Fertilizing terrestrial plants with aquarium water? - Fertilizing

abnormalsanon · 07-23-2006, 04:14 PM

This is maybe a bit off-topic...

I just bought a bunch of hanging plants, and it's the first time in years I've kept any above-water plants. I was wondering if any of you use dirty aquarium water to feed your plants? I have a 55gal goldfish tank, so I've got plenty of filthy water to spare.

Could using this water prolong the time in between regular ferts and adding new soil? What about using the same liquid stock that I use to fertilize my tanks?

mrbelvedere138 · 07-23-2006, 07:40 PM

Aquarium water makes great water for terrestrials. It has trace elements, is dechlorinated, slight fertilizer amounts. It probably doesn't have enough fertilizer to keep it going forever though.

Edward · 07-23-2006, 07:54 PM

Sure, plants love it.

**cwlodarczyk** · 07-23-2006, 11:06 PM

I water my plants when doing water changes on my tanks - I've had a couple of plants practically come back from the dead like this.

yildirim · 07-23-2006, 11:33 PM

Much better than regular water. I've been doing it since many years.

Ajax · 07-24-2006, 05:55 AM

Absolutely! My plumeria are flowering a lot better since I started using aquarium water.

Chris S · 07-24-2006, 07:09 AM

Tank water is whatiahvewatered my small strawberry patch with this year and they are doing very well. Also. I have a spider plant rotted in the water column of a planted tank w/ EI dosing, and you should see the difference in the new growth!

dnrdarryl · 07-24-2006, 07:44 PM

I've used it for many years for houseplants. Now that I have more tanks I am using it in the garden too. I think I need and storage tank and a pump instead of 5 gallon buckets though.

Marauder · 07-25-2006, 11:06 AM

I'm a little embarrased to say this but... don't use the nearly brackish water from a Guppy or Molly tank like I did.

It made my girlfriend really mad, but she eventually got over it. The plants never did though.