In this article, we explore the best house plants for aquaponics fish tanks, focusing on varieties like Spider Plant, Peace Lily, and Philodendron. These plants are low-maintenance and ideal for aquaponics, a system where fish waste feeds plants, and plants clean the water. This integration of fish and plant cultivation is sustainable and efficient.
Have you heard of aquaponics? Well, it’s a combination of aquaculture (a method of raising aquatic creatures) and hydroponics (a way of cultivating plants in the water).
You can view aquaponics as a food production system where the waste produced by aquatic animals provides nutrients to the plants. And then, the plant helps purify the tank water, which further keeps the aquatic creatures alive.
Generally, people associate plants like herbs and lettuce to use for aquaponics. But there are more plant options, and the spider plant is our absolute favorite. That’s because it’s excellent for beginners who want to start their aquaponics fish tank journey.
Besides spider plants, this post also suggested a few other house plants for aquaponics fish tanks that you can consider growing. And at the end, a section also talks about aquaponics work.
Table of Contents
List of Best House Plants For Aquaponics Fish Tank
You can successfully grow the below-mentioned house plant in your aquaponics fish tank. These plants do not have extremely high nutritional needs. That means you can grow them without any issue. You can also look for the best freshwater plant by clicking here.
- Spider Plant
- Peace Lily
- Chinese Money Plant
- Philodendron
- Snake Plant
- Ferns
- Marigolds
- Water Hyacinth
- Lavender
- Chamomile
#1 Spider Plant
The first type of plant that can be quickly grown in the aquaponics tank is spider plants. It grows beautifully in moist soil, and the fish tank environment suits it. In fact, you can grow a spider plant in a fishbowl as well just by submerging its roots.
One thing that needs to be remembered about this plant is that it grows quickly. That means you should offer regular trims. If you don’t do that, it will take over your fish tank.
Spider Plant’s scientific name is Chlorophytum comosum.
Maintenance | Low |
Temperature | 70 – 90F |
pH | 6 – 7.2 |
Size | 12 – 15 inches |
Fertilizer | No |
Lighting | Moderate to bright light |
Also, spider plants can easily handle lots of abuse. That means growing them in your aquaponics fish tank won’t be an issue.
#2 Peace Lily
Peace lilies are known for their unique ability to grow in the aquarium and aquaponics fish tank. You can easily recognize this plant by its deep green and big leaves.
Whether beginner or expert, Peace Lily will not make you feel overwhelmed with its maintenance requirements. They can easily propagate. But you need to prune the roots to keep the growth under control.
Peace Lilies scientific name is Spathiphyllum.
Maintenance | Low |
Temperature | 60 – 80F |
pH | 5.8 – 6.5 |
Size | 24 inches |
Fertilizer | No |
Lighting | Bright light but avoid direct sunlight |
#3 Chinese Money Plant
You can choose a Chinese money plant if you want to grow a fancy-looking plant on your aquaponics fish tank. It has beautiful big leaves, which can enhance the beauty of your fish tank.
This plant has easy propagation. Also, it can spread quickly as it’s a rampant grower. So, it’s advised to trim the roots to control the growth. The Chinese Money Plant is also a flowering plant, but it rarely blooms. Its flowers are often tiny and white.
The Chinese Money Plant’s scientific name is Pilea peperomioides.
Maintenance | Low |
Temperature | 55 – 86F |
pH | 6 – 7.5 |
Size | 12 inches |
Fertilizer | Yes, occasionally |
Lighting | Moderate light |
If you have kept this plant under direct heat, its leaves will get dull. And then, it might die.
#4 Philodendron
A Philodendron is another popular pick among aquaponics fish tank keepers. But this plant won’t survive if the tank water is not nutrient-dense. The leaves of this plant look bigger and better, which enhances its beauty.
Growing Philodendron in your aquaponics fish tank will never be a mistake as it is under demand. So, if you are a new or busy tank keeper, this heartleaf plant will not disappoint you.
Maintenance | Low |
Temperature | 55 – 90F |
pH | 5 – 6 |
Size | 8 t0 20 inches |
Fertilizer | Yes, occasionally |
Lighting | Low light |
#5 Snake Plant
Another beautiful house plant that can grow perfectly on an aquaponics fish tank is Snake Plant. This plant has long green leaves and looks stunning. Snake Plant is known for its ability to remove toxic pollutants from the air.
It is also seen as a symbol of good luck. So, planting it in the tank will fill your place with good vibes. It’s a substrate plant.
Snake Plant’s scientific name is Dracaena trifasciata.
Maintenance | Low |
Temperature | 55 – 85F |
pH | 5 – 8.5 |
Size | 6 inches to 3 feet |
Fertilizer | No |
Lighting | High light |
#6c
If you want to turn your aquaponics fish tank into a lush green jungle, you can consider growing fern. The reason fern flourish in fish tanks is that it likes its roots to be in the water.
This house plant does not compete for nutrients. It has a better growth speed, which makes it propagate quickly. So, it’s essential to offer frequent trim.
Fern looks great, and they are an ideal choice for both beginners and expert tank keepers. Not to mention, this plant does not have high nutrient requirements. That means you don’t have to keep a lot of fish in the tank to keep it alive.
Fern’s scientific name is Tracheophyta.
Maintenance | Low |
Temperature | 65 – 75F |
pH | 4 – 8 |
Size | 12 inches to 6 feet |
Fertilizer | No |
Lighting | High light |
#7 Marigolds
If you want to grow a beautiful flowering plant, marigold is the right choice. This stunning plant not just gives out a blast of wonderful scent, but it also looks stunning. Not to mention that the smell of marigold keeps bugs away.
This plant comes in different colors. So, you can choose and plant one that you like the most. Even if it’s your first time keeping an aquaponics fish tank, you can easily grow marigold without getting overwhelmed.
Marigold’s scientific name is Tagetes.
Maintenance | Low |
Temperature | 65 – 70F |
pH | 7 – 7.5 |
Size | 6 inches to 3 feet |
Fertilizer | Yes |
Lighting | Moderate to high light |
#8 Water Hyacinth
Some people don’t like this plant because of its growth speed, but growing it in your tank is advised as it does a good job of keeping tank water clean. It’s an aquatic plant native to South America.
You can quickly identify Water Hyacinth as it has broad leaves and it floats on the water surface. This free-floating plant is also a flowering plant. When it blooms, its flowers further enhance the beauty of the fish tank.
Water Hyacinth’s scientific name is Eichhornia crassipes.
Maintenance | Low |
Temperature | 77 – 86F |
pH | 6.5 – 8.5 |
Size | 0.5m |
Fertilizer | Yes |
Lighting | High light |
#9 Lavender
This plant is usually grown in soil. But not many people know that Lavender can beautifully grow in aquaponics fish tanks as well. It is possible because this plant does not have high nutritional requirements. That means you don’t have to keep so many fish in the tank.
Its flowers look great, and it will make your aquaponics fish tank look magical with its vibrant colors.
Lavender’s scientific name is Lavandula.
Maintenance | Low |
Temperature | 68 – 86F |
pH | 6 – 8 |
Size | 20 – 24 inches |
Fertilizer | No |
Lighting | High light |
#10 Chamomile
Lastly, you can grow Chamomile on your aquaponics fish tank. It’s a herb plant that has multiple advantages. Its tiny, tiny plant looks adorable and can be used for different purposes.
Chamomile’s scientific name is Matricaria chamomilla.
Maintenance | Low |
Temperature | 68 – 86F |
pH | 5.6 – 7.5 |
Size | 20 – 24 inches |
Fertilizer | No |
Lighting | Low to moderate light |
How do Aquaponics Work?
Aquaponics is a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics, where fish waste provides nutrients for plants grown without soil. This symbiotic system involves circulating water from a fish tank to a plant bed, allowing plants to purify the water, which is then recirculated back to the fish.
Aquaponics is one production system that uses two systems. These two systems are plant growing without soil and fish farming. This way, both plants, and fish live in a healthy condition.
To make an aquaponics tank work, you need to assemble the fish tank using a pump. It will help in getting the water from the tank bed to the plant bed. Then you need to install a plant bed on the top of the aquarium so that the water is drained back to the tank.
Add fish and grow plants. This way, you can start a production system.
What is the Fastest Growing Houseplant With Aquaponics?
If you want to plant houseplants that quickly grow with aquaponics, you can choose peace lilies, English ivy, or pothos. Certain house plants also grow on sand.
House plants other than these take time to grow. So, if you are growing them, you need to give them some time.
Conclusion
Since you have reached the bottom, we assume that you might have gone through the given recommendations. The suggested house plants for aquaponics fish tanks are great because they do not have demanding maintenance needs.
Most of the recommended plants can even live in lots of abuse. That means if you are a beginner or have a busy schedule, growing those plants will be rewarding as they won’t die quickly.
To properly keep an aquaponics fish tank, you need water quality, light, temperature, and fertilizer knowledge. By offering each plant what it needs, you can help it thrive. So, hurry and set up your aquaponics fish tank today.