# Semi aquatic plants.



## Jaseon (10 Jan 2021)

Hello bit of a noob here. Just built my first tank with a waterfall.  looking for small plant ideas that will fit especially ones that don't mind the roots in wet soil.


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## Mr.Shenanagins (10 Jan 2021)

Anubias and bucephelandra would look nice. You can submerge the roots but do not submerge the rhizome.


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## Jaseon (10 Jan 2021)

Mr.Shenanagins said:


> Anubias and bucephelandra would look nice. You can submerge the roots but do not submerge the rhizome.


I have been reading up on Anubias as they seem popular. I will check out Bucephelandra. Thanks


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## Mr.Shenanagins (11 Jan 2021)

Neat setup by the way! There are more knowledgeable people on here when it comes to semi aquatic plants and I’m sure they will chime in with more ideas.


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## foxfish (11 Jan 2021)

Apart from a few fine leafed stems virtually any common aquarium plant with thrive with its roots in water and the foliage exposed to air, however there must be high humidity surround the plants.
If you want to search for examples  then look for ‘dry start method’


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## mort (11 Jan 2021)

Ficus pumila is one of the nicest small leaf plants that does well in this type of setup. You can get a oak leafed cultivar as well.


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## Jaseon (11 Jan 2021)

foxfish said:


> Apart from a few fine leafed stems virtually any common aquarium plant with thrive with its roots in water and the foliage exposed to air, however there must be high humidity surround the plants.
> If you want to search for examples  then look for ‘dry start method’


Theres a small area of soil that is continually wet from the waterfall so hoping to find something that dont mind those conditions. Ive come across the dry start method before or at least heard it mentioned so will become more familiar with it. Thanks.


mort said:


> Ficus pumila is one of the nicest small leaf plants that does well in this type of setup. You can get a oak leafed cultivar as well.


Ah right the creeping fig...i fancy having that thanks.

Heres the small area i want to fill thats contently wet. Ill just have to try a few and see how it goes. Cheers.


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## Null Zero (12 Jan 2021)

You can use Syngoniums, Dracaenas, Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp), various Pennyworts, Malayan Sword (Aglaonema simplex), Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia), Creeping Charlie (Micromeria brownei), Bolbitis heteroclita etc etc.   These ones don't even require high humidity.

As mentioned, most aquatic stem plants will grow in waterlogged soil without issue as long as high humidity is maintained. You can grow various hygrophilas, ludwigias and rotalas in such a setup. All sorts of echinodorus and cryptocoryne varieties will also grow in wet soil, provided you maintain humidity levels of around 90%. Various mosses will also grow fine in wet soil, including Java moss.  The emersed form of Java moss looks very pretty tbh.

You can even grow pothos (money plant) in the area you have indicated in your pictures. It grows amazingly well in wet soil/standing water, even under low lighting.


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## PARAGUAY (12 Jan 2021)

Riverwood aquatics have a nice video of a shop set up using submerged and emmersed . Well worth a watch


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## ScareCrow (12 Jan 2021)

I think with the top and front being open, the lower humidity options might be best. I've not tried _Fittonia albivenis _(although it is on my list of plants to get) but it is often used in the conditions you have and comes in a wide variety of colours.


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## foxfish (12 Jan 2021)

I have made a few vivarium style tanks  and I made this open front one a couple of years back.
It had many mosses and lichens, ferns, air plants and even a Yasmin.


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## Null Zero (12 Jan 2021)

Thats one hell of a setup. Looks magnificent, like a professional scape people pay good money for. Amazingly healthy plants....


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## mort (12 Jan 2021)

I focused on the small plant thing but have used lots of the plants mentioned above with good success. Another small plant that could be worth trying is "mind your own business" Soleirolia soleirolii. I've seen this used in wabi kusa before and if you control it its a nice looking small easy plant.


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## foxfish (12 Jan 2021)

Null Zero said:


> Thats one hell of a setup. Looks magnificent, like a professional scape people pay good money for. Amazingly healthy plants....


Thanks... it all became to much maintenance in the end, I tried reducing the light, and some plants did not like that however  is was the ‘baby tears’ that killed off most of the specimen  plants as it became so rampant it smothered everything else.


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## dw1305 (12 Jan 2021)

Hi all,


mort said:


> and if you control it its a nice looking small easy plant.





foxfish said:


> however is was the ‘baby tears’ that killed off most of the specimen plants as it became so rampant it smothered everything else.


I'd be incredibly wary of introducing <"_Soleirolia (Helxine) soleirolii">, _it is very invasive. @Jaceree have a look at @hydrophyte posts, he tried a lot of <"different plants emersed">.

cheers Darrel


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## mort (12 Jan 2021)

Yeah the Soleirolia is rampant and perhaps not for the unwary but it can look nice White Rock Mountain - Wabi Kusa Loving Soleirolia soleirolii even if it’s not aquatic!  if kept under tight control. Perhaps micranthemum monte carlo is a safer option.


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## Jaseon (12 Jan 2021)

Null Zero said:


> You can use Syngoniums, Dracaenas, Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum spp), various Pennyworts, Malayan Sword (Aglaonema simplex), Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia), Creeping Charlie (Micromeria brownei), Bolbitis heteroclita etc etc.   These ones don't even require high humidity.
> 
> As mentioned, most aquatic stem plants will grow in waterlogged soil without issue as long as high humidity is maintained. You can grow various hygrophilas, ludwigias and rotalas in such a setup. All sorts of echinodorus and cryptocoryne varieties will also grow in wet soil, provided you maintain humidity levels of around 90%. Various mosses will also grow fine in wet soil, including Java moss.  The emersed form of Java moss looks very pretty tbh.
> 
> You can even grow pothos (money plant) in the area you have indicated in your pictures. It grows amazingly well in wet soil/standing water, even under low lighting.



My set up is open so i wont be able to maintain any sort of humidity. Ive only just started with paladariums so its trial and error so far. I have an external filter set up so more looking to how i can incorporate that ie hiding it behind the land areas. Heres my small tank. As a first attempt im really happy with it. Was suprised how much effort it takes even with a small set up. I just added a harts tounge fern. They can grow quite big so will have to remove it later on.


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## Jaseon (12 Jan 2021)

foxfish said:


> I have made a few vivarium style tanks  and I made this open front one a couple of years back.
> It had many mosses and lichens, ferns, air plants and even a Yasmin.
> View attachment 160438


Now thats what i aiming for...real nice.


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## mort (12 Jan 2021)

I really like that. If you aren't aware there is a guy on youtube called serpa design that has made lots of these paludariums.  His videos would be a good source of the plants that do well in such setup and the rabbit foot fern is one he uses alot and one I think would look great with what you already have. A couple of nice threads on here can be seen in @hitmanx The Celestial Swamp - A voyage through a flooded forest fringe (Shallow Riparium) Serenity now - A Blackwater riparium  just to give you some inspiration if you want to go bigger.


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## Jaseon (12 Jan 2021)

mort said:


> I really like that. If you aren't aware there is a guy on youtube called serpa design that has made lots of these paludariums.  His videos would be a good source of the plants that do well in such setup and the rabbit foot fern is one he uses alot and one I think would look great with what you already have. A couple of nice threads on here can be seen in @hitmanx The Celestial Swamp - A voyage through a flooded forest fringe (Shallow Riparium) Serenity now - A Blackwater riparium  just to give you some inspiration if you want to go bigger.


Im subbed to Serpas channel, and was watching one of his vids earlier. I go through them all on YT picking things up along the way. Once i settle in more on the forums ill go through others efforts for more ideas....cheers.


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## PARAGUAY (15 Jan 2021)

Harts toungue fern @Jaceree?Is that often seen inbetween stones on river/canal banks


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## Jaseon (15 Jan 2021)

PARAGUAY said:


> Harts toungue fern @Jaceree?Is that often seen inbetween stones on river/canal banks


Yeah you can find them there. I find them in out of the way shaded areas.


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## Jaseon (17 Jan 2021)

PARAGUAY said:


> Riverwood aquatics have a nice video of a shop set up using submerged and emmersed . Well worth a watch


Just coming across your post after going through the thread again. He has some great tanks, and got some nice ideas from him.


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