# Best way to convert submersed to emersed



## Taari (Jul 31, 2010)

I am going to be tearing down my 40 gallon planted tank soon and converting it to a frog vivarium. I want to take as many plants from the aquarium as I can and convert them to emmersed growth and reuse them in the vivarium. The plants I have are as follows:

Assorted crypts
Java fern
Anubias nana and petite
ludwigia repens
rotala rotundifolia
hygro difformis
dwarf saggitaria
corkscrew saggitaria
dwarf hairgrass

Of those, which can be converted to emmersed growth, and what is the best way to go about the transition?

Thanks


----------



## AirstoND (Jun 17, 2011)

You're going to need high humidity, very low light initially, and temperature might be critical (research for specific plants). I have not had much success with repens or glandulosa, but if someone here can post a step-by-step procedure Id greatly appreciate it also.


----------



## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

I've got crypts that are emersed. Just took them out of the tank, put them in clay pots with top soil. No melt. Nothing. Just growing. Same with the hygro.
Java fern should do well since it grows that way naturally.

One thing I've noticed is if the plant will grow out of the tank and stands up straight it takes to emersed form very easy. Plants like cabomba and the vals don't go well for me at least.

Also one other thing. I never mist my plants nor do I keep humidity up at all yet they are doing just fine.


----------



## chevyguy8893 (Nov 5, 2012)

Same here with the crypts, I have wendtii "green" growing very well emersed. As for others on the list, I have dwarf hairgrass growing in a small dry start tank fairly well, and ludwigia repens growing in the emersed container. As for going back to submerged, I have tried it with my Alternanthera reineckii "cardinalis" so far. 

All I have done is take them out of the tank and plant them in the soil for root feeders. As for the ludwigia repens, the stem is laid down on top of the dirt.


----------



## thefisherman (Oct 15, 2011)

i've lost (melted) nurii, hudoroi, parva, cordata thailand, lucens, pygmaea in an attempt to convert to emersed growth. 

this was me literally taking the plant and plucking them into soil mesh pots. i've found that some crypts are just more resilient and hardy. most common crypts like the wendtii, ponterdifolia seem to be very hardy and have no issue converting.

i do believe the pH of the soil has something to do with the success of the plant, more importantly if the soil itself is "converted" to a submeged state. i don't have any clincal proof to back this up, just my subjective observations, but... i've found most of my plants only started thriving when i planted them in converted soil. soil that has been submerged for at least three
months. thats why i keep barren pots with soil (some stratum and some topsoil only) submerged in my emersed tank. Now i can pluck almost anything in there and it will thrive and grow. This includes lanky stems like mini limno, sunset hygro and even rotalas.

if you do not want to take chances and you just want to pluck and plant...the most stable soil i've had success with is fluval stratum or similar aquasoil type. it lends itself to being submerged from the start. throw an osmocote capsule in there for good measure. good luck!




- thefisherman


----------



## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

I usually just take trimmings from my tanks, put them in some organic potting mix with a little bit of osmocote, keep them sprayed with water, keep them under lights and they eventually will convert to emersed. With stems, I just float them in a shallow dish with some water under some lights and they eventually start shooting up emersed stems.

However, if you want to convert your entire tank, I suggest lowering the water level slowly over the course of a few weeks to slowly convert your plants to emersed. I suggest lowering your water level to right above the tallest plant in your tank. Then slowly lower the water level over a few days while keeping the humidity up with plastic wrap over the top of the tank. The stems will eventually grow out of the water if your lights are strong enough and you can eventually replant these emersed grown tops. Anubias and most crypts transition easily IME.


----------



## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

I've had no issues with growing L. repens, anubias, or crypts emersed. They don't always like it, but they can deal. Anubias takes it like a trooper, and mine usually grow faster when they aren't competing with algae. Crypts melt, but most come back. Most. Never had any luck with converting java fern though.


----------



## AirstoND (Jun 17, 2011)

Can everyone who's posted success with their emersed conversion stories please post how long it took for new growth to appear?


----------



## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

AirstoND said:


> Can everyone who's posted success with their emersed conversion stories please post how long it took for new growth to appear?


Depends on the plant. You can see emergent growth in as little as a week.


----------



## thefisherman (Oct 15, 2011)

AirstoND said:


> Can everyone who's posted success with their emersed conversion stories please post how long it took for new growth to appear?


min 4-6 months for bang bang growth imo









mostly crypts but i got a bunch of random stuff growing as well. i posted detail pics in the crypt club thread.


- thefisherman


----------



## chevyguy8893 (Nov 5, 2012)

AirstoND said:


> Can everyone who's posted success with their emersed conversion stories please post how long it took for new growth to appear?


New growth on the red ludwigia, moneywort, and alternanthera took a couple days to adjust and have noticeable good leaves. As for the crypts they took just about a week for some reason, but now they are doing well. The whole basic setup has only been going for 4-5 weeks now with the crypts being the first in. 

The back two pots look bad because it was right after there were put into the pots.


----------



## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

Easy grow Crypts will convert easily in almost any soil. Blackwater Crypts like really acidic soil and high humidity. As for any syem plants they do alot better if you float them until emergent growth starts before trying to convert them. With any aquatic plant high humidity is your friend for sure.


----------

