So I got this idea of course from the sticky on cheap plant diy filters lol. Here is the link http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?504763-Cheap-plants-less-nitrate!-POTHOS
I did not use pothos though. I'm not sure but the vine I already had hanging out of the back of the tank may have been pothos. Some type of ivy anyway. So yeah after reading that sticky I realized that my fav plant in the world would work perfect for this potentially. COLEUS!!! There are hundreds of gorgeous varieties of this plant. Most do extremely well in low lit environments. They can survive in very harsh soil conditions and root like crazy in just straight tap water. So why wouldn't it work? I have kept several indoors for years. So long as you give them water they live and grow like crazy. I use to take about 1 lbs of clippings from one single stalk weekly. So some of the warnings about this plant is that it is known to have hallucinogenic side effects. I would not recommend eating, or smoking this plant like some idiots do.
Materials
Lowes
2 Large coleus pots from the outside lawn and garden section $1.50 on clearance
I think they didn't realize they can't be in direct sunlight as they look pretty burnt. They are a shade plant perfect for indoor use.
4 10" water plant baskets $2 each on sale
1 Bag pea gravel $3.50
1 Packet of coleus variety seeds
not using these in this just yet. Have to grow them in the flower garden first then I will rinse the roots and transfer them.
Coleus hate the cold and if kept outside will die off if temps drop into the 40s.
These plants grow crazy fast. I Made a topiary out of one and only took it like 2 months to get 3' tall. These plants are all topped to encourage root growth at first and then spreading for maximal growth later.
Basically just like in the sticky. Rinse your pea gravel well Mine still clouded the tank after 1 hr of rinsing. Maybe stir a little more than I did while rinsing. In the baskets is perfect.
Break the coleus plants out of the pots. Careful young plants break easily. Hang onto stalks longer than 3". Since they root so well in water I will just stick these down in the baskets to root and add to total plants in there.
Top the plants or take the growing leaf chutes off the top. This won't hurt the plant but eventually will encourage more growth. Coleus are known to grow longer indoors if you keep them from going to flower. Just keep toping them ever few days or weeks.
Rinse roots well. These were so bound that I didn't really have to cut the roots at all when finished. I just had to save some roots while trying to get all the foam and crap out of the root ball. lol.
Put plants root down in the pots and then set them in the back of your tank and voila instant plant filter. Luckily my tank was set up perfect for this.
Total costs was less than $20.
Time taken to set up was 1 hr. Could do it in 30 mins I was just taking my time lol.
I did not use pothos though. I'm not sure but the vine I already had hanging out of the back of the tank may have been pothos. Some type of ivy anyway. So yeah after reading that sticky I realized that my fav plant in the world would work perfect for this potentially. COLEUS!!! There are hundreds of gorgeous varieties of this plant. Most do extremely well in low lit environments. They can survive in very harsh soil conditions and root like crazy in just straight tap water. So why wouldn't it work? I have kept several indoors for years. So long as you give them water they live and grow like crazy. I use to take about 1 lbs of clippings from one single stalk weekly. So some of the warnings about this plant is that it is known to have hallucinogenic side effects. I would not recommend eating, or smoking this plant like some idiots do.
Materials
Lowes
2 Large coleus pots from the outside lawn and garden section $1.50 on clearance
I think they didn't realize they can't be in direct sunlight as they look pretty burnt. They are a shade plant perfect for indoor use.
4 10" water plant baskets $2 each on sale
1 Bag pea gravel $3.50
1 Packet of coleus variety seeds
not using these in this just yet. Have to grow them in the flower garden first then I will rinse the roots and transfer them.
Coleus hate the cold and if kept outside will die off if temps drop into the 40s.
These plants grow crazy fast. I Made a topiary out of one and only took it like 2 months to get 3' tall. These plants are all topped to encourage root growth at first and then spreading for maximal growth later.
Basically just like in the sticky. Rinse your pea gravel well Mine still clouded the tank after 1 hr of rinsing. Maybe stir a little more than I did while rinsing. In the baskets is perfect.
Break the coleus plants out of the pots. Careful young plants break easily. Hang onto stalks longer than 3". Since they root so well in water I will just stick these down in the baskets to root and add to total plants in there.
Top the plants or take the growing leaf chutes off the top. This won't hurt the plant but eventually will encourage more growth. Coleus are known to grow longer indoors if you keep them from going to flower. Just keep toping them ever few days or weeks.
Rinse roots well. These were so bound that I didn't really have to cut the roots at all when finished. I just had to save some roots while trying to get all the foam and crap out of the root ball. lol.
Put plants root down in the pots and then set them in the back of your tank and voila instant plant filter. Luckily my tank was set up perfect for this.
Total costs was less than $20.
Time taken to set up was 1 hr. Could do it in 30 mins I was just taking my time lol.
looks cool to me, and good thing plants here are pretty cheap as a 1-3 dollar cheap each..