A spider plant in a vase is a kitchen cliche for a reason -- it thrives in plain water for months. The leap to putting that same rooted cutting into an aquarium is smaller than it looks, and the payoff is a free nitrate sink.
At a glance
| Light | low to bright indirect |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 18 to 26 °C |
| pH | 6.0 to 7.5 |
| What it does | absorbs dissolved nutrients, tolerates a wide range |
From jar to tank
Let the baby plantlet grow roots 5 cm long in a glass of water, then lower just the roots into the aquarium, leaves in the air. Spider plant is tougher than pothos about fluctuating water, which makes it a forgiving first crossover plant. Combine it with the tank divider for a large tank if you want a mixed living filter.
The crossover angle
Indoor-plant folks already grow spider plant in water -- GreenNest covers the windowsill method in the GreenNest plant-styling guide. Dropping it into a tank is the same skill with a bonus: the fish benefit from the nutrient uptake. One plant, two hobbies, zero extra CO2.
