Where do you get your filter plants?

[Nourhanateout22]

Hello! I'm looking into plants that will help with my brown algea. I'm already doing water changes and cleaning regularly, I have a nerite in quarantine to help out as well but the brown algea is getting out of control. I also have a few other live plants in my tank. Where do you get your hob plants? I like the spider plant cause it's non toxic to pets, was thinking home depo but I don't know if they use pesticides on their plants. I understand pothos may be more effective at reducing nitrates and such but it's toxic to pets. Thanks guys

 

[RayClem]

Have you tested your water to know what your nitrate level is? The algae problem might not be due to high nitrates. If the problem is high nitrates, adding live plant to your tank or tank topper plants above the tank might help. One plant I like is water sprite, also known as Asian water fern. It is a fast growing plant related to other water ferns. It is a margin plant which means that it can grow rooted in substrate or left floating. It can also grow several inches above the water line. I prune my water sprite regularly to keep growth under control and to remove nutrients from the aquarium.

There are various types of algae that can affect aquariums. One type of brown algae is diatom algae blooms which can occur when water has high levels of silicates. If you suspect diatoms, check with your water supplier to see what the level of silicates is in your tap water.

Until you identify the type of algae in your tank and identify the underlying cause, adding tank topper plants might be premature. Adding more plants to your tank is something you might consider first.

 

[Nourhanateout22]

Have you tested your water to know what your nitrate level is? The algae problem might not be due to high nitrates. If the problem is high nitrates, adding live plant to your tank or tank topper plants above the tank might help. One plant I like is water sprite, also known as Asian water fern. It is a fast growing plant related to other water ferns. It is a margin plant which means that it can grow rooted in substrate or left floating. It can also grow several inches above the water line. I prune my water sprite regularly to keep growth under control and to remove nutrients from the aquarium.

There are various types of algae that can affect aquariums. One type of brown algae is diatom algae blooms which can occur when water has high levels of silicates. If you suspect diatoms, check with your water supplier to see what the level of silicates is in your tap water.

Until you identify the type of algae in your tank and identify the underlying cause, adding tank topper plants might be premature. Adding more plants to your tank is something you might consider first.

I will give the water sprite a look. It's definitely brown diatom algea, it gets everywhere, on my spider wood and clogs all my plants. My tap is pretty hard. I was looking at spider plants on etsy. the brown algea covers all my aquatic plants preventing them from photosynthesis, so if I get more live plants that are slow growing algea will just clog them too. Faster growing plants will definitely absorb all those excess nutrients. All my tanks have the diatom algea but this tank by far is the worst. I'm hoping the nerite once out quarantine can eat it like they did in my other tanks. Where did you get your water sprite? Im ooking for a trusted source

 

[OutsideFoodBlob]

Here are some suggestions from an earlier thread about pet safe alternatives to pothos.

Pothos Alternative? | Aquarium Plants Forum | 443219

 

[Nourhanateout22]

Here are some suggestions from an earlier thread about pet safe alternatives to pothos.

Pothos Alternative? | Aquarium Plants Forum | 443219

Thank you, I did stumble upon this thread last night and that's how I discovered spider plant. Just need to figure out where to get plants like this without pesticides

 

[OutsideFoodBlob]

Thank you, I did stumble upon this thread last night and that's how I discovered spider plant. Just need to figure out where to get plants like this without pesticides

Oh sorry if it was a repeat. You will want to wash the entire plant gently but thoroughly under tap water. You could also try a mild bleach dip followed by dipping into dechlorinated water. Or a mild hydrogen peroxide dip instead of bleach. Pesticides are a concern but you also don’t want to introduce fungus, bacteria and such to your tank.
Also you could let it grow in a jar or vase for a couple of weeks before putting in your tank. So you can make sure it’s adapting to no soil water only.

 

[Nourhanateout22]

Oh sorry if it was a repeat. You will want to wash the entire plant gently but thoroughly under tap water. You could also try a mild bleach dip followed by dipping into dechlorinated water. Or a mild hydrogen peroxide dip instead of bleach. Pesticides are a concern but you also don’t want to introduce fungus, bacteria and such to your tank.
Also you could let it grow in a jar or vase for a couple of weeks before putting in your tank. So you can make sure it’s adapting to no soil water only.

No worries I read on the forums here that Peabodys paradise was a good place to buy aquatic plants like water sprite or hornwart. Might check that out too. I tried a bleach dip in the past and it killed my senstive live plants, the less destructive dips are okay for my fish with scale tanks but worried about my loach tank whom have no scales

 

[OutsideFoodBlob]

Oh those are both good! Best of luck. Plus you don’t have to worry about pet safe or pesticides.

 

[kansas]

For spider plants and others where the roots are submerged and the rest will be above the water, you can get cutting from houseplants.

 

[RayClem]

It is common for tanks to have a bloom of diatom algae when they are first set up. However, if your water source contains silicates, the diatom issue can continue indefinitely. The shells of the diatoms are comprised largely of silica, so they can only multiply if there are silicates in the water.

The solution to your problem may be to remove silicates. Seachem and Salifert sell test kits for silicates if you want to check to see if they are in your water. There are several types of filter media sold to remove phosphates from aquariums. These media also remove silicates. They are typically based on either porous ceramic beads or granulated ferric oxide. Some brand names are: Phosguard, Phosbond, and Phosnet, Phosphate Sponge, Phosban and Clearmax. Also some general absorbers like Boyd ChemiPure Blue and PolyBio Marine Poly Filter will remove silicates. I would recommend you try one of these products.

I purchased my Water Sprite from Aquarium Co-op. However, if you can find someone locally who has water sprite in their tank, they may be willing to give you a piece. Water sprite grows quickly and propagates easily. All you need is a stem.

 

[Nourhanateout22]

It is common for tanks to have a bloom of diatom algae when they are first set up. However, if your water source contains silicates, the diatom issue can continue indefinitely. The shells of the diatoms are comprised largely of silica, so they can only multiply if there are silicates in the water.

The solution to your problem may be to remove silicates. Seachem and Salifert sell test kits for silicates if you want to check to see if they are in your water. There are several types of filter media sold to remove phosphates from aquariums. These media also remove silicates. They are typically based on either porous ceramic beads or granulated ferric oxide. Some brand names are: Phosguard, Phosbond, and Phosnet, Phosphate Sponge, Phosban and Clearmax. Also some general absorbers like Boyd ChemiPure Blue and PolyBio Marine Poly Filter will remove silicates. I would recommend you try one of these products.

I purchased my Water Sprite from Aquarium Co-op. However, if you can find someone locally who has water sprite in their tank, they may be willing to give you a piece. Water sprite grows quickly and propagates easily. All you need is a stem.

Thank you very much! This was very helpful! I didn't know there were test kits for silica. I definitely want to test it and see what's going on. This tank definitely has the most diatom algea out of all my tanks, all my tanks come from same source so I baffles me why this one seems to explode with brown algea! Definitely also looking to get plants that will such up those nutrients like water sprite, frogbit, and I'm getting spider plant too. Maybe it's that spiderwood combined with the new sand I added to the tank when I first set it up a month and half ago that's creating all this algea.

 

[RayClem]

Thank you very much! This was very helpful! I didn't know there were test kits for silica. I definitely want to test it and see what's going on. This tank definitely has the most diatom algea out of all my tanks, all my tanks come from same source so I baffles me why this one seems to explode with brown algea! Definitely also looking to get plants that will such up those nutrients like water sprite, frogbit, and I'm getting spider plant too. Maybe it's that spiderwood combined with the new sand I added to the tank when I first set it up a month and half ago that's creating all this algea.

Adding fresh sand to your tank is likely to be the source of the silicates if your other tanks are OK. If you keep doing water changes, the diatoms will eventually go away. However, you can speed up the process by using one of the phosphate/silicate removers. If your water supply does not have a significant level of silicates, once you remove the existing silicates, the diatoms should go away for good.

 

[Nourhanateout22]

Adding fresh sand to your tank is likely to be the source of the silicates if your other tanks are OK. If you keep doing water changes, the diatoms will eventually go away. However, you can speed up the process by using one of the phosphate/silicate removers. If your water supply does not have a significant level of silicates, once you remove the existing silicates, the diatoms should go away for good.

Good to know. Yes this is my only sand tank, rest have gravel. Hopefully it's not tap and just the sand that's causing it. I also have plants so getting a phosphate remover would be tricky

 

[Nourhanateout22]

StarGirl I saw you commented in a post about plant dips using alum. 3 tbps of alum for 1 gallon of chlorinated water for 24 hours then give a rinse with heavy dechlorinater. Will this work for a small amount of frogbit im about to receive or will it be too strong of concentration for this small amount of plants? Also this is safe for my loach/snail tank? Thank you

 

[RayClem]

Good to know. Yes this is my only sand tank, rest have gravel. Hopefully it's not tap and just the sand that's causing it. I also have plants so getting a phosphate remover would be tricky

Although plants do need phosphates for proper growth, using a phosphate remover for a short time days to remove the silicates is not likely to cause harm. Once the silicates are gone, you can always dose phosphate if it looks like your plants are suffering. Most of the phosphates in a tank come from the foods you feed your fish, so levels of phosphates will increase once the phosphate remover is taken out of the tank.

 

[Nourhanateout22]

Although plants do need phosphates for proper growth, using a phosphate remover for a short time days to remove the silicates is not likely to cause harm. Once the silicates are gone, you can always dose phosphate if it looks like your plants are suffering. Most of the phosphates in a tank come from the foods you feed your fish, so levels of phosphates will increase once the phosphate remover is taken out of the tank.

I got the sechem silicia test kit, we will see who's the culprit. I believe your right I think its the sand lol. If I discover it's tap and I use a phosphate remover will this harm scaless fish?

 

[RayClem]

A phosphate remover just removes ions from the water like phosphates and silicates. It should not add anything to the water that would harm scale less fish.

If your other tanks are good, it is unlikely that your tap water has a significant amount of silicates. Add the phophate remover and then test your water every day or two for silicates. If you have good flow through the media, it should not take more than a few days to remove most of the silicates. As the silicates diminish, so should the diatoms.

 

[Nourhanateout22]

A phosphate remover just removes ions from the water like phosphates and silicates. It should not add anything to the water that would harm scale less fish.

If your other tanks are good, it is unlikely that your tap water has a significant amount of silicates. Add the phophate remover and then test your water every day or two for silicates. If you have good flow through the media, it should not take more than a few days to remove most of the silicates. As the silicates diminish, so should the diatoms.

Okay thank you, I appreciate your help, it's just more thing I have learned from fish keeping

 

[Azedenkae]

Hello! I'm looking into plants that will help with my brown algea. I'm already doing water changes and cleaning regularly, I have a nerite in quarantine to help out as well but the brown algea is getting out of control. I also have a few other live plants in my tank. Where do you get your hob plants? I like the spider plant cause it's non toxic to pets, was thinking home depo but I don't know if they use pesticides on their plants. I understand pothos may be more effective at reducing nitrates and such but it's toxic to pets. Thanks guys

I get mine from the grocery store. :3 Either a potato or a sweet potato normally.

 

[Nourhanateout22]

I get mine from the grocery store. :3 Either a potato or a sweet potato normally.

Yes I have heard of potato method so cool!

 

[RayClem]

Okay thank you, I appreciate your help, it's just more thing I have learned from fish keeping

I have been keeping fish for over 60 years. Back when I started there were a few books and magazines to help and you could talk with folks at the LFS. The Internet has made things so much easier. Now you can get advice from fish keepers all over the world. I have learned many things over the past 60 years, but thanks to forum members and websites, I am still learning.

 

[Nourhanateout22]

I have been keeping fish for over 60 years. Back when I started there were a few books and magazines to help and you could talk with folks at the LFS. The Internet has made things so much easier. Now you can get advice from fish keepers all over the world. I have learned many things over the past 60 years, but thanks to forum members and websites, I am still learning.

Yes! This forum has definitely helped a lot and I learn so much from my customers at my job who have owned fish for a long time. I never appreciated the fish hobby until I started working there, they are just gorgeous to look at and I love to aquascape. Just when I thought I knew a lot about fish keeping, I learn another new thing.