# Going emersed: Advice wanted! Anubias seup



## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

*Can you post some photos of your diseased anubias? What makes you think it has a disease rather than another issue?*

If they do have the anubias disease then emersed or submersed the plants will die and the only way to stop it from spreading is to cut off affected areas and clean your blade between cuts so you don't spread it the new plants. Do not let the infected plants touch uninfected areas of other plants. 

I wrote a sticky note a few years ago on how to set up an emersed tub which can grow all kinds of aquatic plants: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...inners-guide-starting-your-first-emersed.html

I'd use soil rather than clay and mister. That way your plants don't run the risk of fertilizer burns if you are adding too much ferts to the mister. You cannot use concentrated fertilizers when misting, you'd need to use an extremely - extremely - dilute fertilizer solution if you apply it directly to the leaves.

Too much water on the leaves will cause them to rot. Your plant leaves should not be constantly wet. The humidity level will be correct if you follow the guide above. Keep in mind you'll probably lose some leaves when you pull the anubias (or any submersed plant) out of the water. This is because submersed leaves lack a wax cuticle and cannot prevent themselves from drying out. The plant must convert and grow new emersed leaves (which conversely block nutrient uptake and gas exchange when placed underwater).

I've personally never misted my plants. I allow them to lose their submersed leaves, then let them grow out emersed leaves which are adapted to emersed conditions. If you are trying to keep the submersed anubias leaves then 2x a day to begin with will probably be enough. Just make sure the leaves don't have sopping wet puddles on them the entire day. Just mist them enough to prevent the leaves from withering and drying out. They'll likely die eventually anyway so it may not be worth it to go through all the effort of misting them. 

Since you don't have to worry about algae or running out of nutrients with a soil substrate you can blast the light as intensely as you want without issues. Also, keeping extremely long photo periods won't cause harm (and in fact will likely give the plant more time to gather energy and grow). So a 12-14 hr light cycle would be fine. Keep the bulb as close to the plants as possible without burning them.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Most of the cut pieces of rhizome are gone, but today i re-cleaned and re-cut some anubias.. this is one of the sick rhizomes, i didn't cut enough off last time, the end was rotting again:


And the braodleaf with a thick rhizome in the tank, when I cleaned it last time 1/2 of it came off from cleaning.. this is a few days later (sorry no light on in the tank but you can see the damage)


Nitrates from api test read 20ppm range, gh 160s, kh 70s, pH 7.5, temp 78F, lights 13 watt cfl 6500k in reflectors 20" inches or more above substrate. And I was dosing: excel, potassium, phosphorus and plain flourish until I noticed how bad this had gotten. When I'd see that looked like deficiencies on leaves it was only showing up on one at a time and it was at a point on the rhizome that was rotted (all leaves that looked to have deficiencies..the entire plant rhizome melted/fell apart when handled to remove the bad leaf).

I received anubias with rot and stupidly kept them (thought I got all the rot cut off but apparently not) they were diseased and fell apart first, then I noticed other new ones by them, and then older anubias I'd had a long while developing this problem and rhizomes going...

Thank you for the emersed advice!! I switched them over to soil but each is in its own cup still since I'm not sure which might be effected and which are still healthy and don't want them sharing water I'm not sure how the ones with little to no roots will do for nutrients gathering but we'll have to see.



cling wrap pulled back


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## Default (Jan 10, 2014)

I've been keeping plants emersed for a few years now and have basically tried everything possible and love keeping Anubias as well. So I can offer some opinion regarding your setup.

First off, the problem with your plants - "rhizome rot" is possibly the worst thing to happen, they are also contagious from what I've noticed, perhaps it's from a chemical or substance released from the plants that triggers this issue, or perhaps it's a fungal or bacterial issue. But all I can tell you is that if the infected plant has the notorious problem, the chances of you saving it is extremely low, I once received 2 coffeefolia plants hoping to increase my collection, but they had the rot and no matter how much was removed and treated, it kept going. Take a smell at your plants, if they carry a extreme strong hot garbage smell - you'll know when you smell it..

That aside, for your current tank, I personally prefer a inert substrate for Anubias, I'm not a big fan of rotting soil or fungus, but if you keep using soil, cap it with peat - keeps some baddies away. Or capping with moss is also a great approach for Anubias, most of my Anubias rhizomes are nicely covered by Xmas moss and it keeps the rhizome nice and damp and covers the entire pot.
Also lower that water, BGA will ruin your fun and it's unnecessary as you just need to keep your substrate moist.
Also take your heater out, unless you're keeping it in a garage during a canadian winter, you don't need it. :red_mouth
I find the best equipment for a emersed setup is a simple air pump, adds fresh air and keeps the tank humid when bubbling in water.

Also your lighting is efficient enough, I grow high light demanding plants with a single t8 and it works great. Also try not to mist too often, that just encourages more algae and isn't necessary as well.

Pic attached was taken a couple months ago and is one side of my 65 and holds a few Anubias. Grown in fluorite and Hydroton with only half the pots covered with water.


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## neilshieh (Sep 6, 2010)

Default said:


> I've been keeping plants emersed for a few years now and have basically tried everything possible and love keeping Anubias as well. So I can offer some opinion regarding your setup.
> 
> First off, the problem with your plants - "rhizome rot" is possibly the worst thing to happen, they are also contagious from what I've noticed, perhaps it's from a chemical or substance released from the plants that triggers this issue, or perhaps it's a fungal or bacterial issue. But all I can tell you is that if the infected plant has the notorious problem, the chances of you saving it is extremely low, I once received 2 coffeefolia plants hoping to increase my collection, but they had the rot and no matter how much was removed and treated, it kept going. Take a smell at your plants, if they carry a extreme strong hot garbage smell - you'll know when you smell it..
> 
> ...


beautiful tank! I agree with much of what he said. no need for a heater. I like fired clay substrates better because no mess. I dose ferts by using osmocote root tabs and tank water. I don't do the whole individual pots in water thing, I have everything growing terrarium style. 

as for growing anubias emersed. nothing special just treat it like any other emersed plant and it'll convert very well. I have mine is pretty low humidity along with some of my other aroids.


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## Default (Jan 10, 2014)

neilshieh said:


> beautiful tank! I agree with much of what he said. no need for a heater. I like fired clay substrates better because no mess. I dose ferts by using osmocote root tabs and tank water. I don't do the whole individual pots in water thing, I have everything growing terrarium style.
> 
> as for growing anubias emersed. nothing special just treat it like any other emersed plant and it'll convert very well. I have mine is pretty low humidity along with some of my other aroids.


If that complimented was towards me, thank you very much :smile: lol
I think growing them like what you said a little dryer is best, they look the best that way! I have petites that grow very dry and get minimal misting and the leaves develop a nice sheen from the extra layer that holds in moisture.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

[grr had a large write up and the [censor] page expired and lost it]
broadleaf: 3 days after first clean:

3 days past that (today):

brown rot and slime noticeably spreading, its beyond salvaging..

I've done more reading on the diease that inflicts my anubias and sadly cannot find any scientific studies for a defiant cure, nor ones to say if the disease can survive in the tank without a host (no anubias) and if a new healthy anubias is introduced, infect said plant (the way some fish diseases can linger after a fauna population has been whipped out). I did find something from reading that says the fungus based disease can be affected by keeping high ph and gh (8.4ph gh was not given a specific range though). Saying its not conducive enviroment for fungus to grow.. but did not specifically state that it would kill the fungus off entirely (no mention of putting diseased plant in high ph and gh environment then back into lower ph/gh and not have any more symptoms). I could not find anything of a known cure, just things that slow it down a little.

I'm waiting for a batch of (non anubias) plants to come in and will throw out all the anubias left in the tank (was only in there to give hiding spots for fish). Being a pessimist I may also just throw out all the emersed anubias as I suspect since they are all inflected too. I will not sell/trade/roak the emersed as I would never dare risk passing this disease onto someone else, I wouldn't wish wish this plague on anyone (especially those with large collections of old/long anubias rhizomes).

For now the emersed setup has its heater unplugged and .. is mostly just being ignored. I don't have a spare airpump to put in as a way to create humidity but it seems to be staying damp for the moment. One of the anubias (not sure which species) has one withered leaf and another starting to wilt, have not examined it yet to see if its the disease or transition to emersed (and my lack of knowledge on caring for it this way) causing this.

Because of the lack of a known cure I will likely never get anubias again as I don't want to deal with another outbreak and broken dream... Its so frustrating as the tank these anubias were in (planed as an all anubias tank with riparium plants) was _so close _to "done" as I only wanted 2-4 more anubias types... and now.. its just not going to happen.. ever.

Since reviews are not allowed in public area of these forums I cannot post the name of who sold me the diseased plants that infected my several hundred dollar collection and killed my dream here...which is a bit frustrating as I'd like to let all who would read know who to avoid buying from to prevent this disaster...

I guess the thing to take away from this is, to always quarantine new plants (as you should new fish) for several weeks before introducing to an established collection. If it comes rotted don't try to save it, throw it out and demand a refund. 

[My original post I ended with several links to helpful sites/forum discussions on the anubias disease issue but when the page expired and lost the links.. I could not find most of them again.]


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## Zapins (Jan 7, 2006)

AquaAurora said:


> I've done more reading on the diease that inflicts my anubias and sadly cannot find any scientific studies for a defiant cure, nor ones to say if the disease can survive in the tank without a host (no anubias) and if a new healthy anubias is introduced, infect said plant (the way some fish diseases can linger after a fauna population has been whipped out). I did find something from reading that says the fungus based disease can be affected by keeping high ph and gh (8.4ph gh was not given a specific range though). Saying its not conducive enviroment for fungus to grow.. but did not specifically state that it would kill the fungus off entirely (no mention of putting diseased plant in high ph and gh environment then back into lower ph/gh and not have any more symptoms). I could not find anything of a known cure, just things that slow it down a little.


There is no known cure yet. In fact, we don't even know what causes the rot. It could be any number of disease causing organisms.

Do not give up on the anubias dream just yet! While we can't cure it yet, we can aggressively prune infected plants. Just make sure to clean the cutting blade between each cut to prevent infection. Whatever causes this disease it is contact spread, it will not float around in the water column for months, or days, or even hours from what I've seen, it needs a host to survive. I had it as well at one point a few years ago from some newly acquired anubias plants. It began to spread to my other anubias plants that were touching the infected plants plants. I cut everything back in the area, wiping the blade each time and preventing any infected leaves from touching uninfected plants. The disease stopped spreading and has not come back in years.

You do not need to quarantine most plants you get, there are very - very - few aquatic plant diseases (anubias disease is the only one that comes to mind). If you want to be especially careful you can do a short potassium permanganate dip to kill off hitch hikers like snails and algae.



AquaAurora said:


> Being a pessimist I may also just throw out all the emersed anubias as I suspect since they are all inflected too. I will not sell/trade/roak the emersed as I would never dare risk passing this disease onto someone else, I wouldn't wish wish this plague on anyone (especially those with large collections of old/long anubias rhizomes).


Please don't do that!! I suspect a lot of your plants can still be saved using the technique I mentioned above. Though if you are dead-set on throwing out all affected and suspected plants, please consider sending them to me instead (I can pay for shipping). I have a microscope, and access to several other lab related pieces of equipment that might help us figure out what is causing this disease. If you wouldn't mind passing on the plants to me I could run a few tests and possibly help figure out which pest is causing the rot.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Well good(ish) news the withering anubias had a dried rhizome not disease, might be too late but tried rehydrating it. Its right under the venting for the emersed box and its rhizome raised up a bit more from the moist soil than some of the others. Everything else in the emersed bin seems ok. 
Zapins: I'm pm you about your offer, but you must understand you are getting diseased plants (not healthy ones) for the purpose of studying and better understanding the disease that can spread amongst anubias.


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## Default (Jan 10, 2014)

AquaAurora said:


> Well good(ish) news the withering anubias had a dried rhizome not disease, might be too late but tried rehydrating it. Its right under the venting for the emersed box and its rhizome raised up a bit more from the moist soil than some of the others. Everything else in the emersed bin seems ok.
> Zapins: I'm pm you about your offer, but you must understand you are getting diseased plants (not healthy ones) for the purpose of studying and better understanding the disease that can spread amongst anubias.


That's a good sign, but is there a very funky smell when you open your tank? Aside from the wet soil?
Also adding moss over the rhizome helps a lot in retaining moisture.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Default said:


> That's a good sign, but is there a very funky smell when you open your tank? Aside from the wet soil?
> Also adding moss over the rhizome helps a lot in retaining moisture.


I have bad pollen and grass allergies so I have no sense of smell, and won't again until until mid/late fall. I'll try takign my leftover moss and sticking it around the rhizomes. Hopefully won't find any shrimplets in it.. had moss in hold tank with shrimp until last night


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## Default (Jan 10, 2014)

AquaAurora said:


> I have bad pollen and grass allergies so I have no sense of smell, and won't again until until mid/late fall. I'll try takign my leftover moss and sticking it around the rhizomes. Hopefully won't find any shrimplets in it.. had moss in hold tank with shrimp until last night


Well, I checked my emersed tank tonight and noticed a strong smell, it was no where to be found - as everything looked fine.
I then started scratching every anubia (with gloves) and found my large coffeefolia with the stank. I pulled the pot out (which is why seperate pots are good) and noticed that the fluorite compressed on the rhizome and it seems a inch of the rhizome got pushed down and covered, I've had this plant for months and months, sending out new leaves every week or two, but the rot creeped up the entire plant and the rhizome was about 7-9" long and after several cuts, I gave up on it and disposed of it. It's a bad loss, but having experienced this rot in the past I rather ensure minimal risk and get rid of it. I've seen sick plants produce a furry coating after a while (most likely a fungal attack after the initial problem) and rather not deal with it.


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