Water Hyacinth in the basement

[Gemma]

I'm setting up a quarantine/holding tank in the basement, using a 65gl plastic tub, submersible filter and an aerator.
It would be nice to add water Hyacinth to help filtration, would they be ok until June with just the basement fluorescent light?

 

[Timothy]

I'm setting up a quarantine/holding tank in the basement, using a 65gl plastic tub, submersible filter and an aerator.
It would be nice to add water Hyacinth to help filtration, would they be ok until June with just the basement fluorescent light?

I've tried this for three consecutive winters with no success. I've used fluorescent lights suspended about two feet above the boxes, but they were just four foot shop lights not considered "grow lights".
I winter over 30-40 mosquito fish and bring in several Hyacinths. I use three of largest plastic storage boxes from Lowe's drawing water from one which goes through a filter then returns to the farthest box. siphon action pulls the water from #3 to #2, then to #1 where the filter pump lives. #3 and #2 boxes have heaters in them keeping the water just at 60 degrees.
The Hyacinths do well for about a month, then start failing and I pull them out and discard them. I doubt it's the temperature, but do suspect the lighting as not being sufficient.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Here are some ideas that work for simply maintaining them and then also suggestions for propagating which is more labor intensive and uses much more energy. https://www.petcha.com/how-to-overwinter-floating-pond-plants/
The article was written before LED's were widely available so that is now an energy saving option if you want to reproduce them.
Placement near a south facing window is best. Suggest you keep the water warmer too. They need very bright light to reproduce indoors. If you just want to keep them alive, do the above 'maintaining' suggestions or just put them in a container of moist soil and store them in a dark, very cool (not freezing) location. Check on them at least weekly and add moisture as needed.

 

[Gemma]

I've tried this for three consecutive winters with no success. I've used fluorescent lights suspended about two feet above the boxes, but they were just four foot shop lights not considered "grow lights".
I winter over 30-40 mosquito fish and bring in several Hyacinths. I use three of largest plastic storage boxes from Lowe's drawing water from one which goes through a filter then returns to the farthest box. siphon action pulls the water from #3 to #2, then to #1 where the filter pump lives. #3 and #2 boxes have heaters in them keeping the water just at 60 degrees.
The Hyacinths do well for about a month, then start failing and I pull them out and discard them. I doubt it's the temperature, but do suspect the lighting as not being sufficient.

Glad to hear someone else using Lowes plastic tubs without them cracking it means there is hope for mine!
I guess I could hook up a grow light since I do have one

 

[Gemma]

Here are some ideas that work for simply maintaining them and then also suggestions for propagating which is more labor intensive and uses much more energy. https://www.petcha.com/how-to-overwinter-floating-pond-plants/
The article was written before LED's were widely available so that is now an energy saving option if you want to reproduce them.
Placement near a south facing window is best. Suggest you keep the water warmer too. They need very bright light to reproduce indoors. If you just want to keep them alive, do the above 'maintaining' suggestions or just put them in a container of moist soil and store them in a dark, very cool (not freezing) location. Check on them at least weekly and add moisture as needed.

Thanks!
I did try to overwinter mine one year, they did great for a few month then started to die... but I didn't have fish with them that time, so perhaps they starved to death.
This time it's not about saving the plants, it's about helping the water quality in my holding tank until I can put the fish outside

 

[Timothy]

Gemma, here's a couple shots of my "system" for wintering over the mosquito fish. It's not very pretty, but is functional for hooking up several boxes.



The small aquarium is the maternity ward. The far box against the concrete is where the filter pump lives. It pushes water through the small hose to the filter which then flows through the larger hose to the near tank. The white pvc are made up inverted "U" shapes that allow siphoning from box to box. The pump box starts this action when the pump removes water from that tank then the one adjacent tries to make that up, then the near tank (where the filtered water is returned,) tries to fill the middle one. This will work on any scale so long as the siphon pipes are large enough to accommodate the volume the pump is moving.
The only tricky part is filling the "U" pipes and inverting them before any air gets in them. Once the open ends are submerged they'll stay full as long as the ends are submerged.

 

[Gemma]

Simple yet complex system you came up with @Timothy
I just have the 65gl tub about 3/4 filled with water, with two 5" koi, a filter, aerator and grow lights. I'm waiting on the heater, and the plants.
I'm planing on keeping a temp of 65-70F so I can feed and grow the 2 koi (will keep close eye on water quality)

 

[Stephen Noble]

Are those LED's hanging over the tank? You might consider directing the filter outflow (or lights) to the other side otherwise the current could push the plants away from the light.

 

[Gemma]

Yes the lights are clipped on a shelf, directly over the tank!
I'll move things around once I get the plants

 

[Timothy]

Are the LED's sufficient for a grow light? What wattage (or whatever is the measure of an LED ) is good for plants and safe for fish? What is the beneficial attribute of the LED?
I was looking at the large 4' lights and decided it was cheaper to replace the Hyacinths then buy the lights.

 

[addy1]

Led grow lights work great, if you have the right kind. There is a lot of write ups about them.

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