Aquaponic bonsai

[axiekeeper]

Hi.

I have an odd duck of a setup, I have a hydroponicish, aquaponicish, bonsai on the back of my fish tank.
Ive got a ficus with a lavarock substrate so far, it looks good but imUnsure if it will thrive with moisture like this.

I can provide very intense lighting and my tank occupants (axolotls) produce lots of waste. Ill get pics posted asap but gotta go to work. Thanks

 

[Si Nguyen]

I'd love to see your set up. I have been thinking about doing a big terrarium with my ficus banyan bonsai over an aquarium with tropical fish and poison dart frogs. I got the plans for it all, but the wife keep saying not yet.

 

[Kevster]

I'd like to see both!

Si I did a terrarium with a Gingseng Ficus and a couple tree frogs I caught locally. It was pretty cool. The ficus threw all kinds of aerial roots. But it also doubled its size in a year and became unmanageable or at least a full time job prunning it. When I tore it down I learned the trees excessive growth rate was due to the large amount of roots it grew.
When I first put the ficus in the tank I took it out of a 4x6 pot. In a years time it filled the 3 inches of soil in the 50 gallon tank. That's 36x18!! I was amazed.

 

[Si Nguyen]

Hi Kevster, I have got a nice little ginseng ficus for my terrarium plan too. I haven't thought about the growth rate of it. Thanks for the heads up. I need to plan room for that quick growth. I have an old 200 gallon aquarium that I want to grow poison dart frogs in. But I haven't been able to start it up yet. When I do, I will submit pics for you.

 

[axiekeeper]

sorry it took so long I have a crazy job!
sounds like the area I have my ficus growing is gonna be inadequate, so ill revamp that some but wont be able to add much space, Ive already got some new growth on tips of a few branches and its been less then a week and I did this to it already
(this is a ultra blue led light)

the pile of lavarock is unstable and I dont know if it would be best but Im gonna make one big rock for it to grow on like a ROR style and have the smaller lavarock surround it and remove a layer at a time when its more developed to expose the roots on main rock, If that makes sense or could work but im not sure what to do with it or how much water it can handle? (as a sidenote I posted this on helpfulgardners bonsai section and they said it wasnt possible and im a tree killer according to one person, haha)

 

[axiekeeper]

so what do you guys think?
would it be better to attempt a ROR with smaller rocks at the base surrounding it for the "feeder roots" (eventual result)

or to build an attractive high drainage planter with the lavarocks (maybe hydroton instead)

Or something else all together that I havent thought of?

this basin recieves water from fish tank after it passes by a canister filter and has a great flow rate and good nutrients. I can set up any system of watering/decorating or otherwise as long as it looks good.

another pic of overall system

 

[axiekeeper]

[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]well I over trimmed it and its not doing anything new but its not having any issues either. not much else going on, I was hoping it would grow better and it probally would have If I didnt trim it, but Im guessing it will take hold eventually.
Im gonna just let it be the way it is and see what happens.

also got some trimmings with roots developing.

 

[frozenoak]

Interesting, I have considered growing a Mangrove in one of my aquariums. It would be a fun and educational experience at minimum. I have been cultivating planted aquariums for over 10 years now and find it delightful.