# Plant Propagation Tanks



## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

Just thought I would share some pictures of my propagation tanks made out of Visions. I have a stack of three of these, although I need to get a heater for the top one, and some new light bulbs for the bottom one, which has held me up on setting up the other two. I just changed the lighting (rats ate the ballast cords for my old lights while being stored in my friends garage >.<) and had to take everything apart, sterilize it, and reassemble it. The new set up is 2x2' 6700K t5 lights, a 65 watt 6700K power compact light, a 25 watt aquarium heater set at 78 degrees with a small pump set up below the false bottom, and a 4" fan installed, although I usually don't need to use it. The top tank will be the exact same set up as this one, although I may have the fan on intermittently and move all the orchids up there, just needed somewhere to stick them for now. The bottom tank has 2x28 watt power compact lights and a false bottom, and will be used for growing moss and other low light plants. I just put in some orchids, begonias, ficus, gesneriads, ferns, peperomias, pileas, and some other unknown stuff that I'm still trying to figure out. I'll post more pictures when I get the other stuff planted and the other tanks set up. Crossing my fingers this works as well as my school's greenhouse!


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## ritersofly (Oct 23, 2010)

wow looks great! looks like youll get quite a bit of productivity with this set up, idk why I can hardly get anything to look healthy in my propagation tanks, but once placed into vivs the plants do great after acclimation...

what kind of soil mix do you use for the non-epyphitic plants?
that white stuff is pumice correct? or perlite?


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

Thanks! I do 50/50 perlite and peat moss, the same I used at my college for our gesneriads, hoping it works well with the other stuff here too.


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## laylow (Apr 6, 2009)

Ive been seriously wanting to give get a tank and have a steady supply of plants like that. I like it a lot!

Shaw


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

I've been thinking about seting up something similar myself but definitely not as advanced as your setup. Kudoz. How many different species are you propogating? What I really mean is how many species are you cloning\clipping? And finally for what purpose have you set your system up?


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

I have roughly 70-80 species/cultivars to play with currently, but some of them are going to be awhile before they're established enough to take cuttings. My friend owns a reptile store in Orange County and wants to try out ready made vivariums in his store, and since buying any of these plants in large lots isn't feasible, we decided to propagate our own. Being as I'm the green thumb out of the two of us, and they're my tanks, somehow I was nominated heh.


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## Dartfrogfreak (Jun 22, 2005)

Thats very awesome!

My propagation tanks arent near as nice LOL


Todd


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## TExeter (Apr 15, 2009)

Great set up.
I was toying with different ideas for types of tanks, but your idea of the plastic viv is great.
Good luck and keep the photos coming.


TE


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

Took me longer than I thought getting the last two tanks set up. I got the heater for the top tank, we spent a couple of hours installing the new lighting, got the false bottom in and the plants situated, started filling it with water, and then heard the dreaded "drip, drip, drip". The bulkhead in the back had apparently come loose while moving it, so had to take out all the plants, empty the bottom of the tank, run to the hardware store AGAIN, buy silicone and plumbing tape, and patch it all back up. Two days later we filled it again, and it seems to be holding up fine now. The bottom tank is the moss tank, only has 2 pcf 28w lights, although hamilton discontinued them so I need to wait until next week for the other to come in. The left hand tray is full of riccia moss and some floaters, and the other tupperware containers are java moss, flame moss, and xmas tree moss. The middle tank is now solely for rooting cuttings, and the top tank is for orchids, ferns, and what will be the mother plants. I bought a digital timer for my fan on the top, and will have it set up to come on maybe ten mins every hour, will have to play around with it and see how it does with the humidity. If anyone wants to help me identify my unknown plants, I would greatly appreciate. I can try to get better pics later, these are just off the cell phone.





































Fittonia, not sure on the species









Pilea, I'm guessing microphylla?









Ficus, not sure what species









Ficus again, looks a little more wrinkled than the normal, but not enough to be crinkles, any ideas?









Episcia, not sure on the cultivar though









Is this a pennywort?









Peperomia with small heart shaped leaves, a climber


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

No idea what this is, very stiff stems, small hairs, and likes to climb









I'm guessing a microgramma? Has rather smallish ovate leaves









Guessing this is Ruellia? I've only seen the brittoniana before at school.


















Selaginella, no idea what kind 









A rather small epiphytic fern









Syngonium rayii? The first leaf got damaged in shipping, but there is a new one coming up









No idea what this fern is 








spore pattern on a frond









Another unknown epiphytic fern









Another Microgramma I'm guessing?









Unknown Episcia cultivar, pink and brown


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

And now for some pics of known plants, I just happen to think they're cute >.<

Begonia 'Shari A'









Peperomia trifolia









Alsobia 'San Miguel'


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 18, 2011)

I can confirm that you Pennywort is indeed Hydrocoytle leucocephala. I've kept it often, grown fully aquatic.


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

Thank you!! It seems to be going crazy growing emersed too, it's doubled in size in about two weeks.


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## Otis (Apr 16, 2006)

Fittonia looks like albivenis. The ruellia looks like a plant I've seen referred to as Ruelba macroyana mostly but I've seen a few labels applied to this plant and I think they have all been the same species. The second ficus looks like the standard form, pumila, just a little dried out. The first one may be the panamanian type?

Really nice ferns!


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

Thanks, I really did get some neat ferns to play with  I've seen pics of the Panama type ficus, and I think you might be right. I was thinking the Ficus pumila might be the minima, I guess I'll know when it gets larger though and I can see some new growth.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Those plant tanks do look great, looks like you're building up quite the collection of Begonias and gesneriads too.

Whats the Pearcea species in the third pic, can't read the tag? I have something similar from an Ecuador collection that is supposably P. abunda.

BTW, the lighting looks rediculously bright!


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

The Pearcea is actually Pearcea schimpfii. The larger leaves are curling up though, no actual leaf damage or bugs, not sure what's going on, but there is a ton of new growth coming up under them. The plant lighting 5 yrs ago was 2 55 watt power compacts per tank, but one of the ballasts wonked out, so we used a dual 2' t5 fixture in place of one of the pcf fixtures in each tank. Those are really hard to balance the lighting in, you need something on either side of the heat light dome since you can't just put one light down the middle. The ridiculously high light has worked out pretty well, those plants have doubled or in some cases actually tripled their size since putting them in there not even a month ago.


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

Here's an updated pic of the top tank, further reinforcing why I need the new rack. I just got a box in of dried out resurrection ferns, and have been working to rehydrate them a few at a time and then mount them. That wall of ferns goes back 20" and only has 6 plants on it, still have over 2/3rds of the box left to go. I can't wait for the new tanks next week!!


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## Qfrogs (Feb 2, 2011)

Outstanding looking plants and tanks. I have been looking for some possibilities for some grow out tanks myself. Where did you receive your plants from? Especially those epiphitic ferns. Really cool looking!


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

Thanks! I've gotten plants from quite a few places. Some are from Rob's Violets, some are from individuals I've met through friends, and the resurrection ferns were from finding someone in Florida willing to ship me some. Just takes some searching to find what you want. Once I'm done rehydrating the ferns, and making sure they came through ok, I should have quite a few extras available for sale or trade, it was just easier to buy them in bulk than to get a few.


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## chinoanoah (Mar 9, 2009)

Very cool. Thanks for sharing.


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

I finally finished clearing out all the mother plants from my propagation tanks into the other plant rack, and had a chance to finally use this for what it was intended for. I took cuttings of Pilea glauca, Pilea cadierei, Peperomia scandens, Ficus 'Quercifolia', a neat little unidentified Callisia, Dischidia ovata, Pilea microphylla, Syngonium rayii, Begonia prismatocarpa, Selaginella uncinata, Ruellia, Fittonia, Hydrocotyle leucocephala, Hydrocotyle verticillata, some Episcias, and a bunch of Rhaphidophoras. I'm actually writing down the date of the cuttings too, so I can start to remember how long each one takes from start to finish. So glad this project is pretty much over


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## motydesign (Feb 27, 2011)

if you dont mind me asking, where are you finding all these beautiful plants?


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## miko12 (Mar 25, 2011)

Nice plants Bonnie!

Good to see a fellow SCAPEr here too...


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## fishmommy (Dec 23, 2006)

Wow, that is SO awesome!


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## Molch (Jul 15, 2011)

BonnieLorraine said:


>


Hi Bonnie (or others), 
what is that fibrous mat on your orchid wall? I'm looking for something similar to propagate offshoots of my java ferns. Could one use that under water as well? Where did you get it?
Cheers


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

It's actually a cut up coco fiber mat like they sell at Home Depot to line window boxes with. Should be fine under water I would imagine, but I've never actually tested it.


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## HDreptiles (Jun 20, 2011)

I know you mentioned growing some things emersed, and was wondering how many and what kind of plants you had emersed? And what do you keep your temps at and how? Sorry, noob here and I was thinking of trying to grow some aquarium plants emersed and see how I do. If I can add some viv plants as well, that would be great.

And awesome looking planter tanks. I love it.


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## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

HDreptiles said:


> I know you mentioned growing some things emersed, and was wondering how many and what kind of plants you had emersed? And what do you keep your temps at and how? Sorry, noob here and I was thinking of trying to grow some aquarium plants emersed and see how I do. If I can add some viv plants as well, that would be great.
> 
> And awesome looking planter tanks. I love it.


considering a good chunk of "aquatic plants'' are actually found above water, you can usually just stick them in dirt, and keep it wet and humid, until it acclimates...


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

Thanks.
So far it's just the pennyworts. I put them in a shallow container of water, and allow them to grow up above the water. Then I take out what's growing above the water, and stick it in dirt, rather easy.


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## HDreptiles (Jun 20, 2011)

BonnieLorraine said:


> Thanks.
> So far it's just the pennyworts. I put them in a shallow container of water, and allow them to grow up above the water. Then I take out what's growing above the water, and stick it in dirt, rather easy.





boabab95 said:


> considering a good chunk of "aquatic plants'' are actually found above water, you can usually just stick them in dirt, and keep it wet and humid, until it acclimates...


Thanks for the info guys.


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

Updated pics:


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## Lbacha (Sep 7, 2011)

. 

Here is my emersed grow out tank just some water in the bottom and emersed plants sitting in the water and non emersed sitting on up side down pots to elevate them..

Len


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## penfold (Nov 20, 2010)

BonnieLorraine said:


> Another unknown epiphytic fern


I know you said this was an unknown, but do you or anyone else have any idea what it might be? The genus even? I'd love to be able to find one.

Also, I have some mounted Dischidias hanging on a coco fiber mat like yours, and they've grown onto (and into) the mat pretty thoroughly in several areas. I was a bit surprised.


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

Nice grow out tank Len! What kind of aquatic plants do you have in there?

Harry thought it was Vittaria lineata. Mine unfortunately didn't make it, it was never happy wherever I put it. 

The Dischidias root in quite a bit, but I was actually more surprised by how much my epiphytic ferns root in, I have to pull the coco mat away from them in pieces to get them off.


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## Lbacha (Sep 7, 2011)

BonnieLorraine said:


> Nice grow out tank Len! What kind of aquatic plants do you have in there?
> 
> Harry thought it was Vittaria lineata. Mine unfortunately didn't make it, it was never happy wherever I put it.
> 
> The Dischidias root in quite a bit, but I was actually more surprised by how much my epiphytic ferns root in, I have to pull the coco mat away from them in pieces to get them off.


Almost everything in there is an Aroid of some type other than about 5 different Jewel orchids (neat little plants) the aroid types I have are

Bucephalandra (15 different ecotypes)
Lagenandra (3 species)
Bakoa sp.
Piptospatha sp.
Cryptocorynes (a lot of different ones)
Anubias coffeofolia
Schismatoglottis (2 species)

A lot of what's in there is being grown out to be put in a 75 gallon Borneo stream biotope terrarium I'm working on (that's what the foam rocks on top of the tank are for) I'll be starting a thread for it in the next week or so. 

One of these days I'll be in touch with you for some of the raphidophoras you have (another neat aroid)










Len


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## penfold (Nov 20, 2010)

Len,

That is an awesome collection! Can't wait to see the Borneo biotope. I'd love to take a trip there someday.


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

Very cool! Looks like it took a lot of work getting that plant collection together.


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## Hornet (Sep 29, 2010)

G'day Bonnie, What size are the tanks your using? And what size are the square pots you use?


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

The tanks are Vision 222's, so roughly 2'x2'x2'. The square pots are 2.5" I believe.


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## Lbacha (Sep 7, 2011)

Thanks for the compliments, I have unfortunately spent more time (and money) collecting the plants for my terrarium than actually building it, I have next week off so it will be hard scape time..

Len


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

Hi Len,
Very impressive collection of Bornean aroids! Bucephelandras are a favorite of mine. Are you planning on keeping the tank a little on the cooler side? Anyway, just want to wish you good luck.


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

Well done. I didn't look at every post, so I'm not sure if this was answered, but regarding the two ficus on the first page: the first one is what people refer to as Ficus sp. "Panama" and the second is standard Ficus pumila (when grown as a house plant or in more dry conditions, the leaves can look crinkled like that).


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## gardennub (Dec 10, 2011)

Awesome setup and nice pics! Thats a nice collection of plants you have. Im jealous lol.


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## tmos540 (Dec 9, 2011)

Wow. My family has a recessive green thumb gene. I am pretty good at keeping plants, but my mom? 
Uh anyways, that is incredible, did you major in botany or something? I can keep some of the hardier plants looking healthy, but DAMN THOSE PLANTS LOOK GOOD! Incidentally, I am slowly accumulating the supplies for a paludarium, stocked with hardy New World frogs fish, and plants. You wouldn't happen to be interested in selling some of those amazing plants to me once the weather gets a bit more conducive to shipping plants, would you? Not to seem over-complementary, but I have seen plants in zoos and public exhibits that don't look like those plants. 
Thanks,
Ja Andaflor (say it a few times out loud, it will come to you)


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## BonnieLorraine (Jan 23, 2011)

I'm actually an ornamental horticulture major, and used to be in charge of the greenhouse propagation for my internship at the college. I was also a landscape gardener at Disneyland, but that hasn't helped much with the vivarium stuff lol. 

I list plant packages for sale every month or so, along with vending at the shows in southern Cali (we have a big one this next weekend), or what I usually do is custom packages for people, they set the price range and what kinds of plants they're looking for (fillers, groundcovers, vines, bromeliads, etc), and I put a package of cuttings together. 

Thanks for all the compliments, always nice to hear


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## tmos540 (Dec 9, 2011)

Sweet, I am gonna have to study the photos you posted again, I would love to buy some plants! I didn't see any orchids (probably because they weren't in bloom), but you mentioned you had some. What would you recommend for a coconut husk floor of a smaller enclosure? I was gonna do some small planters on the side of the cork wall, add.some soil to them, what would you recommend? I was going to set up a misting austen that would feed from the water feature, as it will cover the entire footprint of the tank I am going to use, and I will dose with a wide-spectrum aquarium fertilizer, so the water will have nutrients already in it. Any recommendations for amphibian-safe substrate additives, or should just a high-quality coconut husk work?


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