using plant roots to aid filtration

[morphy_richards]

Hi,
I have a small tank at work for which I've built a kind of air lift trickle filter in a bottle. (Work avoidance 🙂 ) I'm trying to assist the filtration properties by adding some spider plant shoots to the media in the trickle filter to help mop up nitrates. I'm wondering how sound this is as a general idea or if there are any other plants that might do better in the extremely damp but also very confined filter I've made.
Thanks in advance for any ideas.

 

[ghostsword]

Plants are great filtration aids. You can use mangroves a well, they are very good. Grow slowly, but very easy to maintain.


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[dw1305]

Hi all,
Spider plant Chlorophytum isn't ideal long term, Tradescantia zebrina works very well for this (other Tradescantia like T. flumenesis will do as well). Soleirolia soleirolii or Hemianthus will also work if you have enough light.

cheers Darrel