house hold plants

[LestWeForget13]

is there anything that will grow in an aquarium that you could probably find in your house?

 

[BASSNMAN]

Quite a number of "aquarium plants" are bog plants. They are land plants that are adapted to being flooded part of the time. Most regular land plants cannot absorb O2 and CO2 from water. Some may exist for a while but will rot sooner or later.

 

[Lowcoaster]

Many species of Syngonium can be emersed (that is, roots in water, leaves above) in an aquarium. If there is sufficient light in the room, it will grow nicely and make a realistic maze of roots in the tank(sort of like a mangrove forest).

 

[LestWeForget13]

sygnonium, is there like a lamens term for that? like a simple name?

 

[Lowcoaster]

I do not know the common name, but if you see one, you'll know what it is---you can get them anywhere. Here is a good website to start.

http://www.southerntropicals.com/galleries/Syngonium/

 

[LestWeForget13]

OH THAT! im pretty sure my mom has some or can get some. my parents are incredibly talented with plants

 

[Lowcoaster]

I have no doubt that anyone into houseplants has at least one type of Syngonium. Just take a cutting, place 1-2 inches into the water, provide decent light and you're off!!!!!

 

[LestWeForget13]

break it down for me, i just need a bit with the root? and just let it float and itll be okay?

 

[Lowcoaster]

You just need a cutting---it will root on its own. I usually stick it in the back of the tank where I can find an opening in the hood. this way only about 2 inches is submerged and the rest of the plant is out of the water and allowed to grow above the tank.

 

[timd818]

You can use calla lily, peace lily and the common name for syngonium is caladium. You can also use anthorium, which is my favorite. Just submerge the roots.

 

[timd818]

Another good plant is the elephant ear or taro. It's very easy to grow and it does get big. The leaf can reach 2-5 feet depending of the type of taro and the root can reach the size of a football, at which point it will be the only thing growing in your tank

 

[Menagerie]

I want to try household plants in my tank!!

 

[timd818]

Other good house hold plants for aquarium are ivys, spider plants and hostas. I think almost home have some sort of ivys. Ivys are shady plants, I wouldn't recommend it if your tank is next to a window. Just take a cutting and submerge it in your tank and tied the stem to the side. It will grow. Another good alternative is to have a 5-10 gallon pot.
This is good if you want the "Black Magic" taro, since this plant gets quite large. Also good for water chesnut.

 

[LestWeForget13]

with most of these plants do you jsut tie them donw to the bottom or let them float?

 

[timd818]

You tied them to something so that only the roots or the bottom of the stem is submerged. I tied my caladium to the side of the tank with one of those garbage's tie and just have the roots under water. With the exception of taro roots, all other plants I've mentioned will float, and you don't want them floating on their side. They have to be anchored to something.

 

[LestWeForget13]

my mom told me a plant she has would do fine in a tank (some sort of lilly) and its stems are long enough that i cant just anchor them down to the bottom but only the leaves and about two inches of stem is sticking out, is that fine?

 

[timd818]

You can submerge the stem half way in water. When I planted mine, the stem is about 2 to 3 inches in the water. If the whole plant is under water, the new leaf will rot before it reaches the surface or be chewed up by your fish.

 

[LestWeForget13]

theres about 6 leaves on the hole plant about 3-5 inches long withc its own separate stem and one and a half of the leaves is under water, but the rest are about 3 inches above the surface.

 

[timd818]

It should be ok. I just remember something about syngonium(aka caladium). This plant is being sold as an aquatic plant in those chain pet store. These are not true aquatic plant and should not be fully submerged in your aquarium. They're bog plants and will die within a few months if you submerged them. Just an advance warning.

 

[LestWeForget13]

suppose one was to get a syngonium, would it just float and let its roots grow down?