skip to main content

African Violets

Watering AVs with fish tank water.

14 years ago

So I read that fish tank water could be beneficial to plants, so all the other houseplants get it when I water. If I use fish tank water, however, do I still need to use plant foods and supplements to support the blooms or is the fish tank water enough by itself?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

quimoi
14 years ago
You know, I wouldn't use it on my violets because I'd be afraid of other bacteria or something else. Maybe it's a groundless fear.

I don't think it would be a complete fertilizer, any more than manure is for outdoor plants. JMO.

If something is thriving with it, I'm not suggesting you quit. I do things to my coleus that I don't with the violets.
0
junebabe
14 years ago
Hello, I'm just a novice caretaker of a medium collection of AVS but playing around with fishwater is something I did a few years ago. I had several inside aquariums and outside a big garden pool. I always used fish water on my AVs...with much success. But I think it was the sunwarmed soft conditioned quality about the water the AVs liked.

I would use other fertilizers per the recommended strength. Only if you were using water siphoned off the bottom of an inside tank would this water have much strength as a fertilizer IMHO Welcome to African Violets and to this forum; there are a great many experts here that can help you. junebabe, Smiles, Linda
0
Related Discussions
Here is a tip... Recycle water from your fish tanks...
Q
Comments (5)
Hello Dawn, Thank you for sharing and I am sorry to read that you have had problems with planting your aquariums. One of the easiest plants I have had is Anacharis. It truly is prolific. I have java fern and java moss in my fish tanks as well. I do not use any fertilizers on my plants and I have gravel substrates in both of my tanks. I did some searching and found a couple of links that might be helpful for you. The link attached is a picture of Anacharis. The website itself is for a supplier in your state. Steve's Aquatic Plant Resource Page is comprehensive and interesting. Here is the link for you to copy and paste: http://home.infinet.net/teban/ I hope that you enjoy the links and I hope that the pothos cuttings work out for you. Just try and be patient as they take a long time to root. But even just floating the leaves provides a pretty effect and something interesting for the fish to play with. *smiles* Please keep me posted. Always, Denise Here is a link that might be useful: Anacharis
...See More
My betta fish will not eat he just stays at the top of the water!
Q
Comments (7)
chels19, don't listen to some idiot who advises you to callously flush your fish away. It seems you're doing something right with your betta. In fact, I recently purchased some Blackwater Extract for my betta. It will discolor the water (dosage is 1/2 tsp. to 2 gallons of water) but it contains peat that lowers the pH and adds vitamins. Please check your water's pH, and for nitrates and nitrites, hardness, etc. Take a sample to your nearest pet store, they should be able to test your water and make proper recommendations. I'm glad your betta is doing better. TammyPie
...See More
How well do self-watering pots work for AVs?
Q
Comments (6)
Thank you, Korina. It sounds like I'll either try finding a self-waterer that wicks straight from the bottom or I'll go "old school" and just find a nice glazed, clay pot & saucer. The water difference strikes a chord, too. I've tried growing the AVs in just water for the last year due to a problem with fungus gnats (the annoying little buggers, I've tried to put every positive spin on them I could until I eschewed soil-gardening, at what looks like, the expense of my AVs. BTW--Does anyone know how to out-smart fungus gnats?) It makes sense that they might like RO water better than the liquid stone that comes from the tap. I've got to try that. I know when I lived in Michigan where we practically had freshwater for air every plant just *thrived*. Out here in AZ, it's a struggle to find plants that can even do marginally well (other than succulants, for which I have a black thumb,) so most of my gardening has been aquaculture. I have a friend out here who grows AVs, Wandering Jews and "lucky bamboo" out of the filters hanging on the backs of her aquariums. They seem to do wildly well for her, but I've been afraid that the violet fert. that I've been feeding my plants might be systemic in the plants by now and might be adverse in my small tanks....But speaking of fish tanks, is there any chance that the charcoal from fish filters would be an o.k. substitute for the horticultural variety? I change out the filters in my tanks regularly and since they're "charged-up" by fish poop and full-spectrum NPK aquatic fertilizer, I usually cut open the filters and dump the charcoal on my outside plants to ammend the soil. My biggest struggle out here is just keeping soil in any plant, but esp the AVs, consistantly moist enough since the air is just bone dry. Even sitting them on a plate of pebbles with water underneath, the water's completely evaporated in 1-2 days (sooner in the summertime.) And probably my worst AV crime is keeping them in a room with SW exposure. In Michigan, a southern window was sublime for every little kind of plant (but here in Arizona, we basically have either SW or NE facing windows.) Do you think a NE exposure in AZ would give them enough light? If so, I might move them into my bedroom where it stays consistantly cooler, but they would still has a large window for indirect light--keeping them around 75 deg. instead of having that daily warm-spike of the SW room. Thanks again, Korina. And instead of just buying those bags of Scotts AV soil, I'll make a special trip down to the nursery that has one my fish in their ponds and get a blend like the one you're recommending :) They guys always like it when I go down there anyway since it means they're getting cookies and Sweetie the goldfish gets treats, too! :)
...See More
Water-tank ('box') design for gravity-feed water system - HELP
Q
Comments (8)
Joel, epoxy is inert and more stable timewise than concrete or even cross linked polyethelene. Keep in mind that you want to use a Marine grade epoxy like West Systems. If you do not want to use epoxy, if you clean and prep the tank really well, wash it down with muratic acid, you can then coat the tank with a bonding agent, and trowel on a parge coat of acrylic and fiber reinforced topping cement. Mix it up thick and stiff. You need to trowel it, not pour it. To get a smooth surface, keep trowelling and polishing the coat until it is rock hard. That 120 gallons that Canadians use is just suburban use, and does not include farm irrigation water. The trick is to use the 80 or 120 gallon figure as an estimate to determine cistern size. Four homes sharing a 600 gallon tank, even though it is refilled during the day, is small if there are more than two people in each home. You may want to consider irrigating at night, or adopting less consumptive irrigation methods like drip.
...See More
Related Professionals
Folsom Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Annandale Landscape Contractors · Barrington Landscape Contractors · Duarte Landscape Contractors · Eagle Landscape Contractors · Ellensburg Landscape Contractors · Glendale Heights Landscape Contractors · Matteson Landscape Contractors · Oak Harbor Landscape Contractors · Siloam Springs Landscape Contractors · South Lyon Landscape Contractors · Stony Brook Landscape Contractors · Tehachapi Landscape Contractors · Goldenrod Landscape Contractors · Crowley Landscape Contractors
quimoi
14 years ago
After thinking this over and reading Linda's post, I think one issue is that you have no idea as to the strength, etc., you are giving them. I assume it might vary quite a bit.

Diana
0
cork_oh
14 years ago
You could try it on one of your AV's as a test. Then post your results here for the rest of us.
Thanks
0
quimoi
14 years ago
Just to try and clarify myself :) - If this seems beneficial, go for it. However, you would just never know the strength, nutritional value of it so I don't think it would be complete. You know, the big pleco dies and things change ;). You clean the tank, it changes.

It's probably not likely to hurt them although I was thinking of the various times tanks had to be treated, etc. I'm surprised no one ever analyzed this but I've been going through old AVMs and didn't see this one yet.

Diana in PA
0
abigail1280
14 years ago
One of my best friend's parents have a huge aquarium in their living room. It has to be at least 500 gallons. It's heated, has live plants and all sorts of expensive fish in it. Her dad is really into fish, and has probably 15 aquariums in their house, and breeds fish, and all sorts of stuff.

Anyway, I don't live near them (12 hours away), and I had mentioned to my friend that I was growing African Violets. My friend told me that her mom has always watered her violets with water from the fish tank. She said fish poop works wonders. When I visited her in August, I saw the violets sitting on a window seat. They were all gorgeous, huge violets..all looking quite spectacular. My friend told me I should get some betas and use the water from their aquariums to water my violets. I personally haven't done so, but her mom has been watering her violets that way for years, and they are quite beautiful.
0
fleur_guy
14 years ago
The only caveat I would have about using aquarium water is if it had been medicated for fish disease or algae or if the water had been treated to amend the parameters (PH etc.) I think it's perfectly safe and good but some will differ.
0
robitaillenancy1
14 years ago
Yes, aquarium water is excellent for AVs. We often use fish emulstion, which is similar. We don't know the exact ingredients of fish emulsion, but it does help the plant to "green up".

Fish emulsion or aquarium water could be used once per month, using other fertilizers the other three weeks.

Nancy
0
quimoi
14 years ago
Here's an old thread on this site that seems to cover it pretty well.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/aquarium/msg0410485631938.html

(I thought I'd do a search).

Diana
0

Related Stories

DECORATING GUIDES Designing Nemo: 30 Fish Tanks Make a Decorative Splash

By Mitchell Parker

Bring an otherworldly glow and a calming vibe to your home with the living art of an aquarium

SAVING WATER 11 Ways to Save Water at Home

By Carol Crotta

Whether you live in a drought-stricken area or just want to help preserve a precious resource, here are things you can do to use less water

GREEN BUILDING Just Add Water: Rain Barrel Magic

By Marianne Lipanovich

Take your rainwater storage from practical to beautiful with a new breed of design-friendly rain barrels

GREEN DECORATING Easy Green: Big and Small Ways to Be More Water-Wise at Home

By Laura Gaskill

These 20 tips can help us all make the best use of a precious resource. How do you save water in summer?

LANDSCAPE DESIGN New Ways to Design With Water

Go beyond 3-tiered fountains and faux waterfalls to discover water's architectural possibilities

GREEN BUILDING Water Sense for Big Savings

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Keep dollars in your pocket and preserve a precious resource with these easy DIY strategies

GREEN BUILDING How to Harvest Rainwater for Your Garden

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

Conserve a vital resource and save money by collecting stormwater for irrigation in a barrel or tank

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING How to Make a Pond

By Mitchell Parker

You can make an outdoor fish paradise of your own, for less than you might think. But you'll need this expert design wisdom

LANDSCAPE DESIGN California Says Goodbye to the Sprawling Ornamental Lawn

By Annie Thornton

New state rules will effectively limit turfgrass to 25 percent of the landscape in most new and renovated yards

GREEN BUILDING Modern Design Captures Valuable Rain

Instead of letting a precious natural resource trickle away, these architectural features make the most of it

Sponsored

More Discussions

Is my plant dying

0

What to do about wobbly plants?

2