Will pothos in sump lower evaporation rate?

[Mount_Prion]

Been debating putting some pothos in the sump of my 90g. The sump is pretty much wide open on the top, and the evaporation rate is starting to get on my nerves. Don't like coming home to see air blasting through my pump! I figure if I sort of create a canopy of pothos plants to fill up the space, it might help lower the evaporation rate.

Also, would their roots growing down into the ceramic rings in the sump negatively affect the tank's biology? I figure there's probably different bacteria that grows around plant roots than just ceramic rings.

As always, thanks for input!

 

[JK47]

No and no. The sump must have some type f decently tight fitting lid to avoid evaporation. The pothos would not crteate an air tight canopy so the evaporation rate would remain the same. The roots growing into media is not a problem at all.

 

[Mount_Prion]

No and no. The sump must have some type f decently tight fitting lid to avoid evaporation. The pothos would not crteate an air tight canopy so the evaporation rate would remain the same. The roots growing into media is not a problem at all.

I was sort of thinking I'd get a bit of a mini rainforest effect. Like, I'm not expecting the evaporation rate to totally drop, but maybe a ~20-40% decrease. Unfortunately I can't really put a normal lid on the top of the sump as the pump and down tube's pipes are inconveniently located and not really moveable.

Thanks for the response! I'm definitely going to add the pothos regardless of their help (or lack thereof) with evap.

 

[JK47]

I was sort of thinking I'd get a bit of a mini rainforest effect. Like, I'm not expecting the evaporation rate to totally drop, but maybe a ~20-40% decrease. Unfortunately I can't really put a normal lid on the top of the sump as the pump and down tube's pipes are inconveniently located and not really moveable.

Thanks for the response! I'm definitely going to add the pothos regardless of their help (or lack thereof) with evap.

I would add them too, great species. Just keep the roots away from the pump intake, they can grow very long (6'+). I have made lids from Home Depot plexiglass before and cut out notches for pump hoese. Just a thought.

 

[Harleydiva]

May not help w evap but it will be awesome for nitrate removal


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[Oddball]

Live pothos will actually increase evaporation. During the plants night cycle, they will release moisture through their leaf pores (stomas). The process is called transpiration.

 

[Mount_Prion]

Live pothos will actually increase evaporation. During the plants night cycle, they will release moisture through their leaf pores (stomas). The process is called transpiration.

Yeah, I also thought this was a possibility. Thanks! I'll just have to add water more regularly then and uh, suck it (the water) up. Pun intended and labored for.

 

[duanes]

I need to add a couple inches of water every day to most of my tanks, it's normal if your tank water is warm.
And the water is not only evaporating from the sump, any non covered area is an evaporatable spot.
Is evaporatable a word?