High and low tech plant filtering solutions

[bettaMagenta]

@graye, found some info on Calathea's, thought I'd share. Apparently, they like filtered light or shade, kinda makes sense since they're used to growing under trees on the jungle floor. So, direct sun's not the best for them, can burn the leaves and make the patterns fade.

They also like a loamy or humusy soil with lots of organic matter, and a slightly acidic to neutral pH is ideal. And, they love humidity - 50% or higher is what they prefer. I've been thinking about how to increase the humidity around my plant, maybe a humidifier or a tray with water and pebbles would work.

Reading on, I found that browning tips or edges can be a sign of needing more water, but since it's in the aquarium, I'm thinking it might just be better in one of my soft water tanks. And, I was trying to give it a bit more light, but looks like that's not what it needs...

[bettaMagenta]

I'm thinking of starting a growing log for my aquarium plants - it'd be super helpful for keeping track of their progress and normal conditions. I already grabbed some plant tags to label the different varieties, since it's getting harder to tell them apart - Philodendrons and Pothos are pretty similar, and I don't want to have to guess which is which.

[graye]

@graye, some interesting info on Calatheas I found. Apparently, these tropical plants actually prefer filtered light or shade - not direct sunlight. They're adapted to the jungle floor, so brief dapples of sunlight are more their thing. Too much light can burn the leaves and cause those beautiful patterns to fade.

When it comes to soil, Calatheas like it loamy or humusy with plenty of organic matter. A slightly acidic to neutral soil pH is ideal. They also love humidity - 50% or higher is best. I've been thinking of using a humidifier or a tray with water and pebbles to create a more humid environment.

Reading on, I found that browning tips or edges are usually a sign the plant needs more water. But with mine growing in the aquarium, I think it might be better off in one of my soft water tanks. I've been giving it a bit more light, but it seems that's not necessary. Guess I'll be visiting the garden centre again soon...

[bettaMagenta]

@graye and anyone else interested, I ended up moving the Calathea to a soft water tank, and as luck would have it, I had to reduce the light intensity in that tank around the same time. The Calathea's browning around the leaf edges has stopped, and it's starting to look healthier.

The roots on both the Philodendrons and Pothos are growing out of the pots now, but they're not quite visible in the tank yet. I've got a couple of variegated Pothos plants arriving today, and I'll be putting those in the tank I initially had the Calathea in - they'll be visible from the room, so it'll be interesting to see how they do in the more alkaline water.

It just so happens that the tubing, T's, and valves I ordered to hook up to the RO filter and pump will be arriving next week, which will allow me to pump RO water over to that tank. I'm planning to keep it as a hard water tank for the Rainbows, but I'll be adding mineflakes to reduce the alkalinity - it's extremely high in that tank due to the house softener and our naturally high alkalinity levels here.

[bettaMagenta]

Goeppertia didn't work out for me, but that was just one attempt. Your setup looks great, hope it fares better. My tank vines are finally thriving, almost a year in the making. Emergent plants are a blast, so much fun to watch them grow.

The variegated Pothos seems to be handling the alkaline water in the rainbow tank just fine so far - no signs of browning edges like the Calathea had. Only been a week, though, so still waiting to see how it does in the long run.

[graye]

It's getting a bit wild in my fishroom, vines are taking over and the plants are loving it. I think the recent cold spell and closed windows have given them the humid environment they thrive in. We've got a long, dark winter ahead but having that green oasis to escape to will be a lifesaver. Even with the trek through snow and ice to get there, it'll be worth it for the colour and maybe even some blooms.

[bettaMagenta]

Having lunch in the fishroom, feels like a little tropical oasis, surrounded by all the lush greenery - it's like a mini picnic, minus the sunshine, but the plants more than make up for it.

[barnicle]

Calatheas seem to be a challenge for me, as I'm already on my fourth one. I've made a few adjustments, like using rainwater and keeping an eye on the moisture levels with a meter. Still, it's a delicate balance – they don't like to dry out, but they also don't want to be too wet. It's a bit frustrating, as I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing with them yet.

[bettaMagenta]

Double check the link I posted on growing Calatheas, they're pretty specific about lower light and lower pH. Mine are hydroponic, so they're getting plenty of water, but that article says they like soft water, which is why I moved mine out of my Rainbow tank. I'm using rain water should be close to neutral, right? The tank I've got mine in now is my South American tank, and it's at a pH of 6.8, but I'm working on bringing it down. Hopefully, it'll help mine recover, and maybe rain water will do the trick for yours too.

[barnicle]

I don't see a link anywhere, by the way. That orbifolia is gonna be a beast, can't wait to see how massive you can get it. Mine's a mystery calathea, I thought it was velvet due to the fuzzy hairs, but it's all green and I've only seen velvets with that gorgeous purple underside.