# terrestrial plants as floaters



## dianainOH (Mar 21, 2009)

Has anyone here ever tried to use houseplants as floaters?? I know I have had pothos and spider plants growing in jugs of water for years. Could I drop a couple in the back of my tank with the roots in the water and the leaves hanging through the openings in the back of my hood? My tank is in front of a south facing window, so the plants would grow nicely, as far as I can tell. Can anyone think of any drawbacks to doing this?


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I can see great results from doing this if you have the light to keep them growing (from that window). The roots will take up excess nutrients from the water at a fast rate (like having the "aerial advantage" in an El Natural tank) and the foliage would add a nice lush appearance to your aquarium.

Go for it!

-Dave


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## Morbida (Aug 15, 2005)

I love propigating my pothos and rooting my baby spider plants in my fish tanks. The fish dont mind either and in the end I have house plants to share. Some time I want to grow tomato plants or something in there, but I think Ill wait til I have bigger tanks to do it in.


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## dianainOH (Mar 21, 2009)

O.K., I 'm guilty again of not searching the forum thoroughly enough before posting. There is a great discussion of this matter on another thread under houseplants.


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## colinsk (Dec 29, 2008)

I think you mean this thread:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/el-natural/21673-wet-thumb-forum-house-plants-fight.html

Thank you for pointing it out. It brings up lots of good ideas.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Colin,

Thanks for resurrecting this important thread. It gave me some new ideas!


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## colinsk (Dec 29, 2008)

That would make our idea ratio something like 1000/1 so thank you!


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## dianainOH (Mar 21, 2009)

I uprooted and washed one of my spider plants and added it to my tank two nights ago. Once separated, it turned out to be five small plants with nice roots. I checked the water in both of my tanks (both about 10 days old) yesterday and had no ammonia, .50 nitrites, and 10 nitrates in both. Today the 29 gal (no houseplants) had the same readings. The 55 (with spider plants) had dropped to .25 nitrites and 5 nitrates. Not sure if this is related, but I hope so. I don't have fish yet, so I am just going to let both tanks run and see what happens.


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## Morbida (Aug 15, 2005)

Sounds good to go then. I have stop testing water so I have never observed the water quality changes one I add house plants. I just know it works and go with it.


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## dianainOH (Mar 21, 2009)

Day three of houseplants in the 55. Readings: 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates, 0 ammonia. There seem to be O2 bubbles on the spider plants' roots. Readings on the 29 w/no plants: 0 ammonia, .50 nitrites, 10 nitrates. Wow!! Now I'm trying to figure out a way to do houseplants in the 29.


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## Morbida (Aug 15, 2005)

Cork and plastic canvas. Make a raft thing with it. I have been thinking about this, still working out the details........


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## dianainOH (Mar 21, 2009)

I used some old suction cup heater holders for a couple of the spider plants. They worked o.k.. My issue with the 29 is light. I don't have any natural sunlight where it is sitting. The raft idea sounds pretty cool, though. Let me know what you come up with; once I come up with another light source I am going to remove the hood on the 29. Then I could use rafts for plants.


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## Morbida (Aug 15, 2005)

My spider plants arent kept in very bright light at all. As a matter of fact they are well away from any windows in my house. They act happy so I'm not messing with it. 
Th raft idea is tie 4 or so corks to a piece of plastic canvas just big enough to have area to float the plant , cut a hole in the middle of the plastic canvas for the plant and insert the plant. That way the roots are in the water but the leaves of the plant stay on top. You need to do this with a pothos instead of spider plants. Unless your goal is to not propagate the spider plants , they tend to like to be a bit root bound to produce shoots with babies. Then again my mother never grew hers the right way and she had monster plants with plenty of babies....


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## mujacko2002 (Aug 17, 2007)

Mabuhay!

Spats or peace lily, anthuriums, philodendrons are my candidates for this kind of setup though there are a lot of bog plants that can be put on top of one's aquarium. I'll the spider plant. thanks

Godbless


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