Aquarium water for watering and fertilizer?

[AlBooBoo]

Hello

Soooo i went and got me a 125 liter aquarium for some weeks ago and have been reading a lot about it..

As it looks i have allready got my first beginners mistake coming to beeing an aquaman allready

My nitrit level are pretty high atm and i have been reading that "aquarium plants" benefit a lot of the nitrit. in fact i have allready come across sites that say that rooting cuttings in an aquarium is 3 times more fast and beneficial then regular water due too the high level of oxygen that is in the aqua tank.

I also know that some people grows various plants doing hydro ponics or whats the correct name for it.

So therefor i wonder! can i put some of my ficus out of potting soil and directly into the aquarium? off course with op half of root ball over waterline?

If this is possible i can set ut a great eco system that both give my plants extremely good growing conditions and also very good for the eco system in the aquarium.

Any one have any thought or ideas about this? experience?

 

[Eric Group]

I do not think this would be good for the fish or the trees! Aquariums in my experience have a lot of chemicals used to keep the water clear, kill diseases.... That may be harmful to the trees. Ficus maybe be slightly more tolerant to overwatering than some trees, but I don't believe complete submersion of the rootball would work. There is no telling what kind of chemicals from fertilizers used before or after you got the trees may leach out into the water, killing or harming your fish... (Ever used chemical ferts on these trees?).


Now, using the occasional watering can full of fish poop water to feed and water your trees? I used to do that every now and then when I had an aquarium set up and don't recall any ill effects...

 

[AlBooBoo]

I have never had any disease or putted any chemicals in the water.. its fairly new aquarium but.

I have never really fertilized any of my tropicals either.. they sit in a mix of some soil and worm casting.

And rootball is not under water... its only the long thin feeder roots that sits under water line, right next to the air pump

 

[RickMartin]

I was into planted tanks for years. What you are describing is the nitrogen cycle. When a tank is first setup you need to get bacterial growth going. To get that going the tank needs to cycle. At first you will have very high ammonia spikes then nitrites will form to take out the ammonia. Then nitrates will take over to compete with nitrites. All of his should take about 6 weeks for cycle to complete. I used to dose my tanks with nitrogen so plants would thrive.

Rick

 

[AlBooBoo]

Hey

Yea i know about the cycle.. and i know my errors now too patience is key hehe

But do you think adding the ficus roots into the water will use up any of the nitrites?

 

[RickMartin]

I wouldnt put any tree in there as they are not aquatic. Aquatic plants like rotella rotundiafolia and moss will eat up nitrates. If you want when I get home I can post a pic of one of my tanks.

 

[Dav4]

I recommend 50% water changes weekly until your bio filter is able to handle the ammonia, and use the waste water to water your trees. Don't put the tree roots in the tank...bad idea all around.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Nitrites are toxic. They will kill water plants. Once you have enough beneficial bacteria to break all your nitrites into nitrates, water plants (or even algae) will take up excess nitrates. However I agree in general with what people are saying - use water plants in an aquarium not bonsai

My one exception being that if you take the water OUT of your aquarium, it is great for watering your bonsai. So when your aquarium has completely cycled and you do water changes, don't flush the water down the drain, use it on your bonsai. I have a watering can outside and I take water out of my koi pond all the time for my bonsai.

 

[jeanluc83]

What using a about a bald cypress?

It could defiantly make an interesting display. It would take a lot of creativity to keep the tree happy as well as the occupants of the tank though.

 

[johng]

Its a little more complicated that what you suggest but basically all your talking about is aquaponics...google it...its getting to be a pretty big think.

I have used koi pond water and aquarium water to water my trees for years...the trees love it! I drop a sump pump connected to a hose in my koi pond to water everything in the garden...allows me to do daily water changes on my pond. It is best to use water from an established system!

John

 

[johng]

Its a little more complicated that what you suggest but basically all your talking about is aquaponics...google it...its getting to be a pretty big think.

I have used koi pond water and aquarium water to water my trees for years...the trees love it! I drop a sump pump connected to a hose in my koi pond to water everything in the garden...allows me to do daily water changes on my pond. It is best to use water from an established system!

John

 

[sorce]

There is a balance.

What are you willing. To sacrifice to find d. It?

Sorce

 

[RickMartin]

everything is a balance. Our trees need branch structure to obtain balance like nature does narturally. Aquariums need balance, and once established they need to maintain that balance or bad things will happen, one paremeter gets out of balance to far and your aquarium be be a algae forest. but back to the thread, again i would not use trees roots to suck up nutrients. Yes i used to use my water when i did a water change to water my trees and they love it, but be on the careful side, if you do this , i would only do it about once a month or you will be over feeding your trees.

Rick

 

[Paradox]

Using aquarium water to water plants once in a while, sure.
Putting non aquatic plants in the aquarium (even just the roots): not good for either the plant or the aquarium.

 

[RickMartin]

I might not be bonsai savy....yet but ive been doing planted tanks for 30 years. I started when they didnt sell aquatic plants in stores. Those of us that did it went out and collected emersed plants and put them in the tank

Rick

 

[sorce]

this IS the thread.

Rick,
In all sincere kindness and openmindedness,

We are not speaking of putting roots in your planted aquarium to suck up all the nutrients. (Add nutrients)
We are speaking of a completely different enclosed ecosystem for which a balance can be found.
If you took your stance on this subject, and applied it thirty years ago,.......where would you be?

The very first fish tank ever likely failed. (Fixed with balance)
As did the first planted tank. (Until balance)
As will almost everyone's first tank, until they learn.

Learn how far? To the point of giving up when it becomes too difficult?

What of saltwater tanks with mangroves?

You CAN do it.

But what are you willing to sacrifice to find it? (Not my new 125!)

Sorce

 

[johng]

I am not sure what folks are afraid of here??? I had my first planted tank in 1973...inspired by my parents who had been doing it for a decade before that...over 40 years later and I still have several tanks including a couple planted tanks.

If you go look at the planted tank forums right now you will see that folks have all kinds of trees growing out their "hang on the back" filters on their aquariums....ficus, bald cypress, and I have even seen trident maples. They even make a new HOB filter with a compartment meant specifically for growing terrestrial plants.

I use the bog garden area of my koi pond for Bald Cypress trees to recover after collecting....so far I have a 100% success rate on trees that go into the bog garden.

All this talk about balance and over-fertilizing is a bunch of hoooey!

I am not sure what "over-fertilizing" really is...but I can guarantee you will not do that with water from an established pond or aquarium...how many folks out there are irrigating their lawns and landscapes with water from ponds, lakes, and rivers??? Is the alternative for most people, watering your trees with chemically treated tap water, not far worse?????????? Chlorine, Chloramine, Flouride and who knows what else?? I am fortunate to have very good well water to use yet my trees still do better with pond water.

From my perspective it is one of the best things you can do for trees during the growing season.

 

[AlBooBoo]

Nice one Johng

I have also read alot about it and seen youtube clips where they make filters of bottles and have plants into it submerged with only leca and a air stone at the bottom of the filter.

I will do what i normally do.. just try and see how it goes

The ficus microcarpa is hanging with 50 percent of rootball directly into the tank. and allready have gotten new shoots.. after 2 days into the tank. this might just be shoots that was gonna come no matter what i dont know..

The nitrit level are still high in the tank and i cant change water yet cause i dont have any aquaclean left.

Alot of the fish i have are very hardy so i hope for the best for them until i can do a water change.. worst case scenario and they die i will restart from scratch and make a even better aquascape with more plants + the ficus on top. but then i will give the tank a looooong time to establish a descent bacteria cycle before putting in some fish.

 

[sorce]

Thanks Johng!

What kind of fish Albooboo? Pics?

Sorce

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I am not sure what folks are afraid of here???

When the OP first brought up the topic, I was envisioning a setup with JBP sitting with submerged roots on a shelf in an aquarium. Not a good idea.

Cypress in a bog in your yard? Of course!