So I’m still new in the bonsai world! But after successfully reviving my budda belly fig from frost bite and he had some amazing new shoots I decide to branch out and get belly fig #2!
I’ve seen a lot of blogs saying to submerge you bonsai and other saying NO NO NO!!
I decided to try watering my #1 by submerging him briefly however, this was a total fail! A few days later ALL his leaves dropped off, his trunk got soft and wrinkly and now he is showing clear signs of fungus. All this from one dunk!

So I want to know what people recommend, to dunk or not to dunk?

On a side note, I’ve tried all the tricks to try and restore #1 with no luck =(

Last but not least, for the 2yr I had my #1 I watered him purely with water from my fish tank. This was warm, had iron and fertilizer in it and my little guy seemed to love it! But now I’m worried this might have been a building up cause of his end?

And advice would be appreciated!!

melon wrote:

So I’m still new in the bonsai world!

Welcome to the forum!

melon wrote:

I decided to try watering my #1 by submerging him briefly however, this was a total fail!

You should have asked first. Don't dunk or drown your plants.

melon wrote:

I watered him purely with water from my fish tank. This was warm, had iron and fertilizer in it..

I have never heard of any benefits from aquarium water to bonsai. But maybe it's a technique I still have to learn.

Soak = Death

I use water from the fish tank when I clean it out. There is a lot of "organic matter" mixed in and that probably helps. I would never soak any root ball, but I might submerge it briefly. I remember reading that what most plants want is water vapor, not water, so too much water just drowns them. Has anybody else heard that?

Correct. And when you dunk you take out all air that roots need to breath and they die eventually.

melon wrote:

So I want to know what people recommend, to dunk or not to dunk?

Most definitely, regularly submerging a tree or dunking it in water is a long term sure way of killing your trees. So I´d abide by the NOT dunking team.

Ivan wrote:

I use water from the fish tank when I clean it out. There is a lot of "organic matter" mixed in and that probably helps.

The "probably" part is the one that concerns me. I´ve never heard of anyone using old, depleted water (probably lacks oxygen) from a fish tank to water their trees. But, hey, maybe this is a new technique that should be tested. Please, do keep us updated with your progress. Now, just one question...

If nutrients (organic matter, for instance) are to be supplied to our trees, why not buying or getting an appropriated fertilizer and using it, instead of using old, depleted fish tank water?

Ivan wrote:

I would never soak any root ball, but I might submerge it briefly. I remember reading that what most plants want is water vapor, not water, so too much water just drowns them. Has anybody else heard that?

Again... Watering guidelines might help here:

www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/bonsai-care/watering

Hope this might result helpful...

Alain

alainleon1983 wrote:

I´ve never heard of anyone using old, depleted water (probably lacks oxygen) from a fish tank to water their trees. But, hey, maybe this is a new technique that should be tested.
...
If nutrients (organic matter, for instance) are to be supplied to our trees, why not buying or getting an appropriated fertilizer and using it, instead of using old, depleted fish tank water?

Tank water is constantly having its oxygen replenished. The reason why it is replaced is because of a build-up of nitrates that kill animals but are used by plants for growth.

Ed

BonsaiLearner wrote:

Tank water is constantly having its oxygen replenished.

That is in case a of using a recycling machine or an oxygenator device, I suppose. This hasn´t been confirmed by Ivan Mann (I think).

BonsaiLearner wrote:

The reason why it is replaced is because of a build-up of nitrates that kill animals but are used by plants for growth.

That is something useful to know. Thanks. However... I´d still probably stick to the traditional way and use an ole good fertilizer.


Thanks Ed...

Alain

As long as the surface of the water is moving oxygen isn't an issue. Nitrates, nitrites, phosphorus and ammonia will be in that tank water, and all are good or bad depending on the ppm.
As far as dunking, the local bonsai club I joined dunked all the maples at the repotting class last year after the repot. Sounds like that me be a bad idea?