FireMedic's hydroponics idea - success fail stories

[groelzj]

I like the sounds of this. I went out and bought Pothos sp. today and some Spathaphylium (peace lily) today to give it a try. The peace lily was because that's what they used to keep with the bettas in a vase a few years back. My grandmother still keeps her peace lilies that way though the betta is long dead. She couldn't get the lily out of the neck of the vase she used after a while and it's quite likely what killed the fish.

 

[knifegill]

Why are you guys talking about wanting nitrates?

 

[andyjs]

My question is, will these plants totally eliminate nitrates?

It depends on the stocking of the tank and the number of plants, but they can. I've actually upped the feeding in my lungfish tank, partly to see if I can get a little faster growth out of him, and partly because the nitrates occasionally dip below 5 ppm now that the plants are taking off and it's starting to cause cyanobacteria blooms.

Why are you guys talking about wanting nitrates?

Really low nitrates can sometimes allow for cyanobacteria to outcompete other algaes and really take off. Part of my problem was that I added extra light for some new plants in the tank, but in the really low nitrates it caused the cyanobacteria to take off

 

[bbenjamin21]

It depends on the stocking of the tank and the number of plants, but they can. I've actually upped the feeding in my lungfish tank, partly to see if I can get a little faster growth out of him, and partly because the nitrates occasionally dip below 5 ppm now that the plants are taking off and it's starting to cause cyanobacteria blooms.

yea I guess it's a trial and error type deal. My tank is pretty well stocked. Home depot and lowes didn't have any so I'll be trying some garden stores after work.

 

[spotfin]

Pothos can be found in your local grocery store, on occasion, in the floral department.

 

[Just Toby]

ILike all swords they use a lot of iron so you'll need to stick a small iron nail or wire in the styro foam right where it meets the water.

t.

I need some more info on this...I am not 100% sure that would get iron to the plant...are nails even made of iron? AND more importantly if this were to work would the metals not be harmful to the rays such as copper etc?

I am not saying you are wrong but I think this is pretty important to clarify...I am not sure I want rusty metal in any tank?

 

[andyjs]

Pothos can be found in your local grocery store, on occasion, in the floral department.

Your local Walmart likely has some too, especially now that it's getting close to spring

 

[jdbrock]

I need some more info on this...I am not 100% sure that would get iron to the plant...are nails even made of iron? AND more importantly if this were to work would the metals not be harmful to the rays such as copper etc?

I am not saying you are wrong but I think this is pretty important to clarify...I am not sure I want rusty metal in any tank?

You can get iron nails you just have to look hard (roofing nails mostly).

I use iron wire (ordered from Fischer scientific) in my sponge filter so the water goes across it. The rays don't ever seemed to have noticed.

The swords are healthy this way. Lots of times you'll get large potted swords and other high iron plants that have nails right in the pot. The iron rusts forming Fe2O3 (subscripts available?) which is partly water soluble. Roots absorb it and the cells keep making chlorophyll.

There are also "fish safe" iron supplements available on the market but I'm warry of dumping any chemical into my tanks and it seems there would be more of it in the tank at a time than a slowly rusting nail would produce.

If your still not sure about the iron some of the aquatic plant websites will be of help.

 

[Horiyoshi III]

Also funny that you guys can't find the weed of houseplants...Pothos.
Just goes to show you how diff. parts of the country are.

My whole neon "colony" was started off of a growth shoot that "fell" into my carriage at home depot.Shucks, it was a damn stray leaf...no stealing there.

Give them over ten dollars for Pothos just to buy the fancy pot!!!
Drop that growth shoot right here!Hahaha!
Besides, that bloody plant grew that damned shoot back in no time.

Now I can't get rid of the stuff! Hey, the plants are growing fast in my tank, so apparently they are using 100% of the available nutrients/waste available towards their growth.

My HITH prone cichs. have never looked better either.

This thread rocks....thanks man.

 

[Just Toby]

You can get iron nails you just have to look hard (roofing nails mostly).

I use iron wire (ordered from Fischer scientific) in my sponge filter so the water goes across it. The rays don't ever seemed to have noticed.

The swords are healthy this way. Lots of times you'll get large potted swords and other high iron plants that have nails right in the pot. The iron rusts forming Fe2O3 (subscripts available?) which is partly water soluble. Roots absorb it and the cells keep making

If your still not sure about the iron some of the aquatic plant websites will be of help.

thanks for the extra info, I had no idea about this..appreciate it!