Emergent Tank Project Help

Hey guys

I am planning on setting up a planted tank using my extra 10 gallon aquarium. It would look really nice with emergent plants, so that is what I'm leaning towards. I want to know if this is possible with only direct sunlight, or if I will have to buy a light to suspend over top. Also, will I need to put a filter on this tank? I might stock it with some shrimp. It will be open top. And will I need ferts/CO2 for them? (when I mean CO2 I mean before they come out of the water surface.

If this is possible, what are some easy plants that won't take a long time to emerge?

Thank you!

 

Hi!

Anubias nana is my favorite plant for low light tanks. I haven't had a light other than direct sunlight on my 10 gallon for over a year now, yet the anubias is thriving.

If you're planning on putting shrimp in there, I'd put a low flow filter. Shrimp can get pretty messy, and stagnant water is no good for plants or shrimp, IMO.

If you end up going with anubias, you typically won't need a lot of ferts. I just use a tad bit of Flourish Excel with mine, and they are doing great.

Have fun with your new tank!

-Ashley

 

Could I get away with putting anything in the tank without using a filter?

EDIT: If it helps, I am looking for plants that are able to shoot out of the water, maybe one that blooms. I am also going to include floating plants like frogbit and submersed plants.

 

Pothos!!! I just put it in my tank couple of weeks ago and it's gorgeous

 

I have pothos, wandering jew, spider plants, and a dwarf umbrella palm as emergents plants in my tank. They look so pretty and the fish like hanging out amoung the roots. Many plants can be grown aquaponically, with the roots under water. I have them suction cupped to the side of the tank.

Tiger lotuses seem like a good choice. The leaves will shoot up and grow at the surface. They can bloom at night as well. Mine have not grown up to the surface yet.

 

I second the pothos! See above. Basil, peace lily and spider plants also work well but you need structure to hold them up out of the water. If near a window you won’t need extra light. if you need filtration depends on the livestock - shrimp and bettas have low bioloads and do fine without filters in a heavily planted tank.

 

I have a lot of questions

1. I heard pothos plants suck up nutrients if ferts aren't used. In this case, what plants do you recommend keeping with them?
2. I love the look of pothos so much I want to keep it in my 45 gallon with my cichlids, but it is a closed top aquarium. Do you have any suggestions on how I can get the roots in there? Maybe make a cut out?
3. Wheres the best place to buy pothos for good quality, price, etc.?

Thank you so much for all your help!

 

If you have an HOB filter, you can stick the pothos in there. Though the roots will grow into the filter media

 

I have a lot of questions

1. I heard pothos plants suck up nutrients if ferts aren't used. In this case, what plants do you recommend keeping with them?

Java ferns and other slow growing plants would work. I just put a grow light on one of my pothos (Lights 4hrs when I’m gone because it’s an ugly pink light) and now it grows 2 inches a week while sucking out nutrients. But it does fine in low light too.

2. I love the look of pothos so much I want to keep it in my 45 gallon with my cichlids, but it is a closed top aquarium. Do you have any suggestions on how I can get the roots in there? Maybe make a cut out?

You just need enough room for a few stems to come out. A cutout would work. Usually there is room by the HOB or airline tubing. Cichlids will keep the roots clean and enjoy nibbling off any algae.

3. Wheres the best place to buy pothos for good quality, price, etc.?

Home Depot. Keep some in a pot so you can replace cuttings or add more when needed. No need to dig out roots- just cut and stick it in so at least one node is underwater. My pothos is 70 years old- inherited from my grandma. Best forever living heirloom. It is now in 6 of my tanks (home and office)

Thank you so much for all your help!

 

I am about to buy pothos. Where would I cut it? I bought the Golden Pothos 6 inch grower pot.

Also, if I would like to it to almost overrun the outsides of my tanks. Would it be best to buy more or cut a bigger piece to achieve this look faster? Or would the wait not be too long?

 

From my experience, the bigger the piece and the more established it is, the more it grows. I started with a cutting with 4 leaves 11 months ago and now its about 11 feet long. I trimmed the roots once a couple of months ago but its still throwing out a new leaf every week or two.

I would start with a few cuttings. Try to cut them below a node (a little bump on the stem where the leaf comes out) and have atleast 4 leaves. After a while, they'll get used to growing hydroponically and grow pretty quickly. You can trim them back and put the new cuttings in if you want that look.

 

So would 3 cuttings work? I bought excel just in case the other plants I plan on putting don’t thrive.

 

For instant effect get a hanging basket of pothos and stick as many as you want in there to effect. I use flourish in mine to boost the limiting nutrients for emergent house plants but I think it only helps when light is not limiting. Excel probably works fine too

 

So would 3 cuttings work? I bought excel just in case the other plants I plan on putting don’t thrive.

Uh how do I delete a post on the mobile version lol

 

So would 3 cuttings work? I bought excel just in case the other plants I plan on putting don’t thrive.

Uh how do I delete a post on the mobile version lol

I'm not sure but isn't excel a carbon substitute type thing? I don't know if that helps for emergent plants.

 

I'm not sure but isn't excel a carbon substitute type thing? I don't know if that helps for emergent plants.

I’m not sure either, but I am also planning on keeping some submerged plants as well. Most of the pothos will go into the 40 gallon, so it won’t dominate the 10 gal.

 

Post a pic when you are done!

 

So I have my pothos in its pot, but I am waiting on a few things to set up the 10 gal. I bought flourish as well, and was wondering if the pothos would end up making the water unsuitable for other plants. For this reason I may only introduce it to my unplanted aquarium.

If I put pothos in my 10 gallon, and try to use other plants in a natural light situation where flourish is used, would all the plants be able to thrive? Or should I introduce more plants like pothos that can get their co2 from the outside, and not use submerged plants?

For reference, here is what I was going to buy for my 10 gallon:

I could end up just using this set^^ with additional lighting and a hood, and put the pothos only in the unplanted

 

So I have my pothos in its pot, but I am waiting on a few things to set up the 10 gal. I bought flourish as well, and was wondering if the pothos would end up making the water unsuitable for other plants. For this reason I may only introduce it to my unplanted aquarium.

If I put pothos in my 10 gallon, and try to use other plants in a natural light situation where flourish is used, would all the plants be able to thrive? Or should I introduce more plants like pothos that can get their co2 from the outside, and not use submerged plants?

For reference, here is what I was going to buy for my 10 gallon:

I could end up just using this set^^ with additional lighting and a hood, and put the pothos only in the unplanted

I have aquatic plants that have been alive for years with my pothos

 

So do you think I could run all the plants in the pack with the pothos? This is without the light and a small HOB filter, and flourish

 

The light might be an issue for the aquatic plants unless it gets some light from a window

 

The light might be an issue for the aquatic plants unless it gets some light from a window

Oh sorry if I wasn’t clear the natural light is a given the tank will be on a desk in the middle of a sun room.

 

I actually decided against adding the other plants. The reviews online of the conditions of the plants concern me, and they are too expensive to buy separately online and the quality is bad at lfs. I will have to stick to only the pothos, and possible add some other houseplants. I have heard rainbowsprinkles mention peace lilies and spider plants. Are there any others that you guys recommend?

I really like Umbrella papyrus. Is this appropriate for a 10 gallon tank with pothos?

 

Hydrocotyle so Japan or tripitarita if given something to climb will grow right out the tank, water Sprite will get some gorgeous emersed growth, water celery too. Check out Shrimpery on Instagram, his style is nano shallow pond style emerssd tank.

 

I actually decided against adding the other plants. The reviews online of the conditions of the plants concern me, and they are too expensive to buy separately online and the quality is bad at lfs. I will have to stick to only the pothos, and possible add some other houseplants. I have heard rainbowsprinkles mention peace lilies and spider plants. Are there any others that you guys recommend?

I really like Umbrella papyrus. Is this appropriate for a 10 gallon tank with pothos?

I like the papyrus too but have never been able to find it. It might be too big for 10g. Not sure. ? Anything you can sprout with cuttings- I have mint basil- gives nice smell to room and thick roots that the bettas love. Also someone suggested creeping Jenny. I found some at Home Depot last week and it has sprouted roots and seems to be doing well.

 

Hey guys,

Sorry it took so long, I just finished setting up the aquarium. I’ll take pictures in the morning when it isn’t so dark.

Also, I am trying the airline suction cups+ tubing to hold the pothos up, but it is very fragile. I touch it and they all flip into the aquarium. Also, the way some of the cuttings are, the leaves face downwards. Is this bad?

Could someone send a picture of how they hold up pothos in better detail? A big factor is probably that there are no roots obviously.

 

Again, I would add more cutting/ prop them up better but I just can’t seem to get it right.

 

I attach them using suction cups. The airline holders should fit around the cuttings.

 

Hey guys,

Sorry it took so long, I just finished setting up the aquarium. I’ll take pictures in the morning when it isn’t so dark.

Also, I am trying the airline suction cups+ tubing to hold the pothos up, but it is very fragile. I touch it and they all flip into the aquarium. Also, the way some of the cuttings are, the leaves face downwards. Is this bad?

Could someone send a picture of how they hold up pothos in better detail? A big factor is probably that there are no roots obviously.

Don’t worry about it- the leaves will right themselves in a couple of days. If you cut a long enough cutting you can just stick it far int your tank and let it hang over. If you only have a little cuttings you can get one of those plastic sponge holders that go in your sink that fit in the corner with suction cups and stick them in there. I’ll take a picture.

 

Again, I would add more cutting/ prop them up better but I just can’t seem to get it right.[/QUOTE]

Make sure at least one leaf node -preferably 2 or 3 or more are submerged or they won’t survive. You can either remove the leaves where submerged or leave them attached in the water. I always submerge some leaves for my bettas because they like to use them as little hammocks. I guess it depends on the look you’re going for. But I just cut really long vines and throw them in making sure there are a few leaves out of th water and part of it drapes down, outside the tank. You can even anchor them on the ground with rocks if you make them long enough. Then they’ll send the roots into the gravel

 

Again, I would add more cutting/ prop them up better but I just can’t seem to get it right.

Make sure at least one leaf node -preferably 2 or 3 or more are submerged or they won’t survive. You can either remove the leaves where submerged or leave them attached in the water. I always submerge some leaves for my bettas because they like to use them as little hammocks. I guess it depends on the look you’re going for. But I just cut really long vines and throw them in making sure there are a few leaves out of th water and part of it drapes down, outside the tank. You can even anchor them on the ground with rocks if you make them long enough. Then they’ll send the roots into the gravel[/QUOTE]
Will the bottom of the stem count as 1 node? or is only where leaves come out.

ChaosCorrupter
Thank you, I'll try that instead of the tubing around them, at least until I have enough to bunch up.

Also, if a single leaf falls off the main vine but still has a outer stem part, can it grow or is it done?

 

Make sure at least one leaf node -preferably 2 or 3 or more are submerged or they won’t survive. You can either remove the leaves where submerged or leave them attached in the water. I always submerge some leaves for my bettas because they like to use them as little hammocks. I guess it depends on the look you’re going for. But I just cut really long vines and throw them in making sure there are a few leaves out of th water and part of it drapes down, outside the tank. You can even anchor them on the ground with rocks if you make them long enough. Then they’ll send the roots into the gravel

Will the bottom of the stem count as 1 node? or is only where leaves come out.

ChaosCorrupter
Thank you, I'll try that instead of the tubing around them, at least until I have enough to bunch up.

Also, if a single leaf falls off the main vine but still has a outer stem part, can it grow or is it done?[/QUOTE]

A single leaf is done

 

I just added the philodendron ( big one) . They work well as long as you have good light. And you can just prop them up on a rock or something Or use a wire /string that holds them up and hooks on an S hook on the back of a tank. This tank is only 2 1/2 gallons so it almost reaches the bottom. I think I have more plants than water now.

 

[/QUOTE]
Will the bottom of the stem count as 1 node? or is only where leaves come out.


This a node see the bump? That will be a root

 

Fixed it up a little bit

 

View attachment 459814

Fixed it up a little bit

Looks great

 

Here is another more contained way- take a hollow acrylic log decoration and stuff them in there. It’s still open enough that the roots get oxygen but can’t see them! I have half a glass plate that is holding up the leaves on top ( cut it at hardware store)

 

This last one is in a windowless office with fluorescent lights - slow growth but does fine

 

I added a piece of driftwood that I got for only $8 off Amazon. I think it looks nice contrasting with the pothos. I just have to take care of the white algae that it caused.

 

I added a piece of driftwood that I got for only $8 off Amazon. I think it looks nice contrasting with the pothos. I just have to take care of the white algae that it caused. View attachment 460715

That’s just a bacterial bloom- harmless and will clear up on its own. Looks nice! Great price- I’ll have to look for one too

 

Hey guys,

I was bored, so if anyone’s still sees this thread in the future, here is an update.

 

those are some lovely roots! Looks great.

 

Wow looks great

 

Hey anyone have any more suggestions of something I can put in this tank? I’m going to prop it up against something or suspend it in the water. Anything that grows nice and high, or bushy to take up the empty water space is preferred.

rainbowsprinkles can I buy a philodendron from Home Depot? How do I go about putting it in my aquarium?

Thank you everyone for all the help



EDIT: Seems like the picture isn't working. I'll try uploading it through imgur or something later today. I put the picture of the tank in my profile picture for now.