Above water plants question - Aquascaping

plazuk · 07-08-2018, 09:25 AM

Whenever I see people with planted tanks, bowls etc with above water plants like household plants that need to be in the soil I can't help but wonder abut bugs.

I mean, you can get all sort of nasty bugs in the wet soil like springtails and other mites and what if they get out and take over your house! Ok so it's a bit over dramatic but you get my point.

I was planning on doing something like that myself, with the house plants, maybe some pennywort and land moss but I just can't stand the idea of inviting more bugs into my home..
In case you did not catch that, I really do hate bugs =)

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kafkabeetle · 07-08-2018, 10:24 AM

The terrestrial plants I use are all cuttings from indoor houseplants I'm already growing. No soil goes into the tank, they are stuck in with no roots, then grow new aquatic ones within a few weeks. They don't introduce bugs because they never had bugs in the first place.

I do have soil under my substrate but no unusual amount of creepy crawlies. I have seen tiny tiny bugs swimming around like pencil dot size and occasionally worms. But with the first introduction of fish they all seem to get eaten.

mistergreen · 07-08-2018, 10:43 AM

You can use some aquatic plants are emerged plants too. A lot of the stem plants will work.

plazuk · 07-08-2018, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kafkabeetle

The terrestrial plants I use are all cuttings from indoor houseplants I'm already growing. No soil goes into the tank, they are stuck in with no roots, then grow new aquatic ones within a few weeks. They don't introduce bugs because they never had bugs in the first place.

I do have soil under my substrate but no unusual amount of creepy crawlies. I have seen tiny tiny bugs swimming around like pencil dot size and occasionally worms. But with the first introduction of fish they all seem to get eaten.

That makes sense. Could You help me with some examples? Other that photos? =)

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Gerald · 07-08-2018, 01:28 PM

Philodendron, Spathiphyllum, Pothos, Syngonium, are some popular houseplants that do well grown with roots in water. Springtails and soil mites will die pretty quickly away from the aquarium or their potted plants; they wont take over your house. However, there are all sorts of other microscopic mites in and around your house, including dry places, your bed, and in your skin. Get used to it; all animals have them, and some of them are important to our health. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/2015...bug-than-human

plazuk · 07-08-2018, 01:33 PM

I'm sorry but I got to face spiders part and I have to say f u man =) I'd rather not knowing. Thanks for the list of plants though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerald

Philodendron, Spathiphyllum, Pothos, Syngonium, are some popular houseplants that do well grown with roots in water. Springtails and soil mites will die pretty quickly away from the aquarium or their potted plants; they wont take over your house. However, there are all sorts of other microscopic mites in and around your house, including dry places, your bed, and in your skin. Get used to it; all animals have them, and some of them are important to our health. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/2015...bug-than-human

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kafkabeetle · 07-08-2018, 01:37 PM

I don't know how to embed photos but here's a link to one of my tanks with emersed houseplants. Pictured are pothos, wandering Jew, Swedish ivy and arrowhead plant. I also have some spider plant in another tank. It really helps with nitrates and preventing algae by shading the water and eating excess nutrients that aquatic plants don't have access to if you don't inject CO2 (terrestrial plants can take advantage of much greater CO2 concentrations in the air).

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fMnjckaUjPFPtGvP6