Rescuing Hemianthus Callitrichoides emersed

[ukco2guy]

Hi,

I recently started a project on my first 60ltr Iwagumi style tank. I had planned to get all the kit together and then do the whole thing properly but i have had an issue getting the plants i wanted and so i purchased a few Hemianthus Callitrichoides they had left when i found them at my LFS. With this i figured that i could leave them in a high EI/co2 dosed 4ft tank for a week or two until i get all the Hemianthus Callitrichoides, hairgrass, rocks etc that i wanted. After about 4-5 days the pots i did get looked like they were not going to last too long so i have brought the tank project forward.

Trying to figure out what i can do with them i came across a few articles around the web on emersed growing. After going through these and establishing it could be a great method for getting these plants a good start in life and that i can get them going until my final batch of plants arrive I have also seen a few places mention that alot of these are grown emersed from the `factory`???

So kit:
Aqua One Horizon 60ltr tank
All Ponds solutions light with 4x24w 2ft Sylvania 960 lamps
Oliver Knott Nature Soil (single large bag, had it out in the tank just under a week as i thought the other kit would arrive and when performing this install today it definately looked paler, does it matter if it`s dry, i presume it is supplied damp in the bag)???
(rest of kit such as co2 etc on it`s way)

What i have done:
I have started off with the plain tank, some water slightly heated (very small amount of tap safe added), the nature soil and my currently melting HC. I have arranged the soil into a basic shape of what i had planned to scape it as and the HC has been separated into small clumps still within a small amount of rock wool. The water has then been added to the substrate to around 2-3cm`s so it`s just visible from the surface, i noticed that the substrate seems to crackle when the water was added, is this normal? I also sprayed them with the same water just to soak the leaves a little. I guess this should be left for a month depending on it`s coverage and 2x lamps will be on for 2hrs, then 4hrs of all four and finally 4hrs of just the two lamps. No dosing or anything in between.

I have made this as simple as possible and i am not entirely sure it will work as i am new to this so bear with me and please throw as much help and guidance across as possible!

Pics so far (really wanted to do a nice Journal for the UKAPS site but time pressed and i had to get on):





Cheers,

 

[NeilW]

...and the HC has been separated into small clumps still within a small amount of rock wool.

If you've got the time you can try and break the clumps down even more into individual plantlets to make them go further.

The water has then been added to the substrate to around 2-3cm`s so it`s just visible from the surface, i noticed that the substrate seems to crackle when the water was added, is this normal?

This is good but you don't want the water 'flooding' the substrate, you only want it so its moist or you may find you get algae on the surface of the soil. Just give it a spray every now and then to keep it damp and add TPN+ or similar to the spray to add ferts. That 'crackling' sound is just the soil becoming saturated with water.

You also want to create a vent in your clingfilm by pulling up one corner to get fresh air in and lower the humidity or you may find you get mould.

depending on it`s coverage and 2x lamps will be on for 2hrs, then 4hrs of all four and finally 4hrs of just the two lamps.

Crank all of the tubes on! This is the advantage of a dry-start - no algae and unlimited access to CO2. Put all those lamps on between 10-12 hours, pour that light in!

Heres a couple of good links too;
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=10190&start=10
http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=12189

Hope any of that is helpful,
Neil

 

[ukco2guy]

Thanks Neil for the reply. I`m wondering then if i need to remove some of the water but it might be a nightmare to do so, i`ll definitely peel some of the cling film back, that would also help reduce some of the water i have put in as by going on what you said i may have put too much in already!

I`ve just got another 5 pots of HC and also another 5 pots of eleocharis (which is growing fine in a 4ft ei dosed tank), can this also be emeresly grown? I`ll add the HC tonight into small clumps or if i have the patience individuals, i figure if the lawn goes mad then i can simply cut it out on the substrate and use that elsewhere.

Lights, yup they`ll get the full treatment then

Cheers,

 

[NeilW]

Thanks Neil for the reply. I`m wondering then if i need to remove some of the water but it might be a nightmare to do so, i`ll definitely peel some of the cling film back, that would also help reduce some of the water i have put in as by going on what you said i may have put too much in already!

Yeah that will help, as you say you'll lose some through evaporation. The soil will stay surprisingly moist without the water being at surface level as it rises from the bottom through capillary action. You can obviously see if the soil is moist enough anyways because it will be a darker colour. Saying that from your pictures it doesn't look like its drowning so no panic. If you peel back the clingfilm to create a vent open a smaller gap to begin with as the plants have to get used to the lower humidity and need to 'harden off' - if you went mad and pulled it back loads in one go you may get die back.

I`ve just got another 5 pots of HC and also another 5 pots of eleocharis (which is growing fine in a 4ft ei dosed tank), can this also be emeresly grown?

Hairgrass grows very well emersed, so no worries there

 

[ukco2guy]

Hi all,

Bit of an update on the tank, it`s now been 3 weeks (goes so quick when your having fun)!

I`ve continued the regimen and given the tank a daily misting with tank water from the 4ft EI dosed. Any excess is soaked up with a sponge until the waterline recedes back under soil. Temps are staying around 27c and humidity is pretty much at 80% 24/7. The HC is definitely growing and is starting to fill in which i`m happy with Staurogyne sp has been added around the rocks and will form most of the rear corner eventually (many many thanks to laimyzaz for the plants. I`m not sure on what else i`d like to compliment this with but the remaining rear will be planted with Eleocharis. Any ideas would be appreciated. I have a 5"x2.5" carpet of HC spare growing emersed in a separate containing just in case i need to fill any bits in.

I have changed and added some more rocks, their is a nice square piece of slate which will eventually have some willow moss on top but i want to leave the front face visible as possible. The additional two pieces of slate have been set on the right hand side and i will probably add some small pieces of wood around that area.

I`d like some opinions if possible, it`s my first attempt so alot to learn





Cheers,

 

[NeilW]

Temps are staying around 27c and humidity is pretty much at 80% 24/7.

This sounds spot on and looks like its paid off with some excellent growth

On the 'scaping side of things you may want to be bolder with your rocks or you may lose quite a lot of it under the carpet of HC when it bulks out.

 

[ukco2guy]

Hi,

Another few weeks passed and an update on the rescuing of my HC and i think as you`ll see by the pics that it`s been a success and it`s also the whole thing has been really easy, just the hard bit now, filling it up and getting the tank established I`ll submit a new thread in the right section on that but for now here`s some final pics of the emersed setup. Hair grass is still not in yet but i have got some Staurogyne sp growing quite well. When i say quite i mean that it was going really well until i noticed one evening something crawling on a few leaves, then next morning the leaves were black and something had eaten/killed them! So i increased the misting which seems to have put them off it for a bit, hence wanting to fill it asap

Anyhow here`s some pics:











Cheers,