[video=youtube;8YBIr-vu4rE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YBIr-vu4rE[/video]
this is almost doing it for me i still need more
this is almost doing it for me i still need more
Plant only filtration (why not popular in the hobby???)
- Thread starter JK47
- Start date
Thanks for the info Albert. I will update on how it goes after a while. If worse comes to worse I can move it to another section of the sump.
I have the pothos and peace Lilly in plastic pots (sump and weir) so they are easy to take out and monitor. I have cut lots of holes in the pots to increase water flow through the pots. I dont want them getting tangled with the bio balls.
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I have the pothos and peace Lilly in plastic pots (sump and weir) so they are easy to take out and monitor. I have cut lots of holes in the pots to increase water flow through the pots. I dont want them getting tangled with the bio balls.
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Prof-Rob,
That is a good idea about the plastic pots. I just have mine floating in my tank (right now just pothos, but I got a philodendron to try, a peace lily, and what looked like the arrowhead plant people were talking about). People suggested putting it in the wet/dry or my overflow boxes, but I just didn't want to risk roots growing places I don't want them - also as mentioned before I am hoping to get a shelf planter built in the back on the tank. Hopefully I am able to start today!!!
That is a good idea about the plastic pots. I just have mine floating in my tank (right now just pothos, but I got a philodendron to try, a peace lily, and what looked like the arrowhead plant people were talking about). People suggested putting it in the wet/dry or my overflow boxes, but I just didn't want to risk roots growing places I don't want them - also as mentioned before I am hoping to get a shelf planter built in the back on the tank. Hopefully I am able to start today!!!
Hey guys, I picked up another 125g tank yesterday off craigslist (woohoo!!! 
I love my wife) and it came with a canister filter and two HOB filters (penguin 350). This tank we bought for the future because we are going to be moving down to TN in December to a larger apartment where I can actually set both 125g tanks up. We were going to wait but got a great deal and tanks are not as available and more expensive in TN than in Chicagoland.
My question is I have read about people putting plants in their HOB filters. I was going to build a shelf planter, but just haven't had the time. So is this something that can be done, and if so do I need to do anything besides just place the plants in the filter? Do I need to worry about roots growing into the impeller or anything? Pics of others that have done this would be awesome.
Thanks.
I love my wife) and it came with a canister filter and two HOB filters (penguin 350). This tank we bought for the future because we are going to be moving down to TN in December to a larger apartment where I can actually set both 125g tanks up. We were going to wait but got a great deal and tanks are not as available and more expensive in TN than in Chicagoland.My question is I have read about people putting plants in their HOB filters. I was going to build a shelf planter, but just haven't had the time. So is this something that can be done, and if so do I need to do anything besides just place the plants in the filter? Do I need to worry about roots growing into the impeller or anything? Pics of others that have done this would be awesome.
Thanks.
The roots wont grow into the impeller, on the 55 I ran those filters until it crapped out. I checked and the roots were not near the impeller but everywhere else. If you have any media or pads the plant WILL go ape on those. Ya just plop the roots in the filter chamber and your ready to roll.
i just ordered some water lettuce and im gona place it in my tank, im excited cause they grow extensive roots which will add to the decor of my tank and give cover for my fish that like the shade of plants and also i hear they are great and absorbing nitrates so maybe i can finally skimp on the large amounts of water changes i perform cause my tank is slightly over stock. i have a pathos in the sump but i have to use another light source for it + even tho it is finally taking off in terms of growth it i dont feel like its makeing much of a dent in the nitrate levels.
If your tank is overstocked your going to need ALOT of plants to control nitrates. Maybe perhaps 200+ potho leaves. Plants are not magic makers, if you have enough they help, if you have alot even better. I only have a 160 and have alot of plants, but I need atleast double the plant to get my nitrates at 0-5ppm. So I hover around 10-12 per week with 3-4 feeding a week.
New to this subject here.. a few questions!
I have black tahitian moon sand from caribsea. Although I wish I had chosen the nutrient rich sands (I wasn't intending on keeping live plants), is it okay to place plants directly into this sand or would it be better to place the roots into a sponge like material first and then place that underneath a coat of sand? perhaps the sponge material will allow for better aeration while still allowing for owners to keep their sand beds?
Suppose my water parameters stay where they need to be, fully submerged plants can thrive without added fertilizers or extra nutrients? Side note.. I get a decent amount of light indirectly shining into the room with the tank.
Also, people keep mentioning a direct correlation between the number of leaves and how much nitrates these plants can "suck" up. What difference does it make as it seems most of you guys have your leaves above the water level? Does anyone know if fully submerged leaves suck up more nitrates than plants above? Or am I getting this all wrong and the nitrates are sucked up through the roots...
The leaves are not actually sucking the water directly. The water enters the plants through the roots, and then through transpiration (a process I won't go into) the water is sucked up into the leaves where the nutrients are used (nitrates, phosphates, etc.). So the correlation between the number of leaves and the amount of nitrates is really a correlation between the number of leaves and the amount of nitrates used when making food. The process is pretty much the same for submerged plants. I do not know whether fully submerged plants use more nitrates per leaf, but usually it can be hard to get enough submerged plants in the tank to make much of a difference depending on your stock.
Hope that helps.
Hope that helps.
From what I've read from most people here growing their plants out of the tank, it is MUCH less effective than growing submerged plants. Everyone keeps getting excited when their nitrates only get to 10ppm in a week, while in my tanks I have to add about 40 ppm of nitrate week just to keep it from staying at 0. And that's with a modest amount of vals, some bolbitis, a tiger lotus, and a small amount of hygro. And the tank is VERY heavily stocked with large carnivorous fish.
As to your questions Dammit, plants like fine substrates. Most plants in the wild are in fine sands and clays. The plants actually transport oxygen through their roots from the plant. Keeping the rock wool or similar substance on them won't do anything but restrict their growth. If you have vigorous plant growth, you will likely need to add ferts of some sort eventually. Indirect light won't do anything for the plants either. Even direct sunlight is filtered through glass which is very good at filtering out a lot of the light. Think what happens when you take a house plant and put it outside in the sun. All the leaves bleach due to the light being too strong for what they're used to.
As to your questions Dammit, plants like fine substrates. Most plants in the wild are in fine sands and clays. The plants actually transport oxygen through their roots from the plant. Keeping the rock wool or similar substance on them won't do anything but restrict their growth. If you have vigorous plant growth, you will likely need to add ferts of some sort eventually. Indirect light won't do anything for the plants either. Even direct sunlight is filtered through glass which is very good at filtering out a lot of the light. Think what happens when you take a house plant and put it outside in the sun. All the leaves bleach due to the light being too strong for what they're used to.
