# Planting Spathiphyllum in riparium planter



## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

This post describes a method that I have use with success when planting peace lilies (_Spathiphyllum_ sp.) into ripariums. Peace lilies apparently require a good deal of oxygen around their roots, so it is important that water be able to diffuse with ease through the planter media.










To plant this one I began by trimming the roots back to about 1 1/2" in length. Then I positioned the plant in the planter with the top of the crown about even with the top of the planter cup. I filled around the roots with round clay pellets of the kind commonly used in hydroponics culture, tapping the planter as I poured so that the pellets would settle in around the roots and fill voids.

I only filled to about 3/8" from the top rim of the planter cup so that I could top the pellets with a layer of a finer-grained clay gravel. This step is important. The gravel weighs down the pellets, which would otherwise tend to float away whenever the water level rises over the top of the planter cup. I think that they look better as a cap than the round pellets and they should also retain some nutrients for the plant roots, while still allowing good water diffusion through the clay pellets beneath.

_Spathiphyllum_ seem to have modest nutrient demands and can grow well with the fertilizers dissolved in the aquarium water, in contrast to many other plants, which require richer rooting media. I have also planted a few _Anubias_, including _A. congensis_, in this manner, as they also require a more open rooting environment.

I started a thread in the Aquascaping forum (Available from: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquascaping/64161-aroid-themed-56-column-riparium.html) that describes the new 56-gallon riparium setup that I am putting together using _Spathiphyllum_ peace lilies as the main background elements.


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## Trail_Mix (Nov 12, 2011)

Cool, looking great! Do you know if voodoo lillies would work as riparium plants?


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## asukawashere (Mar 11, 2009)

Makes sense to me! I used straight-up orchid soil (or tiny bark chips, if you prefer more accurate descriptions—there are, after all, no orchids involved) to plant my Spathy, but I never let the water level rise above the pot, so floating substrate isn't a concern. I agree that a natural-looking gravel is nicer-looking than a bunch of obviously manufactured round blobs.


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## asukawashere (Mar 11, 2009)

Makes sense to me! I used straight-up orchid soil (or tiny bark chips, if you prefer more accurate descriptions—there are, after all, no orchids involved) to plant my Spathy, but I never let the water level rise above the pot, so floating substrate isn't a concern. I agree that a natural-looking gravel is nicer-looking than a bunch of obviously manufactured round blobs.


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## Trail_Mix (Nov 12, 2011)

Would not adding some more perforation around the bottom of the planter aid in providing better water circulation and therefore greater oxygenation?


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