So, I have a now huge pothos vine ( actually 2 of them ) along with 6 peace lilies in one tank… my normal open top evaporation on a tank of this size, and amount of aeration is roughly 2 gallons per week… this tank is more like 6 or more gallons per week, so I’m assuming the vigorously growing plants are drawing the additional water out of that tank… in essence they are nearly pulling an extra 5 gallons of water out… I’ve had to begin counting that as water change water, as the tanks are beginning to reach my capacity of my RO storage… I’m still doing water changes weekly, but I’m topping off these tanks, that the plants are using a large amount of water, and counting that as part of the water change water…
I’m justifying, because evaporation, doesn’t remove anything from the tank water, and only concentrates it, while plant use water, does actually pull water, and stuff in the water out of the tank…
When I say huge on the pothos, I’m talking 2 vines of close to 20 feet long, and about twice the thickness of a normal dirt planted pothos, and with the LED lights, still growing aggressively…
I have 2 tanks right now, that the plants are doubling the amount of water needed to fill each week… and in effect I’m only drawing half of the water out, that I would a similar tank, without the plants, for water changes… fish are doing awesome, so it seems to be acceptable…
I have been looking at a new RO water holding tank, that would be 3 times the size, so I could go back to the regular amount of water for changes… but topping off for plant use, plus 5-6 gallons a week, seems to be working on the highly planted tanks… for now
I’m justifying, because evaporation, doesn’t remove anything from the tank water, and only concentrates it, while plant use water, does actually pull water, and stuff in the water out of the tank…
When I say huge on the pothos, I’m talking 2 vines of close to 20 feet long, and about twice the thickness of a normal dirt planted pothos, and with the LED lights, still growing aggressively…
I have 2 tanks right now, that the plants are doubling the amount of water needed to fill each week… and in effect I’m only drawing half of the water out, that I would a similar tank, without the plants, for water changes… fish are doing awesome, so it seems to be acceptable…
I have been looking at a new RO water holding tank, that would be 3 times the size, so I could go back to the regular amount of water for changes… but topping off for plant use, plus 5-6 gallons a week, seems to be working on the highly planted tanks… for now
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