Benefits Of Growing Pothos And Lucky Bamboo?

Are there benefits from having Pothos and Lucky Bamboo grow from the top of your tank?

 

Plants love nitrates so they should help by using up some of it. I know the nitrate laden water I pull from my tank during water changes has caused my house plants to grow into a jungle

 

They can absorb nitrates from the water and can add a nice look to your aquarium. They certainly don't replace water changes or filters by any means but they can help.

 

They look good coming out of my filter. Mine have been in for about a month and I may be seeing a little change for the good in nitrates. Of course, I have goldies which are huge poopers.

 

They look good coming out of my filter. Mine have been in for about a month and I may be seeing a little change for the good in nitrates. Of course, I have goldies which are huge poopers.

Interesting thought putting them in the filter! I’d love to try that with bamboo, wondering if mine is too small...

 

So

Interesting thought putting them in the filter! I’d love to try that with bamboo, wondering if mine is too small...

So long as the leaves stick out they well be fine. Plus you could always prop then up by having media underneath it.

I have wandering Jews, pothos, and bamboo in all of my tanks

For my betta tanks with the feeding holes I stuck the bamboo through there and my betta love to rest ontop of the roots near the surface

I've never done any serious testing for benefits but I do know they make the water smell way way better between water changes

I've read you don't want to have them if you have a planted tank though as they'll take nutrients away from the aquatic plants but I've personally never had issues with that

 

So

So long as the leaves stick out they well be fine. Plus you could always prop then up by having media underneath it.

I have wandering Jews, pothos, and bamboo in all of my tanks

For my betta tanks with the feeding holes I stuck the bamboo through there and my betta love to rest ontop of the roots near the surface

I've never done any serious testing for benefits but I do know they make the water smell way way better between water changes

I've read you don't want to have them if you have a planted tank though as they'll take nutrients away from the aquatic plants but I've personally never had issues with that

Oh cool, thanks for the info....my tanks are very planted though, bummer, I really wanted to do this. Wandering Jews has always been one of my favorite houseplants! I cannot find one since moving to Az though...thanks again!

 

Oh cool, thanks for the info....my tanks are very planted though, bummer, I really wanted to do this. Wandering Jews has always been one of my favorite houseplants! I cannot find one since moving to Az though...thanks again!

If you'd like next time I trim them I could send you a few? I trim them about once a month and a half or so. Should be about 3 more weeks before they're ready to be trimmed again.

Unless you don't mind really tiny babies cuz they do already have new growth (you'll just have to root them in fairly shallow water or I'll root them and they should be ready in about a week)

But yeah my tanks range from heavily planted to bare and regardless of what I stick them in everything does fine. I do use flourish Excel, co2, and root tabs though so that could play a part in it? I'm not sure


I was trying to get ivy to work in the tanks as well. It did fine in glass jars of water on the window but dried up in the tank? It's odd

 

They work well if you have cichlids that won't allow plants into the tank by destroying them, and is effective at getting rid nitrates and the like. Really handy

 

So

So long as the leaves stick out they well be fine. Plus you could always prop then up by having media underneath it.

I have wandering Jews, pothos, and bamboo in all of my tanks

For my betta tanks with the feeding holes I stuck the bamboo through there and my betta love to rest ontop of the roots near the surface

I've never done any serious testing for benefits but I do know they make the water smell way way better between water changes

I've read you don't want to have them if you have a planted tank though as they'll take nutrients away from the aquatic plants but I've personally never had issues with that

That’s cool, I have never heard of wandering Jews before. I’m going to check my local stores for some.

 

The beauty of Wandering Jew is you can start with one tiny piece of it and end up with a pot full of it in such a short time. I found a piece of it about 3 inches long in a parking lot a couple of years ago. I had to rescue it.

I brought it home, broke that little piece in half and stuck the 2 pieces in a pot. They immediately rooted and started growing. Every couple of days I would break off some of the new growth and plant it in the pot. Within a month I had a full pot of it. Amazing stuff. I think it is probably the perfect plant for helping with nitrates because it does grow so fast.

That tiny piece has supplied me with enough to fill 2 huge pots. I cut all the winter growth off each spring and there is enough of it to cover the ground under my Burning Bush. It can't survive our winters outside but is a wonderful ground cover that continues to grow and thrive until the first frost.

Reading this thread has convinced me to put some of it in my tank. Thank you all for the inspiration.

 

If you'd like next time I trim them I could send you a few? I trim them about once a month and a half or so. Should be about 3 more weeks before they're ready to be trimmed again.

Unless you don't mind really tiny babies cuz they do already have new growth (you'll just have to root them in fairly shallow water or I'll root them and they should be ready in about a week)

But yeah my tanks range from heavily planted to bare and regardless of what I stick them in everything does fine. I do use flourish Excel, co2, and root tabs though so that could play a part in it? I'm not sure


I was trying to get ivy to work in the tanks as well. It did fine in glass jars of water on the window but dried up in the tank? It's odd

Wow, that is super kind of you, I do appreciate it BUT, I’ve just looked into the toxicity of it, I don’t believe I should have it around my dog He is literally allergic to every single thing, especially most plants and is always getting a rash so I thought I’d research it. This truly saddens me as it was always my favorite! Again I thank you so much for the gesture. Bamboo however, is non toxic and I can find that easy so yay, I’ll try that.

 

That’s cool, I have never heard of wandering Jews before. I’m going to check my local stores for some.

They are beautiful, purplish color! Hope you find some!

 

Wow, that is super kind of you, I do appreciate it BUT, I’ve just looked into the toxicity of it, I don’t believe I should have it around my dog He is literally allergic to every single thing, especially most plants and is always getting a rash so I thought I’d research it. This truly saddens me as it was always my favorite! Again I thank you so much for the gesture. Bamboo however, is non toxic and I can find that easy so yay, I’ll try that.

Oooo normally I have to advise against plants for cats not dogs xD yeah sadly a good majority of plants are toxic to animals. Basically the only thing I sell at work (I'm a florist) that's safe for animals is bamboo xP it's a shame

 

Oooo normally I have to advise against plants for cats not dogs xD yeah sadly a good majority of plants are toxic to animals. Basically the only thing I sell at work (I'm a florist) that's safe for animals is bamboo xP it's a shame

Oh what a fun job! Yeah I hate that he’s allergic to even pine trees (the only trees we have in our yard) lol...so weird when you quoted me above it says someone else’s name...haha. Thanks again! Bamboo it is!