Pothos in the HOB, anyone else running it for nitrates?
Hung a few pothos cuttings with the roots in the back of my hang-on-back filter about two months ago. Pic below of how it looks now, roots are long and white. Nitrate in the 40 gallon went from around 25 to 10 and it hasn't crept back. Cheap fix, wondering if anyone has had problems with the roots clogging the intake.
6 comments
Been doing this for years. Just trim the roots back every month or so so they don't reach the impeller, and keep the leaves out of the water. Mine never clogged.
Good to know on the trimming. I've got a spare pothos cutting I might try on the guppy tub.
pothos roots are great for nitrates but do the roots ever get into the intake on a small HOB? mine is a tiny one and i'm nervous
Same as I said above, trim monthly and you're fine. Small HOBs are the ones where I'd trim every few weeks because the intake is closer to the roots.
yeah mine is a mid size HOB and I keep the roots to the back chamber only. Will trim them next weekend, thanks
Another trick for tiny HOBs is a cut piece of sponge over the intake. It keeps roots and fry out both.
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