Re: Planted Freshwater Aquarium

Howdy!

I have no experience with that Philodendron . . . I have never heard of it. But I have and have had many aquatic tanks with aroids and other aquatic plants. I prefer to use tanks that are far larger: at least 35 gallons. They tend to need less maintenance and fewer water changes. There are three kinds of tanks that I do. 

Type I. I start with an empty tank, and put down a layer of very rich potting soil; usually an inch or so. On top of this I put an inch or so of clean fine sand, which I have rinsed VERY well to remove any salts. The sand will keep the soil from muddying the water. I then arrange my wood and rocks. I then fill the tank, using a large dinner plate on the bottom to prevent the water that is being poured in from displacing the sand and liberating the soil. Once the tank is full of water (to about two inches from the top, I put in a sponge filter and the heater. I plant once the water is clear and up to temperature. This is a good way to grow most aquarium plants.

Type II. I use an empty tank with a good lid. The tank should be broad, with a lot of surface area. I put in about four inches of water and a powerhead that keeps the water circulating at a good clip around and around in the tank. I also use a heater to keep the tank around 75 degrees F. In the bottom I use small bricks or tile and I put in potted aroids, with the pots set on the tiles/brick/rocks. This allows the roots to grow out of the pots into the water, and I can put different pots at different depths depending upon how wet they want to be. The lid will keep the humidity high. This makes really happy rheophilic aroids, like Bucephalandra, Hottarum, Schismattoglottis, and Anthurium amnicola.  Aroids like Annubias and Cryptocorne will bloom if you completely submerge them for a week or so, then drop the water level slowly back to where it was over a few weeks.

Type III. Ten gallon or larger with potting soil on bottom, with water filled to the top. This is good for Pistia, Lemna, Wolffia, and Spirodella.

Have fun!
Christopher

On Sun, 11 Jun 2023 at 00:10, Caroline Baines <s*@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi, Have any of you plated a freshwater aquarium? What plants did well?  What fish did well? 

I have a Philodendron sp Mini Purple that I just know I'm going to kill if I don't do something drastic.  I've been researching and I know I can plant it in a tank as long as the vine and leaves are above water - but there are other sites that say letting the top float is fine too - the information is all on Philodendron and not on Philodendron sp Mini Purple in particular because there is nothing to be found but that it needs high humidity and medium light.  

So, if you have experience with the mini, please share your knowledge.  Also, any advice for my first planted tank will also be appreciated.  I asked in a FB group and got crickets. 

Oh, my tank is a nano 3-gallon.  

Thanks! 

Caroline J. Baines
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D. Christopher Rogers
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785.864.1714
Associate Research Professor
Kansas Biological Survey
​The University​ of Kansas​, Higuchi Hall
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ORCID Number: 0000-0003-3335-7287

Affiliate, Invertebrate Zoology, Biodiversity Institute, The University of Kansas
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The Crustacean Society

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