i took a class in college dedicated to phyto-remediation, and, like biscuitslayer mentioned, this is probably the most effective way to take nutrients (and potential pollutants, but lets hope you don't have heavy metals, etc. in your aquarium/tap water) out of your water column. I've experimented with a variety of hydroponic and aeroponic setups over the years ( i grow some mean veggies), and your design is very similar to one of my favorites (i also like using long lengths of pvc with drilled out spots for baskets, two buckets and a pump - you can tilt the pvc a bit so the water will drain by itself into another reservoir to be reused, and the wicking method - super no fuss); you aren't looking for explosive plant growth, and your setup (obviously) works pretty well at limiting plant growth while still maintaining vibrant, healthy plants. My goal was to grow massive plants with massive, delicious fruits, and I found that a combination of aeration via individual spray nozzles forcing water over the roots and a TDS meter were the key to success. Hydroponic/aeroponic systems are almost as much fun to setup as aquariums, and the results are delicious! Nice looking setup, and enjoyable thread...
Just FYI, phytoremediation is extremely interesting (at least to me); you can even use plants to hyperaccumulate uranium now, along with zinc, cadmium, and countless others...
|