Pathos

[marzayyad]

Are Pathos plants in a planted tank GOOD for the plants? I understand they reduce nitrate which is good for the fish and can help keep algea under control.

But running high tech and dosing fertiliser daily, what's the point if its being pulled from the water by pathos?

Can they out compete the submerged plants? If dosing el method, is it advised to include pathos to soak up excess nutrients?

Thank you

 

[_Maq_]

I understand they reduce nitrate which is good for the fish and can help keep algea under control.

It's a prevailing opinion that nitrates do not cause algae. Also fish can tolerate quite a lot of nitrates.
Terrestrial plants rooting in a tank may be useful in tanks where no submerged plants can grow, like cichlid tanks. They can soak up ammonium/ia.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS.

Are Pothos plants in a planted tank GOOD for the plants? I understand they reduce nitrate

Pothos (<"Epipremnum aureum">) works very well to reduce all nutrients. It is access to atmospheric CO2 (<"about 415 ppm CO2">) that makes the difference. Have a look at <"Best terrestrial plants for Emersed growth">.

Can they out compete the submerged plants? If dosing el method, is it advised to include pathos to soak up excess nutrients?

I'm not an EI user, but I use a plant with access to atmospheric CO2 (ideally Amazon Frogbit (<"Limnobium laevigatum">)) as <"my indication of when to feed the plants">.


cheers Darrel

 

[mort]

To much above water growth can definitely stifle underwater plants, as has been the case in this lovely thread The Celestial Swamp - A voyage through a flooded forest fringe (Shallow Riparium) but I don't think having a small amount of emersed growth makes to much of an impact if you can control the nutrient levels in the tank. From the looks of your tank I would just reduce the amount of nutrients going in as you have mostly, slower growing species, rather than worry about soaking them up with pothos. You could easily adjust the fert dose to suit what you are seeing the plants need.

 

[marzayyad]

Thanks all for linking the additional research/threads and your informed responses.
I will just monitor and reduce fertiliser if required as first step.

 

[chvvkumar]

I have had Pothos growing from my high tech tank. I had it where just the roots were submerged. I eventually removed it because the roots would grow so fast, they would reach down to the substrate in a week. Caused all kinds of issues whith roots going where they are not supposed to: