I am in the process of converting an aquaclear 300 into a plant filter. I have the filter filled up with gravel and it is fed by some tubing running from my fluval 104 to the bottom of the filter. The water flows up through the gravel and out the regular spout into the tank. I do not know of any plants that grow well with their roots submerged and the rest above water. I live up north so local plants are out of the question. I have herd that bamboo may work. One last thing, will this filer enhance my water quality more than I had not converted it?
plant filter
- Thread starter jpmroane
- Start date
are you talking about using aquatic or terrestrial plants in this filter, you seem to refer to both.
as for water quality, a plant filter will do nothing more than having your tank planted anyway.
as for water quality, a plant filter will do nothing more than having your tank planted anyway.
Emerse plant filters can and will uptake more nitrate and other dissolved materials than a comparable plant mass submerse, as they have no reliance on dissolved CO2 as the carbon source, using instead the much less limited atmospheric CO2. But the big plus is that these setups are not eaten by herbivorous fish, or destroyed by Cichlids and such boisterous fish.
Spathyphyllum is one of the easiest to come by plants fitting this use. It available cheaply as a house plant just about everywhere and needs less light than "bamboo" (which is really a Dracena, not a bamboo). The plant is also available at pet stores for use in the current fad of "Betta vases", but at higher prices of course. Wash the potting mix off in a bucket and plant in the gravel and you are good to go. The trailing vine commonly called Pothos is also useful. If your filter allows for flow adjustment, dial it down a fair bit. Full HOB flow is not required in this application.
See also:
http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/veggie1.shtml
http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/veggie.shtml
http://www.thekrib.com/Filters/plant.html
HTH
Spathyphyllum is one of the easiest to come by plants fitting this use. It available cheaply as a house plant just about everywhere and needs less light than "bamboo" (which is really a Dracena, not a bamboo). The plant is also available at pet stores for use in the current fad of "Betta vases", but at higher prices of course. Wash the potting mix off in a bucket and plant in the gravel and you are good to go. The trailing vine commonly called Pothos is also useful. If your filter allows for flow adjustment, dial it down a fair bit. Full HOB flow is not required in this application.
See also:
http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/veggie1.shtml
http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/veggie.shtml
http://www.thekrib.com/Filters/plant.html
HTH
