High and low tech plant filtering solutions

[bettaMagenta]

I just added 4 more house plants to the aquariums today - 4 smaller Pothos plants to be exact. I've already got Philodendrons and Swiss Cheese Monsteras in there, and I added those seveflake weeks ago. It's been a transformation in the making.

Sorry about the pics being upside down, by the way. The 3rd pic, which I call High Tech, has a Monstera and Pothos as the filter media in a hang on filter - there are actually two double cartridge hang on tank filters on this acrylic 55 gallon aquarium, each with two plants in them. The slotted pots are filled with ceramic filter media to hold the roots, and there's also three 18 inch Lucky Bamboo with weighted bases hanging free, roots exposed, plugging an old heater hole in the top of the tank.

The 1st and 2nd pics, which I call Low Tech, are the same type of pots with Philodendrons in them, clipped to the side of the tank above 10 inch air bars to move the water through the pots. One pic's from above, the other's from below.

[bettaMagenta]

Trying out a new house plant in my rainbow tank... harder water in this one, so fingers crossed it'll thrive. The Calathea Obifolia is definitely a unique-looking plant, and I'm excited to see how it does. Since the Rainbow tank is built-in but has an open end for maintenance, this plant will be visible from that side, but still get its light and nutrients from the aquarium.

pictures of the plant as it arrived today...

[Nutty]

Your setup looks awesome. Congrats on the equipment, what's your location like, got a great space for all this.

[bettaMagenta]

I'm in the USA, specifically Minnesota. Thanks for the compliment, I've just been trying out different things with my aquariums.

[Nutty]

I've been to LA, it's a great city. I also checked out Petco, but the Chatuchak Weekend Market in Thailand is way better. I mean, they have everything - food, pets, you name it. It's massive, and people from all over the world come to visit.

[bettaMagenta]

The Calathea Obifolia's now in the Rainbow tank... hope it'll do alright in the harder water.

[graye]

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.

[bettaMagenta]

I'm still amazed at how well the actively growing plants in my tanks can pull fish waste out of the water. I got really busy and was using up my filtered water for a tank change, so my other tanks didn't get water changes for two weeks. I did multiple water tests before doing water changes yesterday and everything looked perfect. I was worried about my 55-gallon barb tank, with a big bio load - 5 Tin Foil Barbs, 3 Denison Barbs, 2 Flying Foxes, 5 Black Cory's, and a 4-inch Helostoma temminkii. But the water tests came back perfect, and I can only give credit to the house plants rooted in the aquarium for keeping the water pristine for over two weeks. I do have a couple of hang-on tank filters in that tank, but the plants are definitely doing their part.

[Nutty]

I like all your fish, they're so cool, but I'm not a fan of the Helostoma temminkii kisser fish, it just doesn't do it for me.

[bettaMagenta]

I'm thinking of relocating the Calathea to a different tank since the Rainbow tank still has house-softened hard water that's pretty alkaline, and it's starting to brown a bit around the edges... On the other hand, I think the Pothos is super hardy and might be a better fit for the more alkaline water in the Rainbow tank.

I plan to run a line from my filtered water pump to that tank on the other side of the house as soon as I get a chance... I'll need to add mineral flakes to the water, since everything I'm using the RO for is soft, but I think the fish and plants would appreciate the hard water with lower alkalinity.