My fish room guys have been trying this, posted before:



Plant is surviving but that's it, despite some very nutrient rich water, sump for a 500 gallon freshwater fish display.

They just added a small LED a few days ago but it's been about 3 months and the plant is just existing with little growth and little die-off.

2 vines are gently tied to the PVC and tubing.

My suggestion was a pond basket or regular pot filled with hydroballs (expanded clay) that the roots could navigate instead of just wandering in the water. Potential for better root growth (I'm guessing) having something physical to grow around?

Right now the entire roots mass is just floating free.

Also as a supportive base for vertical growth, instead of just pushing the stem down as the plant tries to grow upwards.

Last is some kind of better vertical trellis instead of PVC and vinyl to give them some physical ability to climb.

Feedback on my suggestions appreciated, thanks!

Having grown a gazillion pothos cuttings in just a glass of water that thrived and sprawled all over the place, I'd guess that lack of light has been more of an issue than anything else. Looks like a dark corner.

Yes, I agree. The roots are fine wandering free but the plant needs light most of all. Nutrient rich water can only go so far - green plants get the majority of their nutrients by photosynthesizing.

NMoasis said: Having grown a gazillion pothos cuttings in just a glass of water that thrived and sprawled all over the place, I'd guess that lack of light has been more of an issue than anything else. Looks like a dark corner.

Thanks!

It is, 12 hours per day with T5 fluorescents but they're about 8' above.

I think the new LED will help a lot, but right now they've got feet of live leaves submerged that I figure will slowly die.

Media basket would help them get the leaves up out of the water.

Hesitant to go heavy on the light given the proximity to the water and the state of my employees sometimes (hungover, distracted while on phone, clumsy regardless).

DaisyI said: Yes, I agree. The roots are fine wandering free but the plant needs light most of all. Nutrient rich water can only go so far - green plants get the majority of their nutrients by photosynthesizing.

Excellent, thanks!

I have $27,000 of LED lights on the way (groan), I'm sure we can figure something out.

Humboldt said:
I have $27,000 of LED lights on the way (groan), I'm sure we can figure something out.

Gosh, that should do it... Nothing like a guy who attacks his projects with gusto!!!!

NMoasis said: Gosh, that should do it... Nothing like a guy who attacks his projects with gusto!!!!

Fingers crossed.

How about something like this?
https://www.reptilesupplyco.co...

Mount on the wall away from the water, 99% positive reviews?

I just changed my link to the manufacture's site.

We sell them cheaper on Amazon but wasn't comfortable posting that link so I deleted and replaced it.

More interested in how you think it might do.

Thanks

Sorry, I'm clueless about lights. @DaisyI ?

No worries. I'll set one up tomorrow and see what happens. I think it will throw the light a lot further than an LED bar, but I can still keep it away from the water.

I'm not sure why you would need a lenticular lens. Is it focusing the light on a 60* wide area? Its supposed to be shining into an enclosure so that would make sense.

6500k is full spectrum light - that's good. Lights are very directional so plants directly under the light get full sun, plants on the edges get less. If the lenticular lens is focusing the light even narrower, the outside edges of the plant will be in virtual darkness.

You will have to experiment to see how far away you can place it but I'd start at 2 - 3 ft. Good news is the further away from the plant, the wider the 60* will be.

Wow, that sure is an elaborate set-up.

I did not like dealing with watering too often, nor constantly replacing water or doing too elaborate set-up, ..and knowing pothos roots can easily grow in water but at the same time need good airflow at rootzone and ample bright light, I just use water gel beads, grown in a glass vase...so it is somewhat semi-hydroponic. And it is happy at a distance from natural light coming from a north facing window.

I do not even give it fertilizers..just visibly seeing beads deflate is a good reminder for me to refill some water to inflate them again.

But I think in the current set-up shown on the photos, just give it time..it is now going into Spring..indoor plants will be in rebound mode once indoor temps goes naturally warmer too, and natural light levels apart from artificial lighting intensifies.
Many indoor plants truly slows down during the cold months, so it is understandable the pace of their growth goes quite slow.

DaisyI said: I'm not sure why you would need a lenticular lens. Is it focusing the light on a 60* wide area? Its supposed to be shining into an enclosure so that would make sense.

6500k is full spectrum light - that's good. Lights are very directional so plants directly under the light get full sun, plants on the edges get less. If the lenticular lens is focusing the light even narrower, the outside edges of the plant will be in virtual darkness.

You will have to experiment to see how far away you can place it but I'd start at 2 - 3 ft. Good news is the further away from the plant, the wider the 60* will be.

Thanks for the advice.

I don't think it'd "need" it, but it'd be a toy I've been wanting to try for a while.

It'd be mounted on the wall, so about 2'.

I could mount a LED bar on the wall but I'm not sure how far the light would carry, I normally have those from a few inches to a foot above plants. Might be a good choice also, I can chose whatever I think will work.

tarev said: Wow, that sure is an elaborate set-up.

I did not like dealing with watering too often, nor constantly replacing water or doing too elaborate set-up, ..and knowing pothos roots can easily grow in water but at the same time need good airflow at rootzone and ample bright light, I just use water gel beads, grown in a glass vase...so it is somewhat semi-hydroponic. And it is happy at a distance from natural light coming from a north facing window.

I do not even give it fertilizers..just visibly seeing beads deflate is a good reminder for me to refill some water to inflate them again.

But I think in the current set-up shown on the photos, just give it time..it is now going into Spring..indoor plants will be in rebound mode once indoor temps goes naturally warmer too, and natural light levels apart from artificial lighting intensifies.
Many indoor plants truly slows down during the cold months, so it is understandable the pace of their growth goes quite slow.

It is elaborate!
Combination of expensive custom-built acrylic and my sales manager's...ingenuity?
One of seven sumps (big fish room), but the only one viable for plants.
800 gph pumps pulls water from the tanks, over the blue biological media, down through 4 bread bag size filter socks to the left, into the reservoir where the pothos is, then back to the fish.

Never tried water gel beads except in soil mixes but that's a great idea for a plant like this!

And while I never cease to be amazed by plants (venus flytrap for example) this plant has been under 100% artificial light for months in a climate-controlled building. My plants in the office see the seasons like you point out, this one doesn't.

That said, they are sneaky bastards, so I wouldn't put it past them.

Just want to show you my pothos in water gel beads..in case you want to try it..ah, there are some clay rocks inside too..just for the fun of it..and I know those rocks have airholes too..so roots will enjoy it too. It also allows easy viewing of the roots condition.


And this is its distance from our north facing bay windows.

If I'm understanding right, Humbolt's Pothos is growing in the filtration system for a lot of fish aquariums. Gel beads would probably be really bad.

tarev said: Just want to show you my pothos in water gel beads..in case you want to try it..ah, there are some clay rocks inside too..just for the fun of it..and I know those rocks have airholes too..so roots will enjoy it too. It also allows easy viewing of the roots condition.


And this is its distance from our north facing bay windows.

Thanks for the pictures, they look very happy and healthy.

DaisyI said: If I'm understanding right, Humbolt's Pothos is growing in the filtration system for a lot of fish aquariums. Gel beads would probably be really bad.

Good call. If I use them it'd be out of this system and more for the cuttings.

As far as the expanded clay balls...we sell them name brand for bio-active tanks with water features.

At the grow store today I saw 50lb bags for 1/4 the cost per pound of what we buy for.

Considering re-bagging from bulk. You guys use them at all? They go by hydro-balls.

DaisyI said: If I'm understanding right, Humbolt's Pothos is growing in the filtration system for a lot of fish aquariums. Gel beads would probably be really bad.

Actually, I was just showing my simpler set up in case he wants to try it. It will be common sense not to use water gel beads in his current hydroponics metbod for sure.

It is always fun to explore other methods..in case the current one continues to be unsatisfactory.