I know its cheap and not worth keeping after you get your pond ready for winter... but was wondering if anyone has kept them in an aquarium or a stock tank with fish. I keep african cichlids and wanted your input. I could provide lighting with a grow bulb and fish to provide nutrients. If it is a stock tank i may throw the elephant ear in as well. The header should read hyacinth
water lettuce
- Thread starter phillyofish
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It's a nutrient hog and needs pretty good lighting, but it's possible. I'd shoot to keep a 20-30 ppm nitrate level (minimum), and watch for potassium and phosphorus deficiencies (leaf discoloration and holes).
I have not known anyone to keep one over the winter inside here in Indiana. Since I will have 3 tanks of baby koi inside this year with grow lights and natural white lights I am going to try a few. I am hoping between the babies waste and the lighting I might get a couple to make it. But without good light and plenty of nutrients they definitely do not make it.
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
I winter my koi inside in a 800 gal pond and i have yet to bother with plants...maybe i'll try myself!
I have kept water hyacinth over the winter for many years, in a 5 gallon bucket on my glassed-in sunporch. I'm going to try water lettuce this year for the first time. And why do this, since the plants are cheap enough next spring? Because I can!
I was asking more so to help the filtration on existing tanks I have indoors. I have pothos and mangrove currently in the fish tanks.
There's easier floaters if you want to keep some in your tanks inside permanently. Red root floater (Phyllanthus fluitans), Hydrocoytle leucocephala (Pennywort), many Hygrophila sp. especially H. difformis (Water wisteria), Water sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides), Azolla, and Salvinia all are some good ones. They aren't as large in overall size so don't require quite as many nutrients, though some of these may also require fert dosing if you're running a low bioload in a tank.
Are there any floating plants suitable for an indoor aquarium which would not be eaten by goldfish?
Hmmm that's a tough one. The reason Water hyacinth holds up so well is b/c it's so big and bulky up over the water. The same reasons it does well in Goldie ponds also make it more challenging to keep indoors.
IDK that any in that list above would be Goldie-proof, though?
IDK that any in that list above would be Goldie-proof, though?
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phillyofish said:
My african's ate anything I put in the tank. They liked a bare tank with rocks, I bought large volcanic rocks, full of large holes etc. put them in the tank that just had pea gravel on the bottom. No bottom filter. After I put in the first group of fish, I never replaced them for over 10 years, had a good natural cycle going. Constant babies. A few made it to replace the older ones that died. The cleaning involved using one of the vacuum type cleaners, I also had 3 fuval canister filters.
We tried keeping Water Hyacinth and Water Lettuce in buckets in our basement last Fall. We chose the healthiest ones and used pond water. I put a plant grow light on a timer, 12 hrs. of light on, 12 hrs. of no light....they got soggy and died! 
Now, we did not think to add fertilizer to the buckets and until this Spring, we did not have any way to filter the bucket (s). We are still trying to figure out a way to overwinter some of the WH and WL. I am interested in any and all suggestions. :lol:
Shoestring Ponder :lol::claphands:
Now, we did not think to add fertilizer to the buckets and until this Spring, we did not have any way to filter the bucket (s). We are still trying to figure out a way to overwinter some of the WH and WL. I am interested in any and all suggestions. :lol:Shoestring Ponder :lol::claphands:
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I have heard an air stones can help keep the water fresh. That might help your growing chances.
maybe you can have some small fish to provide the nutrients that the plant needs.
well i tried the same thing but no luck either i even brought in a couple of our little koi and the plants still died so if you find a way to keep them alive tell me lol
lol:~marino~:lol:
lol:~marino~:lol:
:lol:~marino~:lol: