Absorbing Nitrate

[Zante]

I'm looking at setting up a nitrate filter in my sump (integrated behind my display).
I like the idea of having some nice plants growing up behind my tank.

I have heard a lot about lucky bamboo, both good and bad and about philodendrons. Can I keep these plants with the roots in water? (no soil)

I have heard of using anubias, with the leaves above water.

I even read someone mention ficus with the roots kept in water.

How much of the above is rubbish?
Any suggestion about plants I can keep with the roots in water that will draw nitrates from the water?

As you can see I am a bit confused on the matter...

 

[SO19Firearms]

Pretty much any plant capable of supporting itself can be grown with it's roots in water, including house plants, fruit veg etc. We call it hydroculture, in a fish tank it's aquaponics.

 

[Zante]

Pretty much any plant capable of supporting itself can be grown with it's roots in water, including house plants, fruit veg etc. We call it hydroculture, in a fish tank it's aquaponics.

So I could go to a garden centre, get a ficus (for example) shake the soil from its roots and put it in my sump?

 

[snowflake311]

hydrophobic. Try growing some weed back there haha jk.

Bamboo would work well that stuff is a like a weed.

 

[SO19Firearms]

Pretty much any plant capable of supporting itself can be grown with it's roots in water, including house plants, fruit veg etc. We call it hydroculture, in a fish tank it's aquaponics.

So I could go to a garden centre, get a ficus (for example) shake the soil from its roots and put it in my sump?

You just have to "convert" them. You may find some plants need quite a lot of nutrient - more than your tank at normal stocking levels can provide - But trial and error will be your best bet...or plants that don't look that hungry

Chilli Plants where the last lot I grew in hydroculture.

 

[Zante]

Pretty much any plant capable of supporting itself can be grown with it's roots in water, including house plants, fruit veg etc. We call it hydroculture, in a fish tank it's aquaponics.

So I could go to a garden centre, get a ficus (for example) shake the soil from its roots and put it in my sump?

You just have to "convert" them. You may find some plants need quite a lot of nutrient - more than your tank at normal stocking levels can provide - But trial and error will be your best bet...or plants that don't look that hungry

Chilli Plants where the last lot I grew in hydroculture.

"convert" them?
what do you mean?
how would you do that?

I'm quite interested because if I can make the nitrate filter nice to look at as well as useful that would be a big bonus...

 

[stu40]

the word 'convert' in post #5 is a link

 

[Zante]

the word 'convert' in post #5 is a link

Ehm... err... yes, I saw that