of the same tub.



> 3. Should i install external fans ?


Nope, this is adding a layer of complexity that is unnecessary. It will also dry out the plants.



> 4. For the lightning i am planning to install 2 lights instead of one because i want it indoor .


I agree with this. The more lights the better plant growth you'll get. I've got 2x55w bulbs about 9 inches above my HC and glosso tubs.



> 5. Wat should be the dosing in water ? any needed ?


Don't bother dosing in the water. Just use soil, its got everything you need and is far cheaper then dry compound fertilizers, and you don't need to worry about getting everything in the right concentration.

Also, since you mentioned that you want to use a 3 foot tank instead of tubs like in my thread I'd like to mention that the tubs in my thread are about 3 feet long by a little over a foot wide and tall.

Another thing to think about is that plants actually grow slower emersed then they do submersed. What takes a week to grow underwater will take about 3 weeks or more to grow emersed. This is partly because emersed plants need to support them self more, create a wax cuticle to prevent against dessication, and develop more substantial root structures to gather nutrients (vs. being able to absorb nutrients through leaves and stems).

When you have everything set up please post pics in the emersed tub thread! I'd love to see how your setup is working out!


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## kshitij (Dec 23, 2009)

Hello Zapins,
Thanks for your reply, I will be starting this setup today only.
I have learnt various things and have been trying to understand some main points regarding the emersed setup, keeping in mind that the setup has to be for sole purpose of proporgation i have to do things near to perfection i think.

I understood certain things and have finally some to this:









Since a very good advice was just given you you, i have changed my plan a bit, now how abt keeping the ventilation area downside ? i mean just 1 inch above ground level ? a very small area...also will keep it sealed for 1st week.

Another thing i wanted to ask was that i came across hydrophonics and was amazed so see the plants growth and again stared thinking that some how if i can supply oxygen to the roots then things will go better, but am confused that how to carry that out for carpet plants like glosso, HC which needs soil .
Now the problem and the key is, that maintaining the humidity because i have noticed that when [by humidity here i mean the soil humidity ] there is more humidity in soil growth decrease and and very less then plants will be gone and when there is medium humidity, i mean very little water in soil the growth is just awesome, and thats wat i want to get therefor i cannot make holes in the box .

Any idea ? Your experience can take me to the next level ...


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