My emersed set up

[londonloco]

I set up a 20g long emersed tank about a month ago using 4" terracotta pots, foxfarm soil (worm and bat castings..yuk), pvc pipe holding up eggcrates with two small koralia's for circulation, 2x18W T5NO lighting. My humidity stays between 80-85%. Plants for now are anubius and some crypts, plants I had on hand, didn't want to invest in anything until I was sure I could be successful. Old submersed growth is just about gone and I'm seeing new emersed growth lately.

I have two questions:

1 - Pots have holes on bottom and 4 oblong holes around the bottom half. I read to line inside of pots with a coffee filter, I did, filters melted faster than the plants did! Originally the water level reached the lip of the pots (bout 2.5" of water covering the pots) but I started losing a lot of soil. Yesterday I lowered the water level down to 1". How far up the pots should the water level be?

2- I've read java moss might cut down on fungus and mold, I hate java moss, it grows on everything, covering leaves, stems, rhizomes, floats around, I do have some moss in 2 pots. Before I buy some moss from Rachel, how much is needed in each pot to ward off fungus?

Below is a (bad) pic of the set up before I lowered the water level:



Thanks all....

Loni

[DelawareJim]

Loni;

Your setup looks good to start. Just curious; you chose 4 inch orchid pots. Why orchid pots?

You don't need much water...enough to keep the soil saturated. The 1 inch you have now should be fine.

As far as the moss, I never heard that Java moss keeps fungus down but rather Sphagnum moss keeps fungus down.

Cheers.
Jim

[londonloco]

Well...they were 1$ each at Walmart, they looked good, and I wasn't into spending much $$ as this is my first emersed set up

Any comments on the dirt loss? Is there anything I can do to alleviate the dirt loss?

Hmmm, live Sphagnum moss? OR will a 2$ bag of dried Sphagnum moss do the trick?

[DelawareJim]

I wouldn't worry about the soil loss. The roots will grow enough to bind it together.

Dried sphagnum may or may not work. it depends on whether it was just dried, in which case some will start to grow again, or baked to dry and sterilise it. That will not regrow.

If you're coming to the meeting at TPF tomorrow, I can bring a few strands of live sphagnum for you.

Cheers.
Jim

[londonloco]

Aww, what a great offer Jim, unfortunately, I will not be at TPF tomorrow, wish I was, but kids get in the way. I can buy live sphagnum at Merrifield. Thanks again!

[Ltrepeter2000]

Jim

I will take you up on the offer of a little live sphagnum if you could bring me some.

Loni

As for a suggestion on a method to alleviate dirt loss, in the future you can line the pots with a small piece of screen mesh, best to use a slightly larger mesh(larger little squares) so that the roots are able to grow through them once they reach the bottom of the pot. Home Depot sells this stuff in rolls for window repairs and stuff.

Thanks
Rob

[londonloco]

Rob, great idea. I actually have a lot of screening I use to sift dirt when I'm setting up a new soil tank. Great idea...

[DelawareJim]

Jim

I will take you up on the offer of a little live sphagnum if you could bring me some.

Thanks
Rob

Done.

Cheers.
Jim

[Aaron]

I've done the screen trick to keep soil in as well and it works really nicely.

[londonloco]

Going to replant the anubius when I get a chance using the screening. Think I'll leave the few crypts I have planted as I'm starting to see new growth and fear to disturb it. Thanks all.....