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Ideas please

dean

Member
Joined
6 Apr 2012
Messages
1,541
Location
Warrington, Cheshire
I have this large piece of wood that juts above the surface by about 6cm
As you can see I tried to grow a crypt on it but it creeping down to the water

So what plant can you clever people suggest to grow on it ?

It’s an open top tank so no real restrictions

Would you put something on the log to help the plant grow ? Some kind of medium ?

As you can see the wood is as damp as it could be as it’s been there for years now

I believe it’s coffee tree that is sold in big pieces for large reptile habitats, it’s a very pale cream when you buy it, it’s much cheaper compared to aquarium wood of the same size
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Intrested to hear why Bolbitis is useless?
It's not useless. Can be done but you have to have humidity levels just right JME
Please note I did not say Bolbitis heudelotii, which is a beloved aquatic plant, but rather Bolbitis difformis, which many nurseries now also offer.
Also known under the names Bolbitis heteroclita "difformis", Mini Bolbitis etc.
This one is difficult to grow under water and those who succeed are only rewarded with quite small strange looking leaves.
It is this plant that I suggested OP try on his emersed wood 😊
 
Please note I did not say Bolbitis heudelotii, which is a beloved aquatic plant, but rather Bolbitis difformis, which many nurseries now also offer.
Also known under the names Bolbitis heteroclita "difformis", Mini Bolbitis etc.
This one is difficult to grow under water and those who succeed are only rewarded with quite small strange looking leaves.
It is this plant that I suggested OP try on his emersed wood 😊
I’ll make note to stay away from that one. I’m planning on using Bolbitis in my next setup and admittedly may well of bought any plant provided it had Bolbitis in the name.
 
Some smaller bog plants I experienced were pretty easy to grow emersed on pieces of DW.

(Can't give any numbers regarding light but in my personal perception due to lack of the proper equipment)

Relative low light conditions.
Hydrocotyl sp. Such as the H. leucocephala and if you like smaller the H. tripartita tho the latter is rather susceptible to Aphid infestation that will destroy it. Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, maybe more Lilaeopsis sp.

In relative high light conditions, you will have a lot more options.
Hemianthus callitrichoides
Micranthemum Monte Carlo
Helantium tenellum
Eleocharis parvula
Heteranthera zosterifolia

bog but not aquatic
reptans mazus
Anagallis tenella (Will not flower)

Not small, not truly bog and not aquatic but with enough light it accepts constant wet rhizome
Adiantum fern sp.

Theoretically, it doesn't make sense but for most of them I experienced practically, they do much better in a high tech environment. Even though with the foilage emerged they get all the atmospheric CO² it seems they take it up easier by their roots in the water. Then if the water contains extra CO² they suck it up and will reflect in adapting faster and develop healthier and stronger emerged growth under artificial light. Or it is because of the extra CO² bubble they are in escaping from the water surface, that I can not tell. It's either this or that... Depending on how intense the light is I guess since they are all bog plants that will grow emerged in nature under the sun. Till now no lamp exists equally strong as the sun.

Regarding most mosses, they do as they please, it will always be tricky and a Boom and Bust without any obvious reasons...

There are a few more but not small and in the end not suitable to grow on a piece of wood emerged because they get too big.
:)
 
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What about one of the Spathiphyllums (peace lily). They can get pretty big and have similar leaf shape/colour as the crypt you've got growing there.
Syngoniums do really well with their roots in the water and come in a few colour variants.
Calathea and Maranta species are another option with various colour variants available.
 
Is it in substrate or is simply attached like an epiphyte?

Probably attached <"as an epiphyte">, but I'm not sure it matters.

It doesn't matter that much as long as the plant base isn't submerged for too long then if the roots hang permanently in water isn't a problem.
This is actually what also happens in Hydroculture setups, the clay pebble supports the plant but the water puddle is down below at the bottom of the pot only feeding the lower portion of the plant roots the plant base stays relatively dry and well aerated. This also goes for Hydroponics, in a constant trickle or a wet and dry flood and drain cycle...

In the hobby, this trend derived from it, not sure how it is named in English in my language the name Hydropony is given to it. But it's something relatively new and more and more different species of plants are offered like this.

But actually hydroponic or Hydroculture is the same technique in a slightly different suit.

Anthurium
anth-groot-2-scaled-e1605803059584.jpg


Clusia
flora_5ef377194237b-scaled.jpeg


And many others
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It's about, name it, everything actually can grow like this, in most cases, it's key not to have the plant base in the water or at least for not too long. And only the roots should be wet. In a jar that's easy and above an aquarium it might be a challenge to find the proper way to support the plant like this. If you figure the support out you can grow everything Hydroponically. After that success comes and goes with light and nutrients...
 
Yes, that's how I do it. I have 3 DIY riparium planters in a 29g. Currently growing Peace Lilly, papyrus, and Japanese sweetflag. I also have pothos, tradescantia zebrina and another vine growing directly in the water. The planters were made from shower caddies,

I use black substrate and black plastic canvas in the clear planters to make them less visually intrusive. The hooks are stainless steal
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I purchased them from Amazon. I had to buy more than I needed, but they are not expensive. These work for my tank (it is a rimmed tank) but you will want to pay close attention to the dimensions of the hooks before you buy.

HNYYZL 30 Pack S Shaped Hooks Stainless Steel Metal Hangers.​

 
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