How To Grow Emersed Aquarium Plants! (FAST & CHEAP)

This is a step by step tutorial of how to grow emersed aquarium plants. Emersed aquarium plants are plants that grow out of water in a high humidity environment. This allows plants to grow in unlimited CO2 which results in faster growth. This method is used by many hobbyists to grow out large quantities of plants in a relatively cheap way for profit, or to increase the amount of aquarium plants they have to aquascape with. This is a fun way to grow aquarium plants out of water that I recommend everyone tries.
The key to success with emersed aquatic plants is to grow them in a high humidity environment. In order to achieve this I recommended growing the emersed plants in a container with a tight fitting lid, this will allow the humidity to stay high in the tub, but not prevent CO2 from entering. You will also need to spray the tub on occasion, this will depend on the temperature of the room and how tight of a lid you have. A good rule of thumb to aim for is condensation on the walls of the tub.
Most aquarium plants can be grown emersed. This includes anubias, java fern, Christmas moss, bucephalandra, many stem plants, hydrocotyle tripartita, and many carpeting plants such as dwarf hairgrass, dwarf baby tears (Hemianthus callitrichoides), and micranthemum monte carlo. Try it out with your aquatic plants and be surprised at how easy and fun it is to grow emersed aquatic plants.
Thanks for watching! Be sure to subscribe to see updates on my emersed plant setup!
Instagram: Widquatics / widquatics

[@Widquatics]

Thanks for watching guys! I encourage all of you to set up a tub and start growing some more plants yourself! Be sure to subscribe for updates on how mine grows in!

[@sengemini]

I like the way you speak with a tone soft and gentle as against many others who do it in high pitch flashy voices. Easy to follow and very simple and neat presentation. Your plant tub looks great. I gonna get one rightaway even if it means purchasing fresh plants. Can I use a potting mix or organic soil?

[@Widquatics]

Thank you so much for saying that! I'm glad you enjoy my video style! Good luck on your emersed tub I'm sure you will get great plant growth! As for soil either one will work so whatever is more accessible and affordable for you! 😀

[@markjohnson8715]

Thanks for the information

[@natturner1244]

Just stumbled upon your video. Great idea for people like me with limited resources,(money)! This is a good way to learn about plants and experiment without spending too much - money. You explain things in an easy manner without being condescending. I’m subbing!

[@madfishdiva]

Jordan you have excellent videos. Great videography. Emmersed is a great way to start plants.

[@cheryllong995]

Thank you for the very, informative video which I'm very interested in trying now. You also have a wonderful way of speaking, so easy to listen to. Your awesome.

[@RNH2O]

I subbed back!​ Love the plants that is such a cool way to grow them. Thank you for sharing such helpful information.

[@Widquatics]

Thanks! 😀I love growing plants this way, you should give it try! 👍

[@mellewedin8221]

Just so you know, when you let mosses dry out you don't kill them. They are just dormant. That moss was still good. It's best to let it go dormant, then put it in your tank and it would have bounced right back. I have taken some land mosses and gotten them to grow underwater and stay growing. Thank you so much for showing me to propagate my plants faster.

[@HCAqua]

Great project! Good idea on the dividers.

[@Widquatics]

thank you!

[@ruthmeow4262]

Great starter video. I prefer using pots and setting them in water to keep the runners under control and then slap labels in them. Pop them under a shop light on my plant rack and good to go. Even if you don't have an aquarium, this is an easy way to grow 'exotic' and different plants.

[@Widquatics]

I used to have a set up similar to what you described and I agree, it's a great way to contain the plants and keep track of many species. And you are absolutely right, so many non aquatic plants love growing in these high humidity environments! Thanks for watching Ruth! 😀

[@noah295463]

Wow , Great video. Very informative .

[@Widquatics]

Thanks for watching Noah! 😀👍

[@HaYNFishKeeper]

Nice job makes sense to just grow plants and get them ready for the tanks 🤙🏽🐠🤙🏽

[@CaylorsReptilesAquatics]

Very informative content. Thanks for clearing up some of my misconceptions about Imersed plant growing. Pretty sure that's subwassertang aka liver wort. I have it in a few tanks, submersed.

[@Widquatics]

Thank you very much Bob! And thanks for your help identifying the subwassertang I was leaning towards that as well. Either way its an awesome looking plant! :)

[@maxl5112]

This channel deserves more subs!

[@Widquatics]

I really appreciate that! 😀 Thanks for watching!

[@Fishing_Addiction_Miami]

Great work!!! awesome video!!!

[@Widquatics]

Thank you!! :)

[@sherrysfishroom6597]

Very interesting. Nice little project to keep going. We all have extra plants. Thanks so much. Great job with your channel. Welcome.

[@Widquatics]

Thank you so much!😀

[@markvickery5894]

Sherry'S Fishroom I don’t😔I’m still a beginner

[@MCAQUIN0]

subwassertang does well rooted? did you have success? mine is browning in the aquarium

[@optionmaster221]

so if I understand this well when you plant these emmersed , unlike in aquarium there's no need to make sure that rhynzone is not planted right?

[@jenboolynch]

very informative

[@Widquatics]

Thanks for watching Jennifer! 😀

[@cheapskatetanks8200]

What type of soil u are using, can we use aqua soil? Like I hate a lot of them, so can we use it to grow these plants?

[@doctorwigglespank8933]

I'm new to the planted aquarium hobby and I'm currently setting up a 20 gallon to grow plants for a pair of 55 gallon aquariums that haven't been used for several years (I'll set them up later this summer, but wanted to have a cycled tank & a get a head-start on the plants). Growing them emersed seems like a much faster way, not to mention cheaper. Am I correct that the leaves of plants grown emersed will die off when planted in a tank, but will regrow? I'd love to grow my own anubias, java fern and a few others this way. I've been watching your other videos and they are very informative. I've subscribed & I look forward to more content.

[@Widquatics]

That's a good idea to get a head start on the plants now, the more plants you can add into a new aquarium the less likely you will be to having algae problems because the plants will have a better chance competing with algae and using up excess nutrients so less algae can grow. You are correct that some plants will die back (aka "melt") when transitioning from emersed to submerged but if you can keep the humidity high in your emersed setups by frequent mistings you can have a less dramatic melt when you do transition them. Also, I have had many cases where anubias didn't melt at all because I try to grow them in as high humidity as possible. But even if you do have your plants melt back, they will regrow and establish themselves in your aquarium with a little bit of time. Hope that helps I'm glad you enjoyed my videos, I appreciate your support! 😀

[@ramonmcintosh4677]

How long do you leave the container covered? Is it always covered all the time or do you take off the lids?

[@LordMerji]

How much water did you actually use when you first sprayed it down? It looked pretty muddy...so a lot I assume? I know someone asked about potting soil, would the water amount differ? I have a few bags on hand so might as well use it.

[@beingwithnature9882]

Please can you share an update? I m little unsure on how much the spray should be, should it be soaking or wet or floating a little

[@johnm4875]

Very good but I have 1 concern. When I bought plants from others who grew their plants emersed they always melted down when put into the tank. Won't these do the same?

[@taleandclawrock2606]

How did subwassertang go emersed? Its usually a floating rootless mass....ive tried it emersed with no luck....

[@Thomas.T8]

Hi Widquatics!!! My names Thomas. I have a couple questions regarding these. I used a tub with snap on lid, with my own compost and soil from my garden. There is light on the tub some part of the day. I have also bought dry products from my pharmacy to create my own ferts. So far its been a couple weeks and NO GROWTH! But the actual plant is still green🙈 Pls can you help me? I have been spraying the leaves, is this the problem so the plant isnt making roots but relying on the water I spray??

[@albertavila6765]

i am trying this but some plants are getting yellow :c, its maybe they are getting dry? I spray water everyday, its maybe the direct sun?

[@tsitsu8345]

How did you attach the light to the lid? And what kind of lamp did you use?

[@Widquatics]

I actually don't use any light for these tubs I leave them out in a window that gets a few hours of direct sunlight!😀

[@naveedaltaf]

Mate what type of plants we can grow this way

[@MsLinanator]

Yes, it’s subwassertang . I have a lot of it.

[@Widquatics]

Thank you for the ID! 😀 I have so much of it now too!

[@GrowingInterest]

Great and detailed guide 👍 I tried it once with Monte Carlo, but after a few weeks it began to stink, and I teared I apart. Do you know why? To wet?

[@Widquatics]

Thanks for watching! Hmm, that sounds a little strange but it could be that it was too wet or I have had some plants die if the tub gets to hot (leaving it outside in direct sunlight)

[@GrowingInterest]

@@Widquatics No it was just at the window shelf, the plants where growing and than rotting :(

[@Widquatics]

Hmm, I wish I had an answer for you, it could also have something to do with temperature maybe Monte Carlo is more temperature sensitive and needs a more tropical temperature to do well long term? Or it ended up growing and choked itself out and the lower stems died back and killed the plant, trimming it and spreading it around would help prevent that if that was the cause

[@jandref9139]

I had a similar experience. I believe it is ammonia leaching from the soil due to too much water EDIT: I tried this with almost no water, just a loght spray, and I got the same issue

[@9438758447]

What is the temperature you grow your plants? And which soil do u use? And what are the plants that can grow at 25 degree celcius and above? Thank u in advance. Plz reply

[@Widquatics]

Hey thanks for watching! My plants are growing at around 22 degrees Celsius! I have grown many species of tropical plants at 25 or above but keep in mind you will really have to make sure the humidity stays high if you are playing around with higher temperatures. The soil I'm using is the cheapest top soil I could buy, cost a few dollars a bag and says black earth on the bag.

[@lorib1696]

I got a big bag of organic garden soil at Lidl for $2 and a bunch of containers at Dollar Tree. (I don't like the Dollar tree potting soil too much because it seems to be all bark and sand.) When I got home I noticed that the soil I got from Lidl has worm castings mixed in. Will that make the substrate too rich?

[@peytonberg7872]

Nope, that's even better!

[@richardportelli1983]

You should try some buce also! I wanna try this out myself!

[@Widquatics]

Yeah ever since I've seen Buce I've loved that plant! I will have to pick some up, I think they would do very will in emersed setups!

[@richardportelli1983]

@@Widquatics It is so much nicer than anubias and it does not attract algae. I believe it grows faster also.

[@htheoys9993]

Can I use potting mix?

[@Widquatics]

Yup, I've done it in the past so it should work for you!

[@emielio16]

can you also use organic soil?

[@Widquatics]

Yeah I think the soil I normally use is organic even though the packaging calls it black earth topsoil, but any organic soil is what I like to use!

[@xobolte63]

New sub

[@Widquatics]

Thanks I'll be sure to check out your channel! 😀

[@prathyushpravinjith5818]

Can we use vermicompostnto grow an cfl bulb or sunlight

[@Widquatics]

Hey, I think you should be okay using the vermicompost as it probably has lots of nutrients accessible for the plants. As for the lighting I have had great success with both sunlight and cfl bulbs! Thanks

[@sengemini]

I have once used a mixture of vermicompost and common red soil 1:1 in a 10g aquarium. To prevent mixing into the water I topped it up with coarse sand gravel upto an & a half. The plants did wonderfully great

[@prathyushpravinjith5818]

@@sengemini I did only vermicompost twice and failed Algae used to cover the vermicompost and make the soil hard 1st attempt was same thing and after algae, the compost cracked and became hard, flakey

[@Mike-kt2mf]

what's the temperature of your room? Thanks

[@Widquatics]

It's cooler than I would prefer but it sits around 20 degrees Celsius or 68 F

[@Mike-kt2mf]

well, I just hesitate, if the temperature in my room is not tolerant of the emersed method because if it is daytime and can reach 30°c in Indonesia. Thank you, I always wait for the next update👍

[@Widquatics]

I would give it a try anyways! Maybe just test it out with a few different plant trimmings to start and see what happens. Many aquarium plants come from tropical regions with temperatures similar to yours so they should do fine. If anything, they might grow faster than mine because of the warmer temperatures. Let me know how it goes and thanks for your support! 😀👍

[@Mike-kt2mf]

okay, I will try again with this method, because of my doubts also because of my experience, maybe there are several factors that I don't know about here other than temperature.😁

[@Widquatics]

@@Mike-kt2mf Yeah that's possible, just remember to really keep the humidity high by spraying it often, aim for condensation on the lid and walls of the tub. Good luck and keep me updated!

[@hassanmunir1460]

What are the results?! Kindly make a video on their progress and update us. Thanks

[@Widquatics]

Overall everything is growing well for the most part, I will be updating this tub and showing a few more that I made shortly! Thanks for watching! 😀

[@muhd.faizaladnan245]

@@Widquatics cant wait to see the result 😁

[@rashednizamrobi2664]

everytime you are uploading a video you are missing a thing, that is how to keep it under the sunlight, covered or uncovered, or cover with transparent poly or anything else, please clearify the confision. Thank you. 🙂🙂

[@chris18228]

Yeah but if you grow out of the water then put them under the water they melt then have to re-grow

[@Widquatics]

Yeah, unfortunately that sometimes happens (but not always). But the idea is to grow out and propagate more plants emersed so that even if they need to regrow when transitioning you still would end up with more individual plants after everything is all said and done! Hope that makes sense, thanks for watching Chris! 😀

[@ruthmeow4262]

But this way you can grow up a healthy root system that you might not get from store bought, and a lot of store bought plants are grown emersed anyway.

[@BigCajun]

I asked you this question under another of your videos but you did not reply. Is it because I asked it in the wrong video or are you too overwhelmed to answer questions? My question is do you think that Vallisneria can be grown through your Immersed method?

[@peytonberg7872]

No, all types of val are purely aquatic. They grow like weeds tho.

[@bernatrosello4375]

half of the words he said in the video were, "AAAAAAMMMM"