nitrate absorbing plants

[esoxlucius]

I've read so much lately about the immense benefits of using pothos in your tank to reduce nitrates. My 160g tank has a nice sturdy lid which i don't want to start butchering to make room for plants so i was thinking of growing them down in my sump. From what i've seen and read pothos is extremely fast growing, the vines get everywhere, i don't want a jungle in my sump preventing me from doing maintainance. So my question would be, are there any slow growing, hardy plants out there that require minimal lighting and, like pothos, are still great at maximum nitrate removal?

 

[convict360]

My pothos grow relatively slow, you probably won't have to trim them super frequently; probs just set them up in a dedicated corner perhaps

 

[Lawlboom]

My pothos also grows slow it depends on the amount of light you give it. I've had mine for about five months now and have about three new leaves havre grown

 

[xraycer]

As Lawbloom posted the growth is based on the amount of light exposure. However, a plant that grows well, will do an even better job at nitrate reduction. So, just let them grow and prune them back to your liking.

 

[monkeybike]

Spathyphillum

 

[Drstrangelove]

As Lawbloom posted the growth is based on the amount of light exposure. However, a plant that grows well, will do an even better job at nitrate reduction. So, just let them grow and prune them back to your liking.

This is the ticket.

Nitrate is removed by the plant for growth. All other things being equal, the faster it grows, the more it removes.

 

[esoxlucius]

Well i would prefer a good rate of nitrate removal so yeah it makes sense, faster growth = bigger plant= more nitrate absorption. I guess i wont get right far with a bonsai sized plant!!! Cheers guys i'll have a play.

 

[duanes]

While the leaves and vines will grow slowly or quickly depending on available light, roots can grow exceedingly fast, and thick either way. My pothos roots were extreme particulate collectors, so when I did water changes, I found pulling out the plants, and shaking them around in old tank water, helped in removing junk (I would also do this with bags of bio-media to keep bio-film robust).
I have seen some aquarists place pothos on egg crate to make its removal,and replacement, for this kind of cleaning easier, and do maintenance on other components of the sump, while the pothos was out of the way.

 

[Lawlboom]

Here's mine the second picture is the only new growth, I have cats so I don't really want it growing to much but I do not supplement the Lightning. It only gets the little bit that peeks through the blinds.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Super slow growing rhizome plants like anubia and java fern won't do much for you in terms of nitrate reduction. Faster growing stem/root plants consume more, but at the end of the day, if it's water changes you want to avoid, there's no getting out of them unless you reduce stocking level and feed super lightly.