Growing plants emersed

[Joshaeus]

Hi everyone! I have decided to use my 2.5 gallon bubble bowl to grow emersed aquarium plants for my other setups. Does this setup sound ok?
Substrate; 2 inches of turface
Light; 1120 lumens 4000K light from an LED bulb, 10 hours/day
Ferts (the ppm are assuming this tank was full of water...of course it won't be);
-.15 ml KNO3/week (13.22 ppm NO3, 8.34 ppm K)
-.05 KH2PO4/week (4.13 ppm PO4, 1.7 ppm K)
-.3 ml epsom salt/week (3.19 ppm Mg)
-.45 ml calcium chloride dihydrate (9.33 ppm calcium)
-.05 ml Plantex CSM+B/week (.3 ppm iron)
Water level; No higher than the turface
Other; The water portion will receive water changes once a week. The bowl will be covered with plastic wrap to maintain high humidity.

Thanks for your input

 

[kallililly1973]

I recently turned our 1 gallon bowl into a dirted tank capped with PFS. No light no cover it sits on a stool in n an east facing window so it catches the sunrise till 11-12 and I recently noticed there is a Bacopa that is about 2-3” above the rim. Not sure if this is any help but I’m pretty sure your setup will do fine. I also have a pothos clipping that the moss and it’s own roots have anchored into the substrate. If u search kals tanks on here the last page shows the bowl being set up. The bowl also has a couple ramshorn snails in it.

 

[Joshaeus]

Cool! My setup will have the plants growing emersed from the get go...the water level will be no higher than the turface.

 

[kallililly1973]

Cool! My setup will have the plants growing emersed from the get go...the water level will be no higher than the turface.

By turface r u referring to the substrate?

 

[Joshaeus]

By turface r u referring to the substrate?

Yep! Using some 1/8th inch turface for the substrate.

 

[Bryangar]

So like a wabi kusa...?

 

[SeattleRoy]

Hi Joshaeus,

I've grown plants emersed for almost 9 years and although you can likely do it your way how about something much more easy? For ferts use the DIY Osmocote Plus root tabs available on Ebay. Put 2 or 3 in the tank on the bottom spaced somewhat evenly. Next if you have some old aquarium gravel put 1" down first, then top with 1" of Miracle Grow Potting Mix and finally on top 1/2 - 1" of Turface. The root tabs should last for about 3 - 4 months, by being in the water saturated gravel the nutrients will travel throughout the tank. I grow my plants in pots using the same mix and these are the results. Keep the water level about 1/2" below the top of the substrate; it will help you avoid moss and algae.

 

[ElysiumPlants]

Hi Joshaeus,

I've grown plants emersed for almost 9 years and although you can likely do it your way how about something much more easy? For ferts use the DIY Osmocote Plus root tabs available on Ebay. Put 2 or 3 in the tank on the bottom spaced somewhat evenly. Next if you have some old aquarium gravel put 1" down first, then top with 1" of Miracle Grow Potting Mix and finally on top 1/2 - 1" of Turface. The root tabs should last for about 3 - 4 months, by being in the water saturated gravel the nutrients will travel throughout the tank. I grow my plants in pots using the same mix and these are the results. Keep the water level about 1/2" below the top of the substrate; it will help you avoid moss and algae.

Hi Roy,

Absolutely gorgeous plants, and points for your photography skills. Do you ever sell/trade any of them?

 

[SeattleRoy]

Hi ElysiumPlants

I do occasionally offer plants for sale; typically on aquaticplantcentral.com, and I think once or twice here on Fishlore.com. I bought almost all the species I grow on the forums. If I have excess I sell them not so much for the money (I'm retired and have all the 'stuff' I need) but just to make species available to others that I enjoy. -Roy

 

[ElysiumPlants]

Hi ElysiumPlants

I do occasionally offer plants for sale; typically on aquaticplantcentral.com, and I think once or twice here on Fishlore.com. I bought almost all the species I grow on the forums. If I have excess I sell them not so much for the money (I'm retired and have all the 'stuff' I need) but just to make species available to others that I enjoy. -Roy

You’re clearly not “retired,” you’re “repurposed.”

Please pardon me for what, at first, might seem like a rant.

I’ve seen firsthand what happens to people who “retire.” The ones who melt into a couch watching game shows and soap operas, I mean.

I’ve also known people who never slow down, the ones in their 80s that still drive a car because they’re in a bowling league, have lunch with their friends a few times a week, and go on long road trips to check out a museum or garden they haven’t been to.

There was a study that concluded that gardeners over 60 are 30% less likely to develop dementia. That’s a big number.

What I’m getting at here is this: retirement is what you make of it. For some people, it’s the beginning of the end. For you, it’s clearly about pursuing your passions. You’re probably going to find yourself, someday, being the guy in his 80s at an aquarium convention. I’d have to voice my respect for that alone.

I have all the “stuff” I need and I mainly just want to make species available to others that I enjoy?

That, I’d call wisdom. Hard not to respect that.