# My emersed setup



## SO19Firearms

A few pics from my emersed setup
(I know they're not very good....but you get the idea)

Shot of the tent complete with ADA's new range in cardboard light pendants.....I should get George to sign it.
You can see the hygrometer through the "poly tunnel" plastic - 85-90% and you can just make out the thermometer - 18deg





Through the front panel with the small fogger on - 15mins every hour




Inside with the fogger on showing roughly the max water level (or so it should be when it doesn't surge)




Low voltage fans set outside (they stop working at 90% humidity inside.....   ). These run for 30mins 4x during the light cycle mainly to keep a gas exchange as I'm not currently running CO2, if I was trying to propagate the plants I'd seal the bottom add CO2 and not run an external fan. 




My favourite bit - the business end. Nutrient tank currently containing 75litres. pH 6. Own recipe nutes with a twist on Tom's EI for topping up.
Runs at 1000l/hr constantly but drains the table for 15mins every 3 hours. This draws oxygen into the roots through the rockwool and has the added benefit of screwing up any algae. I also run two large air stones to aerate the solution as well. Also has a 300w Rena Smart unbreakable heater, for when I smack it stirring the tank




Mini fogger from Maplin...bargain. Used in this case to keep the humidity up, but also has the effect of giving a foliar feed - 15mins every hour.




250w CFL at 6400K. In hydroponics you'd switch this out for 2700K when flowering. Runs 8hrs/day
If you were propergating or trying to actually grow your plants rather than just keep them you could up this to 16,18, 20hpd?




Something isn't square......  




Fan from the inside - the flaps are cut to basically keep the moisture off




The lid with ADA pendant in shot




Nigel


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## Tony Swinney

Wow !  How cool is that set up - looks like a whole new world of fun, though I dont know a thing about it (yet)   

Great post, I look forward to seeing more.

Cheers

Tony


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## SO19Firearms

Tonser said:
			
		

> Wow !  How cool is that set up



It's all about the blue L.E.Ds  8)


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## Superman

Bit more high-tech than mysetup, looks good tho.


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## Steve Smith

That's a really interesting setup Nigel.  I haven't got the first idea about how this sort of thing works, but it's certainly sparking a little bit of an interest 

What are you growing at the moment?


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## aaronnorth

awesome setup, i didnt expect it being that big!


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## SO19Firearms

Currently :-
Anubias Minima
Eleocharis Acicularis
Glossostigma Elantinoides
Lileaopsis novaeâ€zelandiae
Microsrium pteropus 'mini'
Microsrium pteropus
Microsrium pteropus windelov
Cryptocoryne legroi
Hemianthus callitrichoides
Echinodorus Tennellus
Echinodorus Magdalensis
Echinodorus rubin
Rotala Rotundifolia
Hygrophila Compacta
Anubias Nana
Anubias Barteri
Micrathemum Umbosum

Give or take...some definitely respond better than others, and some aren't really suited for keeping emersed, they "out grow" the method IMO. Or certainly not suited to a one size fits all setup like that.
Echinodorus Tennellus
Echinodorus Magdalensis
Rotala Rotundifolia are good examples, and the Glosso, HC and Micrathemum seem to do ok if you keep the CO2 up and keep the trailing runners out of the deep water, else you get a plant that's half emersed and half submersed.....it looks bad


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## samc

thats a good setup you have got there   very impressive


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## Superman

Sorry I didn't post these earlier as I was at work.

What is the main reason for this setup? 
To keep the plants?
Propogate to plant more at a later date?

How do you think the fogger is performing? Is it required in your experiance?


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## SO19Firearms

Superman said:
			
		

> Sorry I didn't post these earlier as I was at work.
> 
> What is the main reason for this setup?
> To keep the plants?
> Propogate to plant more at a later date?
> 
> How do you think the fogger is performing? Is it required in your experiance?



As it stands at the moment I just keep them with it while playing with/testing nutrient recipes.
If I was propagating I'd increase the light duration and probably add CO2.

The fogger is a tricky one, so long as the humidity is high without one then you probably don't need it.
It's hard to imagine that an aquatic plant wouldn't benefit from or appreciate a regular foliar feed though.....
At the very least, a wet java fern looks better than a dry one to me....

EDIT: It looks cool too


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## kshitij

Hello everyone,
I know this topic is quite old but i couldn't help myself. 

I got inspired lookin at this setup.
I am starting a setup exactly like this, even have ordered a glass tank which shall be rectangle shaped.My setup shall be for the sole purpose of propagation of plants, i shall aim at the starting to grow plants like anubias, glosso, hairgrass etc.
My doubts and questions regarding this setup are:
1. Where should i put the co2 tubing, in water or air ?
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.
5. Wat should be the dosing in water ? any needed ? 

Thankyou in advance


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## Garuf

I'd forgotten this thread, are there any updates? I was always struck by the inginuity of this build, every time I looked I wanted to try it.


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## kshitij

Help !!


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## Garuf

A lot of people on here have children and as such will be extremely busy with them, I wouldn't panic too much they'll get back to you in time. I personally believe that a lot of the extra stuff was an added bonus, plnats only really needing the warmth light and the top of the tank cling filming to keep the moisture in.


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## kshitij

Ohk Garuf ,
Shall wait eagerly   

About the Film, even i was thinking the same, the temperature would really rise up if i keep the tank sealed without external fans, as i am using it for propogation, the mister itself shall do the job.


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## TBRO

That is awsome the mist looks so Jurrasic Park, I expect a Velocaraptor to jump out


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## kshitij

still no reply


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## SO19Firearms

kshitij said:
			
		

> Hello everyone,
> I know this topic is quite old but i couldn't help myself.
> 
> I got inspired lookin at this setup.
> I am starting a setup exactly like this, even have ordered a glass tank which shall be rectangle shaped.My setup shall be for the sole purpose of propagation of plants, i shall aim at the starting to grow plants like anubias, glosso, hairgrass etc.
> My doubts and questions regarding this setup are:
> 1. Where should i put the co2 tubing, in water or air ?
> 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.
> 5. Wat should be the dosing in water ? any needed ?
> 
> Thankyou in advance



Sorry for the delay. Been a bit busy with website and shop stuff recently.
In hydroponics you want the CO2 to be in the air (hence turning the fans off/having no fans as they are just there to bring in co2 from the air)
The water you want well oxgenated.
I'd rely on the dosed nutrients in the water to supply food - no need for soil. Hairgrass will do well if you comb it regularly so each leaf is open to the air. Glosso is a nightmare in an emmersed setup, it grows like mad, but not in the media...roots and leaves everywhere. Possibly ok if it's just for you.
I dose a weakened version of a hydroponic fertiliser (generally alot stronger than aquarium levels)
The fogger looks cool and does it's job VERY well, but the diaphrams only last a month or so. A hydroponic mister on a spray line would be better IMO.

Hope this answers most of your questions. This setup is currently turned off as I'm switching to a large tank setup from Aquariums Ltd for keeping plants - I'll switch this back on when I want to keep extra HC, Java and Crypts etc.

If you want to try something interesting (i know it's out of fashion...but it looks well) Try growing a mat of Riccia on a flat surface. It makes a beautiful bed and knits together well - Maybe one for the vivariums?

Nigel


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## kshitij

hello nigel, thanks for your response. I still have some doubts , like where to put co2 tubing and where to put oxygen tubing . And if i cover it then wont the co2 create pressure on the top ?


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## kshitij

This is wat i have come up with at last, plants are arriving tomorrow itself.

Any suggestions and comments are welcomed.


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## LondonDragon

kshitij said:
			
		

> This is wat i have come up with at last, plants are arriving tomorrow itself.
> 
> Any suggestions and comments are welcomed.


You don't need any CO2 pumped in, since the plants are above water they have all the CO2 in the world, literally hehe


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## kshitij

thankyou bro but tell me one thing that will installing the co2 increase the plant growth because i want to use this setup for sole purpose of propagation only.


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## Dave Spencer

I run mine without CO2 and find most plants hold their own, or grow slowly. Adding CO2 should increase the growth. TGM add CO2 to their emersed set ups and get excellent growth.

Dave.


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## TBRO

I find the whole CO2 in emersed a bit confusing aswell. In a tank you aim for 30 ppm CO2 and it's already aprox 325 ppm in the atmosphere, is it really neccasary to add more as long as the ventilation is adequate? The glosso I've got in a open cube is growing far quicker emersed than it ever did in my tank with CO2 - puzzled T


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## dw1305

Hi all,
The growth of many terrestrial plants is also higher at enhanced CO2 levels, depends a little bit upon their photosynthetic pathway (C3 or C4), but Tomato (C3) growers burn propane in their glasshouses to increase CO2 levels up towards a max level of about 1000ppm.
cheers Darrel


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