[Teebo]

I am putting together a tank for someone, I am used to my riparium full of plants at the water's surface (non-aquatic plants).

I will be adding a small planter with enough room for 1 plant to grow out of the lid, but I need help choosing. The most common nitrate eater people grow out of their HOB filters is Pothos. My problem with this plant is it is a VINE, and vines are a headache when it comes time to remove the planter to clean behind it, etc. My other requirement besides it not being a vine, is that is requires low light. I will not be hanging a light above the hood so it will have to reply on sun and room light.

My thought was a Peace Lily or Dieffenbachia if I wanted variegation, although those are both medium light plants not exactly low-light plants like Pothos...I COULD prune the Pothos into a bushy stalky plant I suppose if I have to.

 

[theatermusic87]

Peace lily has done well for me with low light, in one case just what ever ambient light there is in the room and reflected light off the water in the tank, same goes for regular baby tears, a bit viny, but small enough and numerous enough in its stems that it doesn't seem to be phased by being removed with filter media, I have these two planted together in one of my filters and they complement each other very well, both appearance wise and growth wise

I've had some success with micro sword as well, though getting it to start togrow emersed is something I've yet to master, it also seems to only like growing in sponge

Purple waffle is another option, but it's been a slow grower for me so I'm not sure you would get a lot of nitrate sucking from it

My personal choice would be wandering Jew, sure it's a vine, but for me maintenance stupid easy... cut vine of of filter media, clean filter, replant stems go on with life, it grows new roots n what seems like hours, did very well with low light, is pretty colors

As to nitrate sucking ability, I have no hard evidence on any of the plants, but I do have to dose nitrate every other week on my low tech tanks and potassium iron and phosphate weekly, so something is using up a substantial amount of ferts

 

[Teebo]

I have every one of those plants in my riparium and I also find that thing is a nitrate consuming animal!

The plant will not be going in a HOB, it has its own planter so it can establish itself.

 

[AdamTill]

Best to check if the person has pets. Pothos and lilys are both known to be toxic to cats and dogs.

Sorry I can't help much. Have lots of riparium plants, but no clue which are better than others.

 

[mistergreen]

You can use aquatic plants too. Hygrophilia grew well emerged and even flowered for me.

 

[Teebo]

Dracaena is also poisonous, I have no pets.

 

[jaymyess]

Philodendrons, pothos and peace lilies thrive in a low-light setup.

If you can find this, they look great and do very well emerged: Philodendron Pusillum

Be careful though if you have pets and if they tend to munch on the greenies. I know the sap of the Pothos are poisonous.

 

[Teebo]

I will likely go with a Peace Lily for its upright structure, I have one in my riparium that will not flower I am going to remove anyway. Since it does not flower I decided the leaf pattern was too plain and was eating up precious space for more unique plants.

 

[fermentedhiker]

What are you using for a planter?

 

[AdamTill]

I will likely go with a Peace Lily for its upright structure, I have one in my riparium that will not flower I am going to remove anyway. Since it does not flower I decided the leaf pattern was too plain and was eating up precious space for more unique plants.

I have nothing but one random article to fall back on for this, but the 6500k we use for aquarium plants apparently isn't great for inducing flowering. They recommended 3000K for that.

 

[Teebo]

What are you using for a planter?

I have nothing but one random article to fall back on for this, but the 6500k we use for aquarium plants apparently isn't great for inducing flowering. They recommended 3000K for that.

Warm light yuck! That explains it!

 

[fermentedhiker]

Have you used those in the past. I'm not a fan of suction cups. They always seem to stiffen up and let go on me.

 

[theatermusic87]

I have nothing but one random article to fall back on for this, but the 6500k we use for aquarium plants apparently isn't great for inducing flowering. They recommended 3000K for that.

My Riparium are lit with 3300k and I get almost no flowering for what it's worth. I use it because I like warmer lights for the house and the ripariums make great ascent lights

Also little tidbit I heard is people from hot climate prefer cool lighting and those from cold climates prefer warm lights

 

[Teebo]

Have you used those in the past. I'm not a fan of suction cups. They always seem to stiffen up and let go on me.

Yes I have been using them for a long time, I converted them over to magnetic I do not use suction cups.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/2...vivarium/1013225-modified-planter-basket.html