Archivarium 2004

Wayfarer · Regulars Joined: 11 Mar 2004 Location: Canada

Has anyone used philodendrons in tanks? A relative of mine mentioned that the potted philodendrons around the house could be cut and used in the aquarium. Has anyone done this, or knows how to go about it? Thanks in advance.
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mlody · Advisors Joined: 25 Jul 2003 Location: Chicago, USA

I beleive this plant can thrive emersed in water but not submerged. I never kept this plant so I can't say for 100 percent, but the plant will die after a while if kept underwater the whole tme.
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Irons · Moderators Joined: 27 Feb 2003 Location: Buffalo, NY

While I didn't use philo directly I did use it's "cousin" Golden Pathos. It does not grow submerged. It slowly will die off. Even after taking out of being submerged for 2-weeks grow was forever small and very slow. Any leave under water will die off. Growing submerged works well, espcially if you can keep the algae off the roots. Just keep the plant above the lights.

2 cases I grew it under:

20 gallon. Roots buried in substrate, plant up and over hood/lighting. Java moss around the base. Grew VERY well.

75 gallon. Roots just in water. plant under light. Leaves burned looking. Growth OK until algae started to cover the roots.

HTH>
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Irons.

waldo · New Members Joined: 05 Mar 2004 Location: Idaho

I have used pothos in my tanks totally submerged and it has always done well,I grew one plant for over a year only to kill it by removing it from the tank and planting it in soil.Go to lowe's or wal-mart and get some pothos,when you get it home, cut what you want to use off at the soil and put it in a 1 gal jar with water for a day or two,this will help clean it.Then you can either plant it right into the gravel or let it float,either way it will grow roots in a few days.It should last for a a few months but if not,at least you're only out a couple bucks.
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Gerardo Flores · Members Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Location: Mexico

Caution should be used with species you are uncertain of. Monstera plants are often sold as Philodendron. They behave much like philos, and develop aereal roots too. I have never read or heard they could be toxic.

However there is other species which can also thrive potted only in water, Dieffenbachia. The plant will grow well, but its sap is toxic. You won't want to risk with this one poisoning your water.

Many species of the Araceae family look alike, and often will be sold under the name of Philodendron.
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Fish should be renamed Water Monsters.

Gerardo Flores · Members Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Location: Mexico

Anubias belong to this familiy too. Acorus is another species of this family. It is a grass-like plant that must have its roots always in water. As they are swamp plants, they do great in shallow open tanks. Leaves rarely reach more than 20 inches, being regularly 16-18in tall. As not completely acuatic plants they do well sometime submersed, but eventually will perish. I once dropped a por in a fountain, and took it out two weeks later, the tips of the leaves were barely reaching surface.

Philodendron scandens is both a climbing and creeping plant, sometimes called "telephone plant". If you manage to put a steady pot on top of your tank (or hanging on the back) you can have it growing all over the rim, hanging over the glass walls. You can trim the leaves in the front and leave the laterals, or just have it over the laterals. It would often pread a little over water's surface. If you have an iron/steel stand, you can even have it cover the legs by wrapping them with sphagnum moss/peat moss and thread (then the pot should be placed on the floor). A little water spraying and care and you will have also a planted stand. Not harmful for fish and other plants.

Scindapsis is another one. Resembles P. scandens, no reports of it being toxic.
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Fish should be renamed Water Monsters.

Wayfarer · Regulars Joined: 11 Mar 2004 Location: Canada

Wow, you know your stuff Gerardo! I'll be careful around the Philodendrons and look for scandens. Thanks!
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"Hey Brian, there's a message in my alphabets. It says 'eeeeewwwww'." "Peter... Those are cheerios."

sr_enterprises · New Members Joined: 17 Mar 2004 Location: Iowa

There's a company that actually makes a perforated acrylic planter that hangs inside your aquarium from the rim that you can use as a planter for wetland plants, I have one with a philo in it at my store, I use it to hide the plumbing and wires, looks great. Fill it with flourite and run a small power head into it for circulation and it will help filter the water too. I'll see if I can find a link for you but you could easily make one yourself in whatever size you think you need.

Gerardo Flores · Members Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Location: Mexico

Glad to be helpful.

Those hang-in planters work nice, and are much steadier and less mess than something you manage to fix just over the tank. Unfortunately some hoods leave no space for them. I managed to make a similar device holding from the rim of the tank to the border of the hood, very narrow space, just in front of the AquaClear output, but it held some lucky bamboos instead. Some monsters seldom grabbed a bite on the roots.
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Fish should be renamed Water Monsters.