Help with pothos plants

[Airborne 82nd]

I have my hob plant holders. From what I can tell it looks like I can get the plants at walmart lowes home depot. Then seperate them wash off all the dirt stick just the roots in the water. If that is wrong let me know. Now what do I need to feed them if anything that will not hurt my pleco or Oscar? I'm do for a water change for nitrates should I wait and let the plants work on them they are at about 15ppm. Is it just that simple. I've never grown live plants. My main concern is to not put anything in the water that would hurt the fish. I'm mounting some lattice work on the wall for the plants to climb on.
This is from a google search
While pothos plants can grow underwater. Mine will be out of the water just the roots in the water they are not aquatic plants. Most aquarium plants do best in water with a pH between 6.5 and 7.8, a general hardness of 50–100 ppm, and alkalinity between 3° and 8° dKH (54–140 ppm). Pothos plants, however, prefer a slightly acidic pH of 6.1–6.5, but can tolerate values that are slightly above or below this range. My pH is steady at 7.6 I don't want to move this just for plants.
Thank for any imput.

 

[Andy Sager]

Then it probably won't do well in your water OR grow rapidly enough to make any major difference in your nitrate level. Better to get nitrate consuming plants that do better under your water's " normal" parameters.

 

[Airborne 82nd]

Well I can let the nitrAtes build up it is the pH I didn't want to change around. Are you saying they won't do well with my 7.6pH. I can try some other plant if you know of any I just picked porthos because I read they grow like a weed well hell I grow weeds I've got 3 acres to prove it.

 

[Andy Sager]

With your water you'd be better off with Hornwort or Java moss. Both don't need to be planted, it won't matter if your fish play with them, they are low light loving plants and they consume nitrates.

 

[Airborne 82nd]

Thanks I will look both of them up.

 

[Andy Sager]

 

[ghyti]

For what it is worth. I have pH 8.3 And DH KH off the top of those measuring sticks (>300 ppm) I Have Pothos with the roots in the water and it grows just fine. Don't measure Nitrates very often so I can't say if it reduces any Nitrates.

 

[Andy Sager]

For what it is worth. I have pH 8.3 And DH KH off the top of those measuring sticks (>300 ppm) I Have Pothos with the roots in the water and it grows just fine. Don't measure Nitrates very often so I can't say if it reduces any Nitrates.

I know that plants can adapt to a lot of situations ( just look at Cactus. They can be dwarfed just by keeping them in smaller pots) but that doesn't mean they will do what we think they should do under all conditions. I'd be curious to see your nitrate levels.

 

[ghyti]

Haven't measured Nitrate in a long while. Did measure it to establish water change schedule. It pretty much stays in the range 10-30 ppm. Maybe that is enough for the Pothos. I bought small plants and they grew fantastic.

 

[Andy Sager]

Haven't measured Nitrate in a long while. Did measure it to establish water change schedule. It pretty much stays in the range 10-30 ppm. Maybe that is enough for the Pothos. I bought small plants and they grew fantastic.

That's what I mean. I'd be curious what they are today. I don't think you are comparing the same water parameters as Airborne's water. That water is much softer than yours.

 

[ghyti]

I just wanted to mention that my water was much worse than his and I can grow Pothos easily. So maybe it would be worth a try for him. You mentioned Hornwort and Java Moss. Had floating Hornwort and it took over the tank and it was hard to feed fish thru. And I can't keep Java Moss alive no matter how many times I try.

 

[Andy Sager]

I just wanted to mention that my water was much worse than his and I can grow Pothos easily. So maybe it would be worth a try for him. You mentioned Hornwort and Java Moss. Had floating Hornwort and it took over the tank and it was hard to feed fish thru. And I can't keep Java Moss alive no matter how many times I try.

Not to argue but your water wasn't " worse", it was just harder. Just as an example, the pH of my water is over 8.0 out of the well but it's very soft. Too soft imo because I can't get hornwort to grow in it outside. I've even tried collecting it from lakes down in S. Florida and it didn't hold up. I checked the water at the lake and of course it was very hard like yours. Not all plants do well in hard water just as not all plants do well in soft water. Hornwort has a high tolerance for a lot of parameters and the Java moss is another plant that " supposedly" works well in Airborne's parameters.
As for your hornwort issue, you just have to thin it out when it gets too thick unless you like it looking like this: