Plant Matter Clogging Filter Intake

jaylach said:

FIrst I know absolutely nothing about this plant so this thought may be totally off the wall...

If this plant in fact cannot live for a very long time submerged but it were still wanted to have say three in a tank... Could one not get six and rotate them out every once in a while?

Click to expand...

No idea. I just know after all this time none of them are showing any signs of dropping dead. The things are shooting out roots three inches above the gravel and they just start aiming down toward the bottom as if they can smell the substrate. Comical.

The simplest solution is to remove the pothos ivy from the tank...it's one of the easiest-to-grow indoor plants....divide it up, and pot in soil, in a few small planters...then, display them above the tank, if you like that look

The benefits of pothos roots in a tank are known, but fully aquatic plants provide just the same if not more benefits

Not sure what other plants are in the tank, from the pics

Slaphppy7 said:

The simplest solution is to remove the pothos ivy from the tank...it's one of the easiest-to-grow indoor plants....divide it up, and pot in soil, in a few small planters...then, display them above the tank, if you like that look

The benefits of pothos roots in a tank are known, but fully aquatic plants provide just the same if not more benefits

Not sure what other plants are in the tank, from the pics

Click to expand...

Well, there is moss in the filter tank but it would not be enough. The problem is, I have tried aquatic plants and they get uprooted by him. That is why I was delighted to discover that pothos works in aquariums as I could finally have greenery in my tank.

Glenn407 said:

The one I had that started off as a house plant turned ugly, I just chopped in parts and stuck the ends in the aquarium gravel. I asked about the idea and was told they would start dying at some point being fully submerged.. What point that is I don't know yet because four months in they are still going and even shooting out new leaves.

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Interesting. I have no clue whether mine are dying. They still produce new leafs often.
It seems to be thriving yet ~3-4% of the roots turn brown.

pictures of the intake pipe and how it stands in the tank?
(I saw a 2nd post with pics)
you should invert the intake or make it horizontal...
but it should be pretty easy to fix as a diy solution...
you can grab a co2 diffuser like this:

grab a mesh big enough to fit the inside spiral impeller type of part of the diffuser
glue it to a piece of pvc pipe (with a closed cap at the top) that will fit the mesh inside it
and then make some diagonal cuts on the pvc pipe...
this will make the whole thing spin around the mesh and clear it of any debris...
more flow more spin xD
it should look something like this:

you have to change the top of the mesh for a center support for less resistance so the flow of water can turn this thing easier
the pvc doesn't need to be glued or anything to the mesh as the water flow will push the impeller inside making the outside pvc pipe turn
and those cuts on the pvc pipe will do the magic of turning and turning and turning clearing any outside debris and the impeller any inside stuff

I've grown Pothos of various types (it's hard to say species because of the hybridization) for about 20 years now. Sometimes entire plants get established underwater, for a short time, but I assume when dry season doesn't ever come, they die off. The brown roots are normal.

You don't have a Pothos problem.

You have a jaguar Cichlid problem. If you're going to have pothos, peace lilies or other terrestrial plants with a power filter, you have to reach in every few days and remove detritus. The plants have always produced some here. If your fish wants to remove your fingers when you do this, the plant can't be kept in the system. I've seen worse - I knew a person with a Hoplias who had to plumb the tank for water changes because of the danger.

I keep plant roots on all my tanks, from many different plants. I have very gentle fish.

GaryE said:

I've grown Pothos of various types (it's hard to say species because of the hybridization) for about 20 years now. Sometimes entire plants get established underwater, for a short time, but I assume when dry season doesn't ever come, they die off. The brown roots are normal.

You don't have a Pothos problem.

You have a jaguar Cichlid problem. If you're going to have pothos, peace lilies or other terrestrial plants with a power filter, you have to reach in every few days and remove detritus. The plants have always produced some here. If your fish wants to remove your fingers when you do this, the plant can't be kept in the system. I've seen worse - I knew a person with a Hoplias who had to plumb the tank for water changes because of the danger.

I keep plant roots on all my tanks, from many different plants. I have very gentle fish.

Click to expand...

I have been awaiting a reply like this!
Thank god my animal does not have the capabilities to hurt me much. He hurts himself more than me.

kiko said:

pictures of the intake pipe and how it stands in the tank?
(I saw a 2nd post with pics)
you should invert the intake or make it horizontal...
but it should be pretty easy to fix as a diy solution...
you can grab a co2 diffuser like this:
View attachment 308252
grab a mesh big enough to fit the inside spiral impeller type of part of the diffuser
glue it to a piece of pvc pipe (with a closed cap at the top) that will fit the mesh inside it
and then make some diagonal cuts on the pvc pipe...
this will make the whole thing spin around the mesh and clear it of any debris...
more flow more spin xD
it should look something like this:
View attachment 308254
you have to change the top of the mesh for a center support for less resistance so the flow of water can turn this thing easier
the pvc doesn't need to be glued or anything to the mesh as the water flow will push the impeller inside making the outside pvc pipe turn
and those cuts on the pvc pipe will do the magic of turning and turning and turning clearing any outside debris and the impeller any inside stuff

Click to expand...

This is a second overflow I have that is the same. Will reinstalling it improve my predicament? Anyways, I might try it, just for the sake of experimentation.
Your contraption seems a bit overcomplicated for my issue. But I give credit for ingenuity.

PumpKineTick said:

This is a second overflow I have that is the same. Will reinstalling it improve my predicament? Anyways, I might try it, just for the sake of experimentation.
Your contraption seems a bit overcomplicated for my issue. But I give credit for ingenuity.

Click to expand...

honestly I don't think that one will make a difference...
you need something to constantly get rid of debris...
a spinning solution like the one I showed you is easy to make and will solve your problem..
another way would be to use a coarse sponge and get a mesh tank divider
just put the mesh inside any time the sponge gets plugged so you can safely rinse the sponge

PumpKineTick said:

Well, there is moss in the filter tank but it would not be enough. The problem is, I have tried aquatic plants and they get uprooted by him. That is why I was delighted to discover that pothos works in aquariums as I could finally have greenery in my tank.

Click to expand...

Ahhh, I see...I've never kept plant-averse fish

Update:
I reinstalled the second overflow and the water level in the filter rose drastically.
I hope the elevated water flow and the doubled surface area disallows the buildup of debris.
I do not have plans to do anything else.