These houseplant roots grow in water?
- Thread starter ITHURTZ
- Start date
I dunno about that. There are various houseplants that don't tend to do well long term with the roots submerged, though there are various ones that can be sprouted in water and will do well for a certain amount of time.
I've noticed pothos seems to be the most widly kept ones in tank, and does well for almost everyone.
man I gotta find me some Caladiums!
Now, say one plant doesnt "enjoy" being in water. Would adding a air stone underneath it, or having a power head with air being sucked in make any difference? I got a powerhead with the air inlet flowing across the roots.
Now, say one plant doesnt "enjoy" being in water. Would adding a air stone underneath it, or having a power head with air being sucked in make any difference? I got a powerhead with the air inlet flowing across the roots.
For a species that just doesn't tend to survive in such wet conditions, I'm not sure if it would do anything. The roots will still be in constant contact with the water.
For a species that generally does ok in water but maybe doesn't grow as well as others do, I kind of wonder if that might help. I've never seen anything about it, so not sure.
hydroponic has become a very loose term. any more it's just a relative term to describe how nutrients are delivered to plant roots. it can mean anything from a periodic ebb and flow where the roots only come into contact with water briefly... to almost not at all... to a deep water bed system where an aerator just brings humid air to the aggregate above like aeroponic herb gardens... to hydroponic cloning where the water is heavily aerated and constantly battered against the open wounds of small clippings to promote root growth that otherwise would drown if stuck into standing water.
another thing the term hydroponic tends to describe is the choice of aggregate. in normal growing the aggregate would be soil or another form of biological aggregate. yes, clay and sintered glass aggregates are a more expensive one time purchase... but they are just that... a one time purchase. no need to re-pot seasonally or semi-annually. the aggregates don't decompose. for long term growth it's an economical solution that produces great yields with the right understanding/experience.
basically the term hydroponic no longer is necessarily akin to emergent and roots don't have to be smothered or drown to be considered growing hydroponically.
so, while i agree that most house plants can be grown hydroponically i'd have to say that in the wrong context that information is grossly misleading. my bulbophyllum pulchellum for example would do very well grown semi-hydroponically with 1-3 ebb and flow cycles daily. however... a continuous flow system would certainly drown the roots and kill the plant very quickly.
CWO4GUNNER
USN/USCG 1974-2004 Weps
Other then Pothos I can only attest to your last plant shown English Ivy. English Ivy grew very well and actually did a better job at nitrate removal early. In the wild English Ivy is a very invasive plant that has had a history of damaging whole forest and in some states and countries against the law. So whatever you do don't plant that stuff in your back yard as in full sunlight will grow so fast that it will outpace its own diseases and pest that would normally keep it under control.
As far as a growing it hydroponically in your aquarium English Ivy will do well if it has a delivery system to bring the entire tanks nutrients to bare over the root system, ambient nutrients just floating by hanging roots in the water will be a struggle for all plants. Ultimately though becasue English ivy in the wild and full sunlight uses fast growth and re-rooting as its only defense against disease and pest, in the aquarium where light and ambient nutrients are limited, the plant will succumb to disease and leaf mites unless your willing to spray insecticide over your tank to prevent disease from taking over the plant. I gave up on Ivy for that reason and now just grow pothos inside HOB's with roots submerged under constant waterfowl braining to bare all the tanks available nutrient to the root systems repeatedly (20 to 40 times) over a 24 hour period allowing the plant to grow and sustain an enormously size mostly from nitrates. And becasue Pothos has its own chemical defense in its leaf cells, pest try and take hold but are always killed after a few bites.
As far as a growing it hydroponically in your aquarium English Ivy will do well if it has a delivery system to bring the entire tanks nutrients to bare over the root system, ambient nutrients just floating by hanging roots in the water will be a struggle for all plants. Ultimately though becasue English ivy in the wild and full sunlight uses fast growth and re-rooting as its only defense against disease and pest, in the aquarium where light and ambient nutrients are limited, the plant will succumb to disease and leaf mites unless your willing to spray insecticide over your tank to prevent disease from taking over the plant. I gave up on Ivy for that reason and now just grow pothos inside HOB's with roots submerged under constant waterfowl braining to bare all the tanks available nutrient to the root systems repeatedly (20 to 40 times) over a 24 hour period allowing the plant to grow and sustain an enormously size mostly from nitrates. And becasue Pothos has its own chemical defense in its leaf cells, pest try and take hold but are always killed after a few bites.
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i don't know if anyone has answered yet, but the purple plant is called a wandering jew. I am not sure i would try it in a tank, only becuase the roots dont do very well, when soaked in soil, so i can imagine, they would do better if the roots were fully submereged?..
Gunner would the power head pointed at the roots keep it inline? The roots have flow over them so they are not just sitting in the water.
And gunner, YOU caused me to do this.
And gunner, YOU caused me to do this.
ok another question. My light is a dual 48" t5. Right now it sits " about" 6" above the plants. Is this to low? How high should I raise it? I assume its plenty of light? I forget what the timer is set at but I beleive its between 8-9.5hrs on.
^ easy answer to this one. With fluorescent lights as long as the bulb isn't close enough to burn the plant the closer the better. Generally 1-2" is considered excellent for maximum growth but 6" is very acceptable.
