Last Updated on September 8, 2024 by Sara Rose
Would you like to know what the best house plants for aquaponics fish tanks are? This guide will help you with all the information you need to decide which plants you will be getting for your aquaponics fish tank.
Growing house plants is fun and can be a rewarding experience with many benefits to your health and home. House plants can help purify the air in your home, add amazing fragrances to your space while making it look lively. These amazing plants are usually planted in the soil. This works, however, there are certain disadvantages such as root rot and pests in the soil. You will be happy to know that it is possible to grow your house plants in water, in an aquaponics setup! Let’s get right into the details of how this works.
Table of Contents
What Is Aquaponics And How Does It Work?
Aquaponics is a food growing system that integrates aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (growing plants in water). In this system, nutrient-rich water from the fish tank is fed into a bed that is planted with plants in some kind of growth media. The plants in the grow bed take up the nutrients from the water that they need to grow, and at the same time clean the water so that it returns to the fish tank cleaner. Plants and fish in this system have a symbiotic relationship with one another.
To make an aquaponics system work, you need to set up a fish tank and connect it to a water pump. This is so that it can pump water from the fish tank to the plant bed. You must install the plant grow bed so that it is at a level higher than the fish tank so that water drains into the tank. This trickling of water will also help oxygenate your tank, which your fish will absolutely love.
What Kinds Of House Plants Are Best For Aquaponics Fish Tanks?
The best house plants for aquaponics fish tanks are the ones that have low nutrient requirements, prefer or can withstand low light intensity and require minimal care. They should obviously also have roots that don’t mind being permanently immersed in water and don’t mind a bit of abuse since they will be planted in a tank with fish that may occasionally bump them.
List Of The 10 Best House Plants For Aquaponics Fish Tanks.
1. Spider Plants (Chlorophytum comosum)
Spider plants are low-maintenance plants that are absolutely happy in an aquarium setting. These plants have low nutrient and light requirements and can take a bit of abuse due to their hardiness. A spider plant would be an excellent choice even for someone who is a beginner. As long as you keep it in a warm environment, it will keep shooting out leaves at an amazing rate.
2. Chinese Money Plant (Pilea peperomioides)
The big fancy leaves of this plant make it a favorite for growth in any indoor environment. They will most certainly grow well and beautify your fish tank. You should be careful to only submerge the roots of this plant and leave the leaves dry. This plant also grows really fast and can get out of hand if you don’t keep an eye on it and trim it regularly.
3. Philodendron
Philodendron is a genus of many flowering plants belonging to the family Araceae. Plants of this genus are some of the best house plants for aquaponics fish tanks. They need a good amount of nutrient density which can be easily provided by well-fed fish in a tank. Those big green leaves will definitely make you want to consider this plant for your next fish tank project. Philodendrons are really low maintenance and would be ideal for a novice plant grower.
4. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
This plant is one of the easiest plants to grow indoors. It can tolerate low light and nutrient conditions making it one of the best house plants for an aquaponics fish tank. This little creeper also acts as an excellent filter of nitrites from your fish tank. Pothos also competes with algae in your tank and so will help control algal growth in your fish tank.
5. Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum)
This philodendron is one hardy plant that is excellent for an indoor aquaponics fish tank. You should pay careful attention and make sure that you do not submerge the leaves of the plant into the water, only submerge the roots and this plant will thrive. The beautiful rich green, hearts shaped leaves of this plant will surely transform your fish tank to another level of beauty.
6. Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
The beautiful lavender plant! Who wouldn’t want to have this stunning flower in their aquaponics fish tank? Provide it with adequate light levels (natural or artificial), good ventilation and an ideal pH of 6.6-6.8 for efficient nutrient uptake, and this beauty will thrive.
7. Snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata)
The snake plant is one of my absolute favorites. The semi-succulent evergreen usually prefers well-draining soils, however it can just as easily root in water. The roots of this plant need oxygenation which should not be an issue in an aquaponics tank as it has supplemental oxygen. It will be sure to drive and improve the look of your fish tank
8. Peace Lilly (Spathiphyllum wallisii)
The Peace Lilly is an excellent indoor plant. It has the function of purifying the air and generally bringing positive energy into your living space. It will do the same to your aquaponics fish tank. You want to use material such as styrofoam to hold up this plant in the tank so that the leaves do not get submerged or else they will rot.
9. Fern (Tracheophyta)
A fern is one of those plants that just looks like it belongs in an aquaponics fish tank. It has low nutrient requirements and will bring that beautiful, lush jungle feel to your tank. Ferns grow fast and will need to be continuously trimmed so they don’t take over your tank. This plant is another one of the best house plants for aquaponics tanks.
10. Marigold (Tagetes spp.)
This plant with its stunning flowers is sure to be a great addition to any aquaponics fish tank. As long as you provide it with optimum growing conditions and an adequate supply of nutrients, this plant will thrive in your aquaponics fish tank. It has the added benefit of being a pest repellent due to its strong odor.
Conclusion
There you have it. A list of some of the best house plants for aquaponics fish tanks. This is a great way to grow them. It saves you the trouble of worrying about irrigating and fertilizing your plants as well as all the dirt from potting soil. Some of these plants will also help add more oxygen to your tank when they respire. They also help save you some of the trouble of filtration as they take up nutrients. We hope this list helps you decide what plants to use with your aquaponics system.
If you enjoyed this article, please share and add your own plants to this list of the best house plants for aquaponics fish tanks.
FAQs
Do plants feed fish in aquaponics?
Herbivorous and omnivorous fish in the wild or in their natural environment feed on aquatic plants. In a captive environment such as an aquarium or a fish tank, these herbivorous fish may still eat the plants in the tank. So you can provide them with various plants to munch on.
What can you not grow in aquaponics?
Terrain plants, most drought-adapted plants and plants that do not like their roots being permanently submerged in water will not grow well in aquaponics. These include plants such as dracaena deremensis, hemigraphis repanda, cordyline 'Red edge special, hemigraphis colorata, dracaena deramensis var. and dracaena godseffiana.
Can you grow strawberries in aquaponics?
Yes, you can grow strawberries in an aquaponics system. The roots of a strawberry plant do not mind being submerged in water as long as they get sufficient oxygen. Other plants and vegetables that can also be grown in aquaponics include shallots, red onions, snow peas, okra, cabbage and melons. As long as these plants are provided with sufficient nutrients, you can grow them all year round.
What vegetables can grow in fish tank?
Vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, okra, spinach, lettuce and peppers can be grown in aquaponics fish tanks. Some of these may have higher nutrient requirements so you will need to have a dense concentration of fish that can produce enough waste that will be nutrients for plant growth.
An aquaculture specialist and freelance writer. Passionate about anything sustainable living, such as growing your own food, and if you can do it in conjunction with fish farming, even better! I currently work as an aquaculture researcher where I can expand and share my knowledge and skills on aquaculture, crop farming and adding value to wastewater by using it to grow food products. I enjoy reading and learning as much as possible, and writing is another avenue for me to share the knowledge I gain with others. I want my writing to inspire people to try their hand at gardening, whether indoors or outdoors. You can even start by keeping a few houseplants indoors to help you gain a bit of confidence if you need to.