pothos vines

[flukes]

I was wondering if these where available in australia and also where would i find them?? Does anyone use these?

Cheers
Scott

[luvfishies]

Pothos and Philodendron should be available to you. Either at a florists, or the plant section of supermarkets?

FYI most people confuse pothos with philodendron. They are NOT the same. Pothos has thicker, waxier leaves, and more rigid stems. It also comes in variegated varieties, either green/yellow or green/white, or even all yellow. Philodendron is green, with thinner softer leaves.

Philodendron
http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/poison/plants/slides/1615lg.jpg

Pothos
http://www.vanderlaans.com/images/pothMQ.jpg
http://63.104.123.76/flowers/products/AFS_509.jpg

A page of pictures HERE (http://www.southerntropicals.com/galleries/Pothos/)

HTH!

[jluna]

hi scott - both are readily available, as my garden will attest! - we call pothos devil's ivy - they sell it at all nurseries, even supermarkets. grows like the plague, but i don't have an emersed area in my tank for growing plants - but if i did i'd use the devil's ivy.

justin

[luvfishies]

Justin, I have used the Devil's Ivy/Pothos IN the HOB filters on my African tank.......worked really well! Tooo well, actually, as the roots intertwined into the media baskets, and were a real pain to untangle.

It would be worth it to run a HOB filter empty, and stuff it full of either the Pothos or Philo. They are fabulous nitrATE sponges!

[flukes]

Thats why i want it for the nitrate sponge effect.. :D

[champ312]

flukes--Let me get this straight, you have this growing in your filter or in your fish tanks? Are you using this as a floating plant or as an emersed plant? The nitrate sponge comment sounds very interesting! champ312

[flukes]

Havent dried it yet, just saw a picture of it used ontop of a tank and it looks great, once i do some moving of tanks i ll get one going.

[luvfishies]

Champ, I've done both the floater and the "in the filter" method with the Philo and the Devil's Ivy. In soft water the Devil's Ivy will eventually turn to mush if it's left floating, and the Philo does so even quicker. You can get a couple of months out of the DI in harder water.

The "in the filter" method, on the other hand, works really well, as long as there is moderately bright light; even reflected light off light-coloured walls will do. Just be sure that you ADD a filter for this purpose, as I would never recommend removing media from an established filter for this purpose.

even a cheapo Walmart HOB-type filter will do.

Many people grow these plants in nothing but water anyways, so 'fishie-water' will only do them good.

Another family of plants that do well with this is the Peace Lily or Spathiphyllum friedrichsthalii. Lovely plant, and a great air-cleaner, to boot!

http://www.vanderlaans.com/images/LittleAngelShadow.jpg

http://www.flowers.org.uk/plants/images/spath_med.jpg

[flukes]

Sounds good, ive got a planted tank i want to try it on. But you think the filter method is easier?? Dont have Wallmart here but can get HOB's cheap.

[Proteus]

Scott...

WalMart = KMart/Target, etc...

(department store pet section)

:wink:

[flukes]

Yeah i know, there pet deparment has had alot of discussion on a few boards. K-mart doesnt sell filters though.