Xema

I think the most important problem growing emersed cryptos is, that we haven´t got good set up to keep them.

The most easy and successfuly way that I know is keeping them in a indoor empty glass tank (terrarium). So you can take a close care about some important factor such as lighting period, water chemistry, relative humidity, and so on.

Something like Pieter van Wijngaarden´s set up
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More picture seeing: Rayon Vert Aqua visiting Wijngaarden´s Crypto Room

Another variation from the same scheme, ADA mini-set up



Growing them in pots you can imitate differents condition for every sp. of Cryptocoryne in every pot.

Another way is using a box, with Leaf-moud and R/O water on the bottom. As in the Jacobsen method described in the following article:

Cultivation of some difficult Cryptocoryne species in humus-rich leaf-mould

Some pictures of this way to grow them...







More picture seeing: Rayon Vert Aqua visiting Professor　Niels Jacobsen´s greenhouses

Having got a good set up... we already can to think in some other problems such as soil and fertilization.

Greets from Spain, and happy new year

HeyPK

In these emersed setups, which are covered to keep the humidity high, I wonder if one should worry about CO2 limiting the growth. Is there enough air exchange with the outside to keep CO2 levels inside similar to the levels outside?

Xema

Paul, I keep mines totally close until 3 weeks during without affect to regular growth. My explication to it:

- Plants produce CO2 in the night (dark phase of the photosyntesis), I don´t remember exactly the relatioship between C (carbon) absroved in the shining phase and expeled in the dark phase, but i think the different is not so big.

- Gases, as salt dissolved in water, try to expand around the container, Something similar to omosis phenomenon. So, us set up aren´t totally hermetic, and the CO2 try to expand and refill the empty co2 space. (I think so, but I am not totally sure about this possibility)

Happy new year entrance

HeyPK

Xema,

I keep quite a few species in covered glass containers or sealed soda pop bottles. I have found that adding a flake or two of oatmeal every week increases growth. As the oatmeal flake decomposes, it releases CO2.

EDGE

HeyPK,

Where about do you keep the oatmeal? near the plant or on the edge of the container? do you have to prepare the oatmeal before placing it in the container?

Happy New Year

HeyPK

Either the quick oatmeal or the regular that requires longer cooking is fine. No need to cook it. I just put in about a pinch of flakes every week or two. I grow my plants in covered glass jars or soda pop bottles, and so, there is very little air exchange. The flakes can land anywhere. As they decay, they get converted to CO2, which gets in the air and is picked up by the plant. Since the atmosphere has only 0.03% CO2, which is almost nothing when you are looking at the amount of air in the container, nearly all the CO2 a plant growing in a closed container needs must come from decay processes.