# Are there plants for sump??



## ITALIAN926 (Jul 31, 2012)

Im sure its done before, but what Id like is to grow plants above water, so that I can just stick the roots in the sump. What Id plan to do is put a fluorescent light in my cabinet, and just grow the plant underneath. Does such a plant exist so that the root system can be in water, without soil? Just live on tank Nitrates? :-?


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## fusion (Jun 21, 2012)

Its called a Refugium when you do that, supposed to help out with Nitrates, not sure on the plants though, others will have to answer that one, maby google refugium plants?


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## ITALIAN926 (Jul 31, 2012)

Yea, Id like to find out if theres a fast growing, above water plant that can live with roots submerged in water. Id like to open my cabinet and have a jungle down in there


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## Texasmarine (Jul 8, 2012)

You could do Vallisneria or Anubias.
I would also keep a couple of nerite snails to keep algae down.

Anubias plants do grow better emerged. You could probably rig something up to get them up out of the water.


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## Texasmarine (Jul 8, 2012)

You would have to plant the Vals


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Why not have substrate? You could put the plants in terra cotta pots to contain the planting medium. People do what you describe with mangroves.

You want a fast growing plant, like Vallisneria to help with nitrates...anubias (slow growing) use nitrates but not enough to make a big reduction. For me, Vallisneria removed all nitrates within a week after planting (they grew like 5" during that time). But warning...once the nitrates are gone the plant still needs them so you will have to test and add nitrates to keep the plant healthy.

If the plant starts to die you will get cyanobacteria...hard to achieve a balance.


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## ITALIAN926 (Jul 31, 2012)

Thanks, I already have Vals, Anubias, and Java Fern planted in the tank. After a water change, I can get the Nitrates to "orange" , thats what my tap is. A day or two later, its back into the Red. After a bit of googling, Im thinking I might do Philodendron in the sump.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Good luck. The philodendron did not help for me.


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## royrusso (Aug 13, 2012)

I use philodendron/pothos with great success in all of my sumps.


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

royrusso said:


> I use philodendron/pothos with great success in all of my sumps.


+1 on the pothos. grows great with roots in the water greenery above the tank.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Oh mine grew. Just no reduction in nitrates.


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## ParrotKeeper (Feb 27, 2011)

How abt water hyacinth, they float on water hence no substrate needed in ur refugium.

Kiran


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## testeve (Sep 17, 2012)

Another +1 on the Pothos....


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