Out of Water Plants

[Miles]

I remember talking with an 'old schooler' a while back about how they used to filter their tanks by hanging an out-of-water plant inside an overflow box type filter.. Similiar to a refugium. They used this back in the day to eat up nitrates and filter the water.

My question is: What type of plants are these?

I recently set up a 200g pond that has a lip all the way around it. I have some plant grow bulbs on one end, and I was thinking it would be a very nice touch to have some live plants growing on the outside of the tank, with roots or stems in the water.. If they could help eat nitrates, even better.

Few thoughts.. I am installing an air exchanger so they can't require a humid area.. Of course I could hook up some sort of sprayer or drip system, but I would prefer to have them be as low maintenance as possible..

If the root system would be a problem for stingrays (them eating them, pulling on them..) then I can figure something out to isolate them from the rays..

I think it would be a nice tropical look to have some semi-aquatic plants hanging off the edge of my pond.. So any ideas?

 

[rayman45]

omg... it just slipped my mind...

kinda looked like bamboo?

 

[Miles]

No, don't think so.. You thinking of mangrove? They are SW anyways..

This looks more like Anubias or a cheap houseplant you can buy at HomeDepot..

 

[rottbo]

philodendrons maybe or spider plants will work to but the "lucky bamboo" things are actually diffenbachia not real bamboo and yes they can go in a tank also try spathifilum(sorry if speeling is wrong) i will ask my mom though she has a four year horticultural degree

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

Philodendrons and Epipremnum pinnatum or Scindapsus pictus can be used. However, their saps are poisonous. If you've ever kept these plants, you may have noticed the sap they leach with even tiny cuts/breakages. Roots are fragile and easily break off. This can easily lead to fish death .. I wouldn't risk it.

HarleyK

 

[HarleyK]

On another note, many common aquarium plants grow emersed at least periodically in the wild. Amongst those are Echinodorus and Anubia. You could also use domestic swamp plants, such as cattails (Typha latifolia) Work wonders in my pond

HarleyK

 

[guppy]

Tomatoes are grown this way in tilapia tanks in some areas, flag irises and other marsh emergents are ideal

 

[Oddball]

I have a few plants growing either in my sumps or at the sides of grow out bins. I have cattails, black taro, dwarf bamboo, dwarf papyrus, and a couple of giant elephant ears. None are in soil. The roots simply trail down into the tanks/bins.

 

[the_deeb]

I have a few sprigs of pothos growing in all my HOB filters and overflow boxes. I've found that even a little bit can reduce nitrates. It's a tough plant, grows pretty fast and doesn't need too much light. HarleyK - I was concerned about the poisonous sap as well but had someone tell me that it's not a problem for fish. When I was first trying out the system I had some gouramis nibble on the pothos roots and they seemed to suffer no adverse effects.

 

[Miles]

Awesome Info guys!!

I like your concept Oddball, with the stems/roots hanging down in the water.. That is totally what I am imagining!! I will show pics when I'm done, thanks guys!