Timeframe for growth?

[xxEMOxLIZZARDxx]

xxEMO. You're right. The Chinese Evergreen will do just that. It just needs to be set up with the roots immersed in the tank water with the leaves above the water. The roots also require a constant source of oxygen mixed into the tank water. I'd suggest placing an air stone directly underneath the plant roots and run it with a larger air pump. The more oxygen to the roots, the healthier the plant and the more nitrogen it will remove from the tank water. Lighting is also important. The plant will need a light directly above it. A good sized LED will work or you can hang a small strip light above it.

10 Tanks

I've never been told I'm right before. That's a first...

I've got plenty of bubbles in my tank at the moment thanks to the huge bubbler I bought.

I've got some LED lights I plant to set up as well.

 

[The Big Figfetti]

Word of warning. Pothos is toxic. What I learned from the video is after you clip them, you have to let the plant heal and start to develop in another container so that it doesn't leak toxins into your tank.
It looks like an interesting idea. I think I'd like to try it someday but I need to read up on it more.

How do I know once it’s ‘healed’?

 

[sharkweek178]

Oh, there's no real answer to give. It depends on the kind of plant, light, nutrients and water parameters.

It's a challenge to find that sweet spot balance of providing adequate amounts of light and nutrition for plant growth but not too much of either that you get algae. I was growing water wisteria. The growth was incredibly fast. You could see it each week. I added salvinia minima and that outcompeted the wisteria for nutrients and the wisteria stopped growing. I had some bacopa monnieri in the same tank that wasn't really doing anything. I moved it to my ten gallon that had fish in it and it did great there.
You (the royal you) just have to make those adjustments and figure out what plants are working best for you.

 

[sharkweek178]

Hello again Big. A thought occurred to me. If you're really interested in a tank that will require minimal work, then you could be interested in a book by D. Crosby Johnson. The title is "Never Change Your Fish Water Again". It's an old theory that has to do with using specific house plants that don't require any type of soil. They'll live with the roots immersed in the tank water with the leaves above the water. Apparently, you feed the fish, the fish provide nitrogen from their waste and the plant roots remove the nitrogen. The only water you replace is what's lost to evaporation. You use distilled water, so there's no mineral build up to harm the fish. The trick is, you need to test the water frequently in the beginning, until you get enough plants into the system to remove all the dissolved fish waste. Could be interesting and fun.

10 Tanks

You should still do water changes though.

 

[The Big Figfetti]

It's a challenge to find that sweet spot balance of providing adequate amounts of light and nutrition for plant growth but not too much of either that you get algae. I was growing water wisteria. The growth was incredibly fast. You could see it each week. I added salvinia minima and that outcompeted the wisteria for nutrients and the wisteria stopped growing. I had some bacopa monnieri in the same tank that wasn't really doing anything. I moved it to my ten gallon that had fish in it and it did great there.
You (the royal you) just have to make those adjustments and figure out what plants are working best for you.

This!
This is sort of the reason that I went all in with a bunch of varieties from the get go. I can see that some are doing well and others aren’t. But I am looking for more fast growers to add for now, just to help get things going.

 

[sharkweek178]

This!
This is sort of the reason that I went all in with a bunch of varieties from the get go. I can see that some are doing well and others aren’t. But I am looking for more fast growers to add for now, just to help get things going.

Floating plants are the fastest growers I know of. I use salvinia minima and anacharis myself with a few Amazon frogbit. But there's also water lettuce, water sprite, red root floaters. You can float water wisteria. Duckweed too but a lot of people don't like that because it is so difficult to remove once you add it.

 

[connorlindeman]

I also just started a Walstad setup.
I started on Jan 21. Tomorrow will be two weeks in.
You should start to see noticeable growth fairly quickly.
Day 1

Day 11

 

[The Big Figfetti]

Floating plants are the fastest growers I know of. I use salvinia minima and anacharis myself with a few Amazon frogbit. But there's also water lettuce, water sprite, red root floaters. You can float water wisteria. Duckweed too but a lot of people don't like that because it is so difficult to remove once you add it.

Thank you! So far my LFS has only had frogbit and red root floaters. Though I think a few duckweed got in there too. They also threw in a pennywort that is floating.
I will see if they can get any of the varieties you’ve listed and see how they do. Thanks!

 

[The Big Figfetti]

I also just started a Walstad setup.
I started on Jan 21. Tomorrow will be two weeks in.
You should start to see noticeable growth fairly quickly.
Day 1
View attachment 310505
Day 11
View attachment 310506

Wow!!! That’s a big difference! And it really shows me that something isn’t right with mine. I’m not seeing growth, I felt, at all.

 

[connorlindeman]

Wow!!! That’s a big difference! And it really shows me that something isn’t right with mine. I’m not seeing growth, I felt, at all.

Daily pics really help to see the difference over time. If you look at it every day it can seem like they arent growing.

 

[The Big Figfetti]

Daily pics really help to see the difference over time. If you look at it every day it can seem like they arent growing.

I should also stop adding things and moving things. I’ve only moved any given plant once. But still, I know it’s not good to do that.
I really don’t like the hornwort. But it’s a big filler and I like that it fills up one corner of the tank.

I will have to continue to play this ‘will it die’ game with different plants and hope that something likes the environment enough to thrive. Then add more of it!

Thanks for sharing your progress pics. It gives me hope!

 

[sharkweek178]

Daily pics really help to see the difference over time. If you look at it every day it can seem like they arent growing.

I do weekly pics but the point remains. It helps to have a frame of reference other than memory. Some plants will show other signs of growth like runners or plantlets.

 

[The Big Figfetti]

It looks chaotic to me, but I’m hoping that those two circled in red, do well! I’d like to remove the hornwort and use those to fill in the entire background.
I know nothing looks cohesive. I just removed some foreground plants that died. I’m looking for a hardy grass like plant. But my LFS told me to stay away from carpeting plants, since I’m not going to do co2.

 

[sharkweek178]

It looks chaotic to me, but I’m hoping that those two circled in red, do well! I’d like to remove the hornwort and use those to fill in the entire background.
I know nothing looks cohesive. I just removed some foreground plants that died. I’m looking for a hardy grass like plant. But my LFS told me to stay away from carpeting plants, since I’m not going to do co2.

I like the chaotic look. It looks more natural to me.

 

[connorlindeman]

It looks chaotic to me, but I’m hoping that those two circled in red, do well! I’d like to remove the hornwort and use those to fill in the entire background.
I know nothing looks cohesive. I just removed some foreground plants that died. I’m looking for a hardy grass like plant. But my LFS told me to stay away from carpeting plants, since I’m not going to do co2.

That looks like Italian val on the right and maybe anacharis that you circled on top. The val will grow with runners.

You can use some carpeting plants. Not all need Co2. Pearl weed is a great option.