Emersed plant setup

When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more. In a previous article, I discussed what the difference was between submersed and emersed growth. I use plastic Rubbermaid shoe-boxes available at most big stores like Target or Wal-Mart.

Larger containers will also work, but may be harder to cover and keep sealed. Fill the container with about 1 inch deep of regular potting soil. When I got back from Florida last year, I started a small emersed setup in my office to keep some of the cryptocorynes we bought there.

First, an emersed setup is one that allows you to grow your plants terrestrially, or out of the water. Really, all that is required is a light, a closed container to maintain proper humidity, and some sort of fertilization plan.

Why would any planted aquarium keeper want an emersed setup? There are many reasons, but one good reason is to more quickly grow out enough plants to start a new aquascape. I started with a simple seed-starting tray and dome above from the hydroponics store. I use mostly coconut-fiber pots filled with a mixture of leaf compost and ADA Aquasoil. This is especially good for most cryptocorynes, but works for other plants as well.

Then, after planting each plant, I lightly cover the surface of the soil mixture with moss. Mosses have a natural anti-fungal agent that helps to prevent your plants from being overwhelmed with white-fuzzy-fungus that can easily ruin the whole setup. I suggest for the newcomer to Emersed Culture, to use a simple and cheap way, as I did. This way being; using a plastic container you can find at your local Lowes or Hardware store, and inserting a mix of Peat Moss, Miracle grow organic potting soil, and Vigro garden soil into the bin.

But before you do that, flip the plastic bin or container over and drill some holes into the bottom of it to allow it to drain. If you are doing this inside, just avoid this step. Make sure you drill the holes not to big that the dirt just falls out from under it.

You usually do NOT need the container lid, I have only used the lid when I was just getting into this because I thought it kept more humidity inside it, which it did but ill get into that later on here. Once you have the soil in the container and you have the drain holes optional gently mist the surface with either a water hose or a spray bottle.

Itll take around 5 minutes or so to get all the soil nice and moist. Once you have done this, just put your light over it, or set it outside and your done making a copy of my emersed setup, not specifically.

I would like to go back and discus the list I made above, concerning specifically the point where I listed Natural light or Artificial light. With natural lighting you will Always, no matter what, get better results. If you are doing this outside with natural light, then you must NOT have direct sunlight, no matter what plants you grow or how much you water it. Direct sunlight can lead to these issues: Sulfur Dioxide Buildup Burning of plants Leaf tips burning Overwatering To much light for the plants When using direct light , you want to control it.

Well how do you control the sun its like 1 million miles away? Photos of your setups please Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. DutchMuch Member Thread starter. Click to expand Plants look very full and healthy Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. So you agree with serpadesigns method in this video?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. I have mesh pots filled with clay balls, which are used in hydroponics, and a small powerhead to circulate the water. I also have a heater in the water to maintain a consistent temperature, and dose fertilizers into the water like I do my aquariums. Comments welcome! Posted in Emersed Plants 8 Comments ». Xema, I have no doubt that a Cryptocoryne or similar plant will end up in here eventually.

Thanks for the comment, Xema! Is that a standard kitchen sponge I see acting as a pre-filter under a mini-jet powerhead? I know, duckweed in an emersed setup!