# House plants with roots submerged?



## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

You could but I don't recommend it since they will probably suck the nutrients dry faster than the aquatic plants can use them.


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## Wrx709 (Jun 24, 2014)

Ahhhhhh I see. My tank is pretty heavily planted, several stem plants, a Lilly, dwarf hair grass (that's being a pain), swords, a "Japanese" fern, and some more that I forget the name of. I do over feed to make sure the bushfish gets his fill. 

What if I started dosing ferts (any recommendations?)?. I've read that having the house plants will drop my nitrates to almost zero and allow me to go longer without water changes, any truth to that? Right now I'm changing 20% once a week but that's going to get cut back unfortunately. Working in the Air conditioning field in summer is like having three full time jobs


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## Qwe (Jul 8, 2013)

It wouldn't necessarily suck out all the nutrients... most of my tanks have houseplants growing out of the top with plenty of aquatic growth as well. They will definitely help with nitrates, but just how much is determined by the individual tank and you'd just have to test to see.


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## Bushkill (Feb 15, 2012)

Qwe said:


> It wouldn't necessarily suck out all the nutrients... most of my tanks have houseplants growing out of the top with plenty of aquatic growth as well. They will definitely help with nitrates, but just how much is determined by the individual tank and you'd just have to test to see.


+1.

I put two large corner shower caddies on a 180G in the den, and they've gotten really dense and lush. No issues at all with stems and swords in the tank. A low-tech set up with lots of large angels, discus and cories. It's done well enough that I'm going to add a shower caddy to the 125G in the fish room with trimmings from the 180G and some neat plants I've come across since I set it up.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

*Doooooo iiiiiittttt*

GO FOR IT! I have a 20g long riparium that started out as 4 house plant varieties planted in the HOB and grown from there. Its additively fun!
Key thing to remember: keep roots/base of stem wet, keep leaves out of water (not submerged/constantly damp) they will rot. Just buy some plants, rinse roots very thoroughly, and stuff in whatever you are using for a planter (HOB full of foam, shower basket (with holes) with clay or gravel media, etc)
[added]Remember that these plants will overhang and shadow parts of the tank so using low light plants in the shaded areas is best, or add more lights at different angles to help compensate (if you have co2 or a good knowledge of lights to avoid algae from over doing it)[/end edit]

TIMELINE:
[4/16/14]
maidenhair fern -ultimately did not like being transplanted
Fittonia albivenis -awesome compact low growth good for hiding media plants are stuffed in
Tradescantia zebrine -aka 'wandering jew' grows faster than the pothos! nice splash of color
Pothos (varigated) -common fast growing vine plant, gets monster roots


[4/30/14]
riccia in foam on hob outflow, wondering jew taking off (smaller hob with other plants is on another tank temporarily)


[5/30/14]
'wandering jew' is getting too long, have to trim, also aluminum plant (common riparium plant) added (came in rough shape), maidenhair removed after wilting

[6/6/14]
Trimmed the monster, put 2nd hob back on tank with plants, also have Cyperus Umbrella Sedge (another common riparium plant)

[6/23/14]
got more planting baskets + trelis raft and some more riparium plants from pt member hydrophyte (or site ripariumsuplly.com), redid tank (still have original house plants mixed in)





Other PT member ripariums (not my photos or tanks (wish they were))
*swamprat* (actually wife's i think) says mostly house plants


*johnson18* (lot of riparium plants but has giant pothos and Tradescantia zebrine found commonly)
[click to view, can't get photo to work]

*Mirv* (in Italy.. mix of house plants, see some air plants, and a few I have no clue what they are)









*xjasminex *(sorry hard to see with lighting, they had pothos and bamboo several months ago i think)









(if I missed any pt member's riaprium sorry, just trying to show ones that have at least some house plants in there that I could remember names and find photos from)


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## Wrx709 (Jun 24, 2014)

God that looks amazing. I should be fine with the lights, my tank is the basement rec room/my office and sit directly bellow a window. The plants should grow up and I plan on letting them take over that area so they get lots of natural light from the window. 

Going to stop into the garden store on the way home. Any specific plants I should look for or will any house plant work?

Edit: what I mean is the house plants will not block the tanks lighting at all. They will use natural sunlight from the window. This way my tank should get to enjoy the full effect from my CFLs. 

Should I use co2 with a set up like this?


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Pothos, Fittonia albivenis, and Tradescantia zebrine are all I've had experience with myself. Any plant that has care sheet with info simular to "keep soil moist" should work well as these like wet roots. If nothing else just buy smaller quantities of several of the plant(s) and try a bit of whatever, see what takes to the setup, and toss (or replant in soil) what doesn't. Some (though sadly not all) employes at nurseries/garden centers actually know plant and their care, you can try asking what does will for roots planted in water, plant growing in the air.
You should not need co2 since the house plants will be above water (except roots) and able to take in co2 from the air easily. Plants underwater grow faster with added co2 (there will be less naturally under water than above it). My set up does not use co2 system, can't say for sure about the others I linked but I _think _they are the same way, generally low maintenance/low tech.


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## Wrx709 (Jun 24, 2014)

You my good friend are a saint, thanks a lot! Do I have to plant the roots in some sort of soil? Or will floating them in the water work as well?


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Not a saint, just sharing what I can to help encourage others get into some fun parts of the hobby ^^
I can't say what is best as I have only tried them in foam in a hang on back filter, and in clay media (inert) mine get their nutrients from the water directly. Someone had mentioned using a root tab in a planter basket before but I've not tried it. 
Soil can make a mess in the tank if not capped with sand or gravel, it can also leech ammonia into the water (since organic soils (never use soils with chemical additives for aquariums) are just decomposing organic matter). I guess if you have a large (deep/wide) planter you can literally line the outter area (any places with access to water aka holes in planters) with gravel, put soil in the core of this, plant roots in soil, and cover top with some more gravel. But again have not tried this myself so not sure how it would work.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Wanted to add: look at creeping jenny too! Its usually a 'garden' plant rather than house plant but its very versatile, can grow in or out of water but it will be more of a low grow creeper unless you train it up a trellis or tie it to make it grow upwards. 
I went to Home depo today and had to talk myself out of buy more plants (don't have the room) for the riparium.. wanted to try mondo grass and some otehr short ground cover stuff..
Be sure to update/post pictures, or even make a tank journal once you set you plants up ^^


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## HybridHerp (May 24, 2012)

How fast does Fittonia albivenis grow in a riparium? My mom has some in a terrarium and I am not above taking a stem or two and growing it in my currently empty riparian planter.

Any difference between the white one and the pink one?


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

HybridHerp said:


> How fast does Fittonia albivenis grow in a riparium? My mom has some in a terrarium and I am not above taking a stem or two and growing it in my currently empty riparian planter.
> 
> Any difference between the white one and the pink one?


I don't think there is a difference between white and pink, white was all that was available where I bought the original plants. Pt member *johnson18* has the pink variety(seen in link from earlier post), and more knowledge in ripariums and plants in gerenal than me (has done this longer), so maybe drop them a line and ask if there's any other differences?
As for growth, its a slow grower, its roughly doubled in size since I got it in April but its still very short. Went from about 1.5" to 3"-4" at most (measuring were leaves start growing since I've adjusted how deep the base of the stem is planted with recent re-do of the setup). It will take time but it will make a nice 'ground cover' style plant to hide the opening of planters/media its in. According to once site "..pinching 1"-2" off the stem in early summer will help promote faster growth.." no clue how that would work for indoor growth though.
I'd defiantly grab a few clippings (make sure has 4+ leaves) or stems to give it a try ^^


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