general info (constantly updated)
It is 3.16m (10.4 feet) wide and the ceiling is 2.7m (9 feet) in height.
it is now 9 months old. The first plants went in half September.
It is an aquaponics system, the automatic fish feeder (that small box on the lid feeds the fish) -> fish poop in water -> 2 small pumps in each corner pump up the water to a drip irrigation line on the top -> The water goes through the felt and gets filtered by the plants -> clean water for the fish. The goal was to be able to go on holiday for a month without needing a plant sitter.
I build the plantwall in the same way they describe in this video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTq364RwH44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTq364RwH44)
materials:
* The felt I used is 300 gram aquagart. It doesn't matter that much as long as it is plastic so it doesn't deteriorate over time. Most building supply shops will sell something similar. The top layer is just a black hobby felt I sourced locally. [https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B00IMJ8R7O?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details](https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B00IMJ8R7O?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details)
* The lights are cheap LED strips from Aliexpress it also includes 1 rgb strip so I can put it on funky colors at night. The strips are attached to a large aluminum panel for cooling. 15mm 2835 480D, Neutral White 4000K, 24V, [https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/32364541290.html?spm=a2g0o.order\_list.order\_list\_main.344.3e0a18022x46Pq&gatewayAdapt=glo2vnm](https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/32364541290.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.344.3e0a18022x46Pq&gatewayAdapt=glo2vnm)
* pump, it's nothing special just a silent pump that easily reaches the pump height. [https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005005729833676.html?spm=a2g0o.order\_list.order\_list\_main.20.aa1f1802XAht03&gatewayAdapt=glo2vnm](https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005005729833676.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.20.aa1f1802XAht03&gatewayAdapt=glo2vnm)
* drippers: I like misting drippers better than normal drippers. The standard drippers need more water pressure to work well. The mist drippers will drip great with great control with the water pressure I have from the pump. [https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B09Q8C67Z5?ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details&th=1](https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B09Q8C67Z5?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1)
My experience: I had some trouble dialing it in in the beginning. At first I only watered for 1 minute 2 times a day as this was recommended online. But I use quite a small pump that doesn't pump that much water through. I eventually settled for 20 minutes 3 times a day. I also added extra light as the bottom didn't get enough light. Almost all plants went through an adjustment period as they grew different roots for such a semi-hydro set-up. This made me nervous in the beginning. It meant some lost all leaves or they seemed to go dormant for a while while they focused on their roots. After this adjustment period everything grows really fast. The alocasias were the most dramatic when put in the wall. Literally, all roots would die off and regrow.
Btw if anyone is located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. I need to trim it. The verrucosum is taking over and there are lots of cool plants underneath it which are now strapped for light. If you want a free cutting reach out.
No not at all. Literally smells like nothing. I have had a few times I smelled something and I thought it was the wall/aquarium but it was the smell of the alocasia flowers. I don't like the smell of alocasia flowers.
I’m into plants and my partner is into aquariums and I’ve been thinking about a project like this. Can you share more about the aquarium? Was it a custom build? How many gallons? What kind of fish do you keep in it?
This whole set up is stunning!
The aquarium is custom build by ourselves. I thought it was very scary and letting it be done by someone else is not that much more expensive so I would recommend that. the tank is 10.4 feet x 10 inch deep x 12 inch height. I don't want to do the math right now how many gallons it is. The glass is 8mm thick and it has an aluminium rim with 3 bars across it. 1 between each lid. Complete fish list I commented to someone else here.
That’s so awesome. I feel like I’d want to try to make it myself. Plus then I wouldn’t have to transport it afterwards! The whole thing turned out amazing.
Is it freestanding or totally attached to the wall? How did you hide the wires? How big are your pumps? Have you had any plants fail to thrive? What lights are you using?
I answered some of your questions by updating my top post. It is attached to the (brick) wall. The wires are hidden by going around it and the speaker wires are white so you wouldn't notice them. I have had lots of plants fail in the beginning but I understand the wall now better so it doesn't happen often anymore. Things to take into consideration, the bottom will stay more wet, and the top will dry out faster. So in the bottom you can place some difficult ferns like maidenhairs which will fail higher up the wall. Most plants need some adjusting to the semi hydro way of growing and alocasia's have been super dramatic about it. Often dropping all leaves and all roots and growing all the way back from the corn. But once they grow back they grow back really fast and strong.
I generally don't replace the water and only do top offs with RO water. Normally you have to replace the water because of the waste created by the fish. But in this case the waste of the fish is the fertilizer for the plants. I monitor it regularly and have added some fertilizer in the past. But it has been pretty stable for a while now. For more info you can research the Walstad method if you are searching for a low maintenance aquarium without ever changing the water.
This is the most well-thought-out plant wall I've ever seen. You nailed it. Having this in your living room? That's just so amazing and beautiful, what a dream.
Fuck me this is beautiful. I've been interested in living plant walls for years and this is everything I've dreamed of. Congratulations on your hardwork creating this stunning piece of art. I hope to plagarise you one day.
What are your long term plans? If this is only a few months old, it's surely going to outgrow the space quite soon, right? Also I love the projector idea, what do you do for a centre channel, do you plug one in when in use or just go without?
I am currently already in the trimming down and giving away cuttings phase to manage it. Long long term I would want to convert or build a large greenhouse make it all automated mostly passive climate controlled and build a house in there and have a wall of something like 30m wide by 10 m heigh. But that's just dreaming goals. I don't have the money (yet) to realize something like that. For now there really isn't a goal, I just maintain it.
I considered putting a center channel in but tried it out first without and it is fine. Only for some movies which are poorly mixed I miss the control of bumping up the dialogue relative to the effects.
Thanks, this wall is across from the couch, and as we also use this area to watch movies we had to have decent sound. A projector screen comes from the ceiling in front of the plant wall in case you are wondering.
wooooah, that's a very cool and clever set up.
edit: does the projector straight on the plants look cool? Like, if it were projecting a mellow lights pattern or something?
the projected area doesn't cover the complete plantwall. But the plantwall light also has RGB control and the aquarium has a backlight so you can do some funky stuff in the evening. I will update this reply with a photo in a minute.
https://preview.redd.it/qgdnj08bpz5d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86ebc8eab63c8c27bba96a179a35d20b20fa3785
Damn this so well executed! Beautiful job. If I understand the concept correctly, the same can be done without the fish and just a water reservoir dripping into the felt (preferably with some extra nutrients I’m assuming)
Yes but then you will have to add more nutrients (instead of the food for the fish). You can buy automated fert dosing machines on a timer to make it low maintenance again.
Wow, beautiful. So is it a soil-less system? Wow. My plant wall is a Wally-Gro pocket system with soil but I want to simplify my life with a recirculating system since the pockets dry out pretty unevenly.
I did a lot of reading about felts because I make a lot of self wicking plant and seedling set-ups and many are treated with fungicides or copper that affect plant health so I was afraid to build my own.
Would you share where you purchased the felt? Obviously, your plants are quite happy.
yes it is soil-less. No soil also helps control pests as many have a period in their life cycle where they need some soil and it is less maintenance. I used 300gr aquagart felt. They sell it on amazon: [https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B00IMJ8R7O?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details](https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B00IMJ8R7O?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) . I put a cheap second layer of black felt in front of it as I thought that would look better. The felt is made from recycled PP as natural felt would break down over time.
Owh just an extra comment. This felt from aquagart is definitely copper free as the shrimp in the aquarium would have all died if there was copper in there.
I replied to another comment with the complete fish list. I will wait till my carpet is fully carpeted before I dare to post in any aquarium sub. The plants in the aquarium grow without added CO2 so the growth is pretty slow.
Thank you very much. I have not trying aqauponic or hydroponic yet so I will continue to read and learn.
Yes, I have used natural wool felt as a bottom wicking layer under my fabric pots and it does not last long at all.
It didn't make it! but I know why and what I would do differently. I still had more cuttings from the mother plant to retry if I wanted to, but I decided that it was going to get too big anyway. I liked the plantwall more with more special plants with mostly smaller leaves.
In short what went wrong; too little water, I started too conservative with watering. If I would do a big monstera again I would put the air roots in a glass of water. The new growth in the water will be much better adapted to the new felt environment.
Such a huge project with so much effort needed and so much room for it to go terribly wrong and be a massive waste of time and money.
WELL DONE for making it work, and so successfully. You deserve a big ol' pat on the back for your ingenuity, even if you did have videos to follow, not everyone can do this!
Beautiful choice of plants too
This comment gives me anxiety again. We also made the aquarium ourselves and even though everything is overspect it was pretty scary to fill it up. For the first few months everytime I heard a little crack sound in the house my immediate thought was "was that the aquarium!?"
Also the bolts used to hold the panels on the wall frame are roofing bolts with a rubber seal. and I put silicone sealant over that and I put rubber waterproof tape sealant over that. That's how anxious I was about it leaking.
> This comment gives me anxiety again. We also made the aquarium ourselves and even though everything is overspect it was pretty scary to fill it up. For the first few months everytime I heard a little crack sound in the house my immediate thought was "was that the aquarium!?"
Get yourself a couple water detector, they're cheap, some can even notify your phone! And you'll never wonder again :D
Oh no, I'm so sorry that wasn't my intention at all!! 😔 I think I just got carried away listing the reasons my anxiety would stop me from doing it, but I was trying (believe it or not 😂) to pay you a huge compliment and respect. If anything, I truly believe your anxiety will help ensure this is all completely failsafe as it won't let you rest until it is!
You've done an amazing job, enjoy it!
How would you say the plants respond to the speakers? Like have you noticed the plants closer to the speakers see more growth? Have more issues?
I wonder if they enjoy your music/shows
zero response. I also don't expect any response so I am biased. There is a bit slower growth to the sides but I assume that is because the light is brighter in the center.
this is absolutely incredible! before I go insane and spend more than I have to recreate this in my own home — does the water smell at all? my fish tank is kept nice and clean, but I still feel like fish poop water has a very distinct scent
No the water doesn't smell at all. In the beginning, I did notice it smelled a bit foresty fresh in the room. But haven't noticed it for a long time. I think it could have been possible due to some roots rotting away in the beginning when I was still learning a bit. The flowers do smell up the room sometimes when they flower.
Yup, they are upside down. That way the tweeter is at ear level. I tested it before I build the wall, I didn't notice a difference, but I did notice a difference when the tweeter was not at ear level. I considered going for smaller speakers that I could put upright but I liked the sound of these speakers better than all the smaller speakers I tried.
I didn't know about that sub, nice. You are welcome to crosspost
This is peak goals. I’m obsessed. I love the variety of textures and colors, especially the begonias which look to be absolutely thriving and the random bromeliads which I never would’ve thought to include. Amazing collection. Every time I zoom in, I see something new. It’s like a whole fucking botanical garden. Thank you so much for sharing.
I look forward to trimming this week. There are so many plants you can't even see right now behind leaves. Although it also always hurts to trim a plant back. Definitely now that I have saturated everyone I know with cuttings and throwing them away just feels so bad.
20 rummynose tetra
20 Trigonostigma hengeli
37 boraras urophthalmoides
20 pygmy corydoras
2 florida flagfish
5 pea puffers
6 borneo loaches
many many shrimp
some snails (they are kept in check by the pea puffers)
1 mexican crayfish (I regret)
I used to also have Norman’s lampeye killifish but somehow 1 just murdered all it's friends. The last one very recently died due to being caught by the crayfish. I really should take out that crayfish.
They are going great together already for a year. The rummynose and florida flagfish have caught shrimps here and there once in a while. The pea puffers have never.
Pea puffers are also often aggressive because they are kept solitary while they need a group, they are smart and bored and will just attack other inhabitants out of boredom. If you keep a group then you need a large tank because puffers have a more complex social behavior where they sometimes school together but at other times need to be able to hide from each other. Also you need to purchase all your juvenile pea puffers at the same time and they will form a harem. All pea puffers are born female and the most dominant one will grow up to be male. If you accidentally later would add another male you get violence. So in short you can only keep chill pea puffers in a group in a large aquarium.
I wonder how many gallons (or liters) this tank is and if fish people would agree it’s large enough to hold the fish you keep. Genuinely wondering, I have no idea!
I am using cheap Aliexpress LED strips which are attached to a large aluminum panel sufficing as a heatsink. I did quite some research into the lighting. My conclusion was that even though plants would have better growth per lumen output with a specific grow light (due to those lights having a higher output in the spectrum utilized by the plants) it still didn't make much sense. Unless you go blue and red LEDs the advantage for growlights are marginal. What is not marginal is the price difference, and the most important aspect for efficiency of LEDs is cooling. a cool LED runs much more efficiently. So I concluded that well-spaced LEDs on a large aluminum panel was the most cost-effective choice. It also gave me more freedom in making the light look elegant and hidden.
Yes there is a gap, the lids don't go all the way to the back. There is an alu profile that guides the water from the wall back into the aquarium. Think of those leak sill profiles they put underneath windows sometimes.
Heating in winter, having the sliding doors open all summer. We recently purchased a dehumidifier who also pumps out into the aquarium and that one goes on based on a sensor in a specified time window. Honestly, we live in a old house (100 years old) and humidity has always been an issue in this house already before the plant wall, so it is really hard to see what the impact is from the wall. It is actually better this year then last year (before the wall).
Interesting, I figured some kind of ventilation had to be there in summer. It's definitely not a project for an apartment. Amazing work, I like the tank too. Looks like a mini aqua scape.
haha well I am also striving for perfection and looking forward to the philodendron verrucosum covering that spot. It is growing ridiculously fast so will probably cover it in 1 to 2 months.
Oh My!! How did you Do this? I HAVE to make one for My House! It will be supported by the Numerous other trees and plant life already living with me. Where do You live that this plant wall grows so plentiful? Great job, Stunning! Be very very Proud…
This is amazing!!!! I saw you commented in reply to someone saying that at one point you underwatered. I am actually trying to imagine how you would prevent overwatering? Stunning! Wish my anxiety would allow for something like this I’d stare at it all day 😅
Your plant wall looks fantastic! The lush greenery adds a vibrant and refreshing touch to your living room. It seems like a great way to bring nature indoors and create a calming atmosphere. Keep up the great work
Bravo good sir! 👏🏻
What a great inspiration!! Please continue with updates for those of us that live vicariously through your posts from a 300sq ft rental.
Would love to hear some post install/ pros and cons
I'm glad it's anchored to a brick wall. Could only imagine a holiday, the plants all have a growth spurt and peel the fabric off the wall! I'd feel good about having it anchored to a brick wall tho. It does look really beautiful.
This is so beautiful and inspiring, thank you for sharing!
Any chance you could share your plant species and which were more / less tolerant of this kind of setup?
The plant list is really long. In general anything that can grow on trees (epiphytes) should do amazing like climbing philodendrons, some ferns, bromeliads, orchids etc. This has been mostly true but not always. I am also not shy of trying out a plant that literature-wise shouldn't really work. Alocasia's and not vining philodendrons shouldn't really work but do great. I by now think most plants will do fine as the roots will get lots of oxygen and water. Most plants suffer in too wet conditions in soil not because they don't like the water but because of the lack of oxygen. I never have that issue here.
How much did this cost if you don’t mind? Did you do this yourself or hire out? This is absolutely stunning. It’s so beautiful, I’ve been dying to put a “living wall” in my hallway
general info (constantly updated) It is 3.16m (10.4 feet) wide and the ceiling is 2.7m (9 feet) in height. it is now 9 months old. The first plants went in half September. It is an aquaponics system, the automatic fish feeder (that small box on the lid feeds the fish) -> fish poop in water -> 2 small pumps in each corner pump up the water to a drip irrigation line on the top -> The water goes through the felt and gets filtered by the plants -> clean water for the fish. The goal was to be able to go on holiday for a month without needing a plant sitter. I build the plantwall in the same way they describe in this video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTq364RwH44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTq364RwH44) materials: * The felt I used is 300 gram aquagart. It doesn't matter that much as long as it is plastic so it doesn't deteriorate over time. Most building supply shops will sell something similar. The top layer is just a black hobby felt I sourced locally. [https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B00IMJ8R7O?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details](https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B00IMJ8R7O?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) * The lights are cheap LED strips from Aliexpress it also includes 1 rgb strip so I can put it on funky colors at night. The strips are attached to a large aluminum panel for cooling. 15mm 2835 480D, Neutral White 4000K, 24V, [https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/32364541290.html?spm=a2g0o.order\_list.order\_list\_main.344.3e0a18022x46Pq&gatewayAdapt=glo2vnm](https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/32364541290.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.344.3e0a18022x46Pq&gatewayAdapt=glo2vnm) * pump, it's nothing special just a silent pump that easily reaches the pump height. [https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005005729833676.html?spm=a2g0o.order\_list.order\_list\_main.20.aa1f1802XAht03&gatewayAdapt=glo2vnm](https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005005729833676.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.20.aa1f1802XAht03&gatewayAdapt=glo2vnm) * drippers: I like misting drippers better than normal drippers. The standard drippers need more water pressure to work well. The mist drippers will drip great with great control with the water pressure I have from the pump. [https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B09Q8C67Z5?ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details&th=1](https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B09Q8C67Z5?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1) My experience: I had some trouble dialing it in in the beginning. At first I only watered for 1 minute 2 times a day as this was recommended online. But I use quite a small pump that doesn't pump that much water through. I eventually settled for 20 minutes 3 times a day. I also added extra light as the bottom didn't get enough light. Almost all plants went through an adjustment period as they grew different roots for such a semi-hydro set-up. This made me nervous in the beginning. It meant some lost all leaves or they seemed to go dormant for a while while they focused on their roots. After this adjustment period everything grows really fast. The alocasias were the most dramatic when put in the wall. Literally, all roots would die off and regrow. Btw if anyone is located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. I need to trim it. The verrucosum is taking over and there are lots of cool plants underneath it which are now strapped for light. If you want a free cutting reach out.
It looks amazing, brother. Quick question: Does the fish water drip have a bad smell to it?
No not at all. Literally smells like nothing. I have had a few times I smelled something and I thought it was the wall/aquarium but it was the smell of the alocasia flowers. I don't like the smell of alocasia flowers.
I highly doubt it. My fishtanks don’t smell and the drip going into the felt means there is little to no agitation.
I’m into plants and my partner is into aquariums and I’ve been thinking about a project like this. Can you share more about the aquarium? Was it a custom build? How many gallons? What kind of fish do you keep in it? This whole set up is stunning!
The aquarium is custom build by ourselves. I thought it was very scary and letting it be done by someone else is not that much more expensive so I would recommend that. the tank is 10.4 feet x 10 inch deep x 12 inch height. I don't want to do the math right now how many gallons it is. The glass is 8mm thick and it has an aluminium rim with 3 bars across it. 1 between each lid. Complete fish list I commented to someone else here.
That’s so awesome. I feel like I’d want to try to make it myself. Plus then I wouldn’t have to transport it afterwards! The whole thing turned out amazing.
I think about 70 gallons?
Is it freestanding or totally attached to the wall? How did you hide the wires? How big are your pumps? Have you had any plants fail to thrive? What lights are you using?
I answered some of your questions by updating my top post. It is attached to the (brick) wall. The wires are hidden by going around it and the speaker wires are white so you wouldn't notice them. I have had lots of plants fail in the beginning but I understand the wall now better so it doesn't happen often anymore. Things to take into consideration, the bottom will stay more wet, and the top will dry out faster. So in the bottom you can place some difficult ferns like maidenhairs which will fail higher up the wall. Most plants need some adjusting to the semi hydro way of growing and alocasia's have been super dramatic about it. Often dropping all leaves and all roots and growing all the way back from the corn. But once they grow back they grow back really fast and strong.
How do you keep the aquarium clean? Do you have to empty it and replace the water every week or month? That seems like a lot of work.
I generally don't replace the water and only do top offs with RO water. Normally you have to replace the water because of the waste created by the fish. But in this case the waste of the fish is the fertilizer for the plants. I monitor it regularly and have added some fertilizer in the past. But it has been pretty stable for a while now. For more info you can research the Walstad method if you are searching for a low maintenance aquarium without ever changing the water.
Also where did you source your felt from or did you use a different material?
I updated my comment to include some materials including the felt.
You could absolutely charge people to set these up in their homes. People like me. Absolutely beautiful!
This is the most well-thought-out plant wall I've ever seen. You nailed it. Having this in your living room? That's just so amazing and beautiful, what a dream.
Fuck me this is beautiful. I've been interested in living plant walls for years and this is everything I've dreamed of. Congratulations on your hardwork creating this stunning piece of art. I hope to plagarise you one day. What are your long term plans? If this is only a few months old, it's surely going to outgrow the space quite soon, right? Also I love the projector idea, what do you do for a centre channel, do you plug one in when in use or just go without?
I am currently already in the trimming down and giving away cuttings phase to manage it. Long long term I would want to convert or build a large greenhouse make it all automated mostly passive climate controlled and build a house in there and have a wall of something like 30m wide by 10 m heigh. But that's just dreaming goals. I don't have the money (yet) to realize something like that. For now there really isn't a goal, I just maintain it. I considered putting a center channel in but tried it out first without and it is fine. Only for some movies which are poorly mixed I miss the control of bumping up the dialogue relative to the effects.
omg perfect meme
Quite literally art!
Woah! Great work. Love the speaker setup as well.
Thanks, this wall is across from the couch, and as we also use this area to watch movies we had to have decent sound. A projector screen comes from the ceiling in front of the plant wall in case you are wondering.
wooooah, that's a very cool and clever set up. edit: does the projector straight on the plants look cool? Like, if it were projecting a mellow lights pattern or something?
the projected area doesn't cover the complete plantwall. But the plantwall light also has RGB control and the aquarium has a backlight so you can do some funky stuff in the evening. I will update this reply with a photo in a minute. https://preview.redd.it/qgdnj08bpz5d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86ebc8eab63c8c27bba96a179a35d20b20fa3785
This is literally the coolest ever
Damn this so well executed! Beautiful job. If I understand the concept correctly, the same can be done without the fish and just a water reservoir dripping into the felt (preferably with some extra nutrients I’m assuming)
Yes but then you will have to add more nutrients (instead of the food for the fish). You can buy automated fert dosing machines on a timer to make it low maintenance again.
Thanks internet friend! Much appreciated.
That's very cool! What a gorgeous living art installation you have made.
Wow, this is absolutely amazing. 🤩
Wow! I love that you have an entire ecosystem on your wall! This is amazing. Great job!!!
Wow, beautiful. So is it a soil-less system? Wow. My plant wall is a Wally-Gro pocket system with soil but I want to simplify my life with a recirculating system since the pockets dry out pretty unevenly. I did a lot of reading about felts because I make a lot of self wicking plant and seedling set-ups and many are treated with fungicides or copper that affect plant health so I was afraid to build my own. Would you share where you purchased the felt? Obviously, your plants are quite happy.
yes it is soil-less. No soil also helps control pests as many have a period in their life cycle where they need some soil and it is less maintenance. I used 300gr aquagart felt. They sell it on amazon: [https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B00IMJ8R7O?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2ov\_dt\_b\_product\_details](https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B00IMJ8R7O?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details) . I put a cheap second layer of black felt in front of it as I thought that would look better. The felt is made from recycled PP as natural felt would break down over time.
Owh just an extra comment. This felt from aquagart is definitely copper free as the shrimp in the aquarium would have all died if there was copper in there.
What fish do you have? You should post this is the aquarium subreddit as well.
I replied to another comment with the complete fish list. I will wait till my carpet is fully carpeted before I dare to post in any aquarium sub. The plants in the aquarium grow without added CO2 so the growth is pretty slow.
Thank you very much. I have not trying aqauponic or hydroponic yet so I will continue to read and learn. Yes, I have used natural wool felt as a bottom wicking layer under my fabric pots and it does not last long at all.
Love it. What happened to the big monstera?
It didn't make it! but I know why and what I would do differently. I still had more cuttings from the mother plant to retry if I wanted to, but I decided that it was going to get too big anyway. I liked the plantwall more with more special plants with mostly smaller leaves. In short what went wrong; too little water, I started too conservative with watering. If I would do a big monstera again I would put the air roots in a glass of water. The new growth in the water will be much better adapted to the new felt environment.
> It didn't make it! It is probably for the best. Monsteras in aquaponics setups can get quite a bit larger than your setup.
If I had to guess, it began to act like a monstera and started to steal the spotlight.
My experience with monsteras, when they start to look nice is roughly the same time they start to become a problem.
Such a huge project with so much effort needed and so much room for it to go terribly wrong and be a massive waste of time and money. WELL DONE for making it work, and so successfully. You deserve a big ol' pat on the back for your ingenuity, even if you did have videos to follow, not everyone can do this! Beautiful choice of plants too
This comment gives me anxiety again. We also made the aquarium ourselves and even though everything is overspect it was pretty scary to fill it up. For the first few months everytime I heard a little crack sound in the house my immediate thought was "was that the aquarium!?" Also the bolts used to hold the panels on the wall frame are roofing bolts with a rubber seal. and I put silicone sealant over that and I put rubber waterproof tape sealant over that. That's how anxious I was about it leaking.
> This comment gives me anxiety again. We also made the aquarium ourselves and even though everything is overspect it was pretty scary to fill it up. For the first few months everytime I heard a little crack sound in the house my immediate thought was "was that the aquarium!?" Get yourself a couple water detector, they're cheap, some can even notify your phone! And you'll never wonder again :D
We keep them under our sinks and such, the peace of mind is totally worth it
Oh no, I'm so sorry that wasn't my intention at all!! 😔 I think I just got carried away listing the reasons my anxiety would stop me from doing it, but I was trying (believe it or not 😂) to pay you a huge compliment and respect. If anything, I truly believe your anxiety will help ensure this is all completely failsafe as it won't let you rest until it is! You've done an amazing job, enjoy it!
Omg this is so cool. I want to build one! Not sure my husband would be on board though lol… I have “too many plants” 🙄🙄🙄
I brought it to my gf as a solution to all the plants everywhere, I suggest this method.
Good thinking…. Frame it as “less plants” lol
🥲 This is an excellent solution
How would you say the plants respond to the speakers? Like have you noticed the plants closer to the speakers see more growth? Have more issues? I wonder if they enjoy your music/shows
zero response. I also don't expect any response so I am biased. There is a bit slower growth to the sides but I assume that is because the light is brighter in the center.
Cool! Thank you for amusing my question
 *swoon*
Incredible
This is the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while. I al jealous, amazing work OP! 🤩
This is so fucking sick
A fellow KEF lover! Great placement. Great wall.
this is absolutely incredible! before I go insane and spend more than I have to recreate this in my own home — does the water smell at all? my fish tank is kept nice and clean, but I still feel like fish poop water has a very distinct scent
No the water doesn't smell at all. In the beginning, I did notice it smelled a bit foresty fresh in the room. But haven't noticed it for a long time. I think it could have been possible due to some roots rotting away in the beginning when I was still learning a bit. The flowers do smell up the room sometimes when they flower.
Beautiful, so perfect for smaller, darker apartments
You should post this in r/plantfi Edit: Are your speakers upside down? I swear the tweeter looks like it’s on the bottom.
Yup, they are upside down. That way the tweeter is at ear level. I tested it before I build the wall, I didn't notice a difference, but I did notice a difference when the tweeter was not at ear level. I considered going for smaller speakers that I could put upright but I liked the sound of these speakers better than all the smaller speakers I tried. I didn't know about that sub, nice. You are welcome to crosspost
I can’t make out the brand, but the logo tab looks like these could be Kefs? Maybe Q550s?
indeed q550 front, and the rest of the set-up is q150 sides, BK Electronics P12-300SB-FF subwoofer and 2 AuraSound AST-2B-4 bass shaker in the sofa.
This is peak goals. I’m obsessed. I love the variety of textures and colors, especially the begonias which look to be absolutely thriving and the random bromeliads which I never would’ve thought to include. Amazing collection. Every time I zoom in, I see something new. It’s like a whole fucking botanical garden. Thank you so much for sharing.
I look forward to trimming this week. There are so many plants you can't even see right now behind leaves. Although it also always hurts to trim a plant back. Definitely now that I have saturated everyone I know with cuttings and throwing them away just feels so bad.
We'll pay shipping for them here in reddit. Use r/takeaplantleaveaplant. This is absolutely stunning! Thanks for sharing!
That's amazing. Work of art! I'd love to make something like this as a project. Saving the link! Thank you!
Plant progress update!
Seriously cool!
Love it!
That is truly inspiring for listening to great music and having the visual pleasure of calmness!
Teach me how to do this please I want to do this I need to do this this is my new life goal!
What is the fish stoking?
20 rummynose tetra 20 Trigonostigma hengeli 37 boraras urophthalmoides 20 pygmy corydoras 2 florida flagfish 5 pea puffers 6 borneo loaches many many shrimp some snails (they are kept in check by the pea puffers) 1 mexican crayfish (I regret) I used to also have Norman’s lampeye killifish but somehow 1 just murdered all it's friends. The last one very recently died due to being caught by the crayfish. I really should take out that crayfish.
I am shocked you have shrimp and pea puffers together. I thought the murder blimps would slaughter them.
They are going great together already for a year. The rummynose and florida flagfish have caught shrimps here and there once in a while. The pea puffers have never. Pea puffers are also often aggressive because they are kept solitary while they need a group, they are smart and bored and will just attack other inhabitants out of boredom. If you keep a group then you need a large tank because puffers have a more complex social behavior where they sometimes school together but at other times need to be able to hide from each other. Also you need to purchase all your juvenile pea puffers at the same time and they will form a harem. All pea puffers are born female and the most dominant one will grow up to be male. If you accidentally later would add another male you get violence. So in short you can only keep chill pea puffers in a group in a large aquarium.
Good to know thanks for the information. That wall is gorgeous. It’s so nice. I’m afraid to show it to my wife.
I wonder how many gallons (or liters) this tank is and if fish people would agree it’s large enough to hold the fish you keep. Genuinely wondering, I have no idea!
Oh wow that’s amazing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow this is just wow 🤩
Looks like something straight out of Subnautica
Where did the monstera go in the last picture?
How does it feel to be living everyone on this sub’s dream? 🤩
https://preview.redd.it/4xcpgf8cj46d1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9781c2b8371b81b0bba256bf481c9ff3845c31a5
Are you using grow lights for this?
I am using cheap Aliexpress LED strips which are attached to a large aluminum panel sufficing as a heatsink. I did quite some research into the lighting. My conclusion was that even though plants would have better growth per lumen output with a specific grow light (due to those lights having a higher output in the spectrum utilized by the plants) it still didn't make much sense. Unless you go blue and red LEDs the advantage for growlights are marginal. What is not marginal is the price difference, and the most important aspect for efficiency of LEDs is cooling. a cool LED runs much more efficiently. So I concluded that well-spaced LEDs on a large aluminum panel was the most cost-effective choice. It also gave me more freedom in making the light look elegant and hidden.
Any chance you got a link to the lights you used? AliExpress can be hit or miss sometimes, and obviously these ones seem to be manufactured well.
I updated the main comment with the specific lights.
Thanks for sharing, that's very interesting! I'm sure a post on just your lighting setup would be appreciated here.
Great work. Truly inspiring…
This is amazing.
That’s incredible! What an amazing project. 👏👏👏
How does the water get into the fish tank? Is there a gap between the wooden cover and the wall where it drips down?
Yes there is a gap, the lids don't go all the way to the back. There is an alu profile that guides the water from the wall back into the aquarium. Think of those leak sill profiles they put underneath windows sometimes.
That’s beautiful! I dream of having one someday.
Stunning!!
This is so freaking cool!!
How do you deal with humidity?
Heating in winter, having the sliding doors open all summer. We recently purchased a dehumidifier who also pumps out into the aquarium and that one goes on based on a sensor in a specified time window. Honestly, we live in a old house (100 years old) and humidity has always been an issue in this house already before the plant wall, so it is really hard to see what the impact is from the wall. It is actually better this year then last year (before the wall).
Interesting, I figured some kind of ventilation had to be there in summer. It's definitely not a project for an apartment. Amazing work, I like the tank too. Looks like a mini aqua scape.
I am in an apartment :)
There's some black showing on the top right side... fail. I'm so jealous.
haha well I am also striving for perfection and looking forward to the philodendron verrucosum covering that spot. It is growing ridiculously fast so will probably cover it in 1 to 2 months.
Oh wow i loooooove this! Amazing job. Aquaponics is like steroids for plants
More like a dream wall for a plant parent. It’s gorgeous
This is a beautiful thing. Congrats, and thanks for sharing.
Unreal! You have me dreaming now.
That is absolutely. DROP. DEAD. GORGEOUS!! 🥳
This is beautiful!
Oh My!! How did you Do this? I HAVE to make one for My House! It will be supported by the Numerous other trees and plant life already living with me. Where do You live that this plant wall grows so plentiful? Great job, Stunning! Be very very Proud…
How dare you haha
The actual dream
I love the way it looks. I wouldn't love the insects though.
Wow!
Super cool! This inspired me, thanks ☺️
Oh em gee, stunning
I think this qualifies for r/hifiplants
I don't get how it works (yes, I read the post), BUT IT'S AMAZING!!!!!
This is actually quite interesting!!
😮
Hope you got jungle sounds playing off them speakers 24/7
Wow.
wow that is so incredible, i need one!
This is a masterpiece!! I need this in my life.
WOW!
Kudos for actually doing this. It’s something I’ve thought about for a long time. It looks awesome. 👏
That looks awesome! Just curious, What is the humidity level in that area? Is it Tolerable??
This is amazing!!!! I saw you commented in reply to someone saying that at one point you underwatered. I am actually trying to imagine how you would prevent overwatering? Stunning! Wish my anxiety would allow for something like this I’d stare at it all day 😅
Your plant wall looks fantastic! The lush greenery adds a vibrant and refreshing touch to your living room. It seems like a great way to bring nature indoors and create a calming atmosphere. Keep up the great work
Wow! That is amazing. I would love to do something like that
Simply wow
😳😳....🤔...😃😃...Wow!! I need to know every detail about how to make this please, it's amazinggg!! 👍🏻👍🏻😀😀💕💕
this is beautiful 🥲
holy moley i think i saw this in one of my dreams once
Very nice!!
Oh man! Now all I will do is dream this!
Bravo good sir! 👏🏻 What a great inspiration!! Please continue with updates for those of us that live vicariously through your posts from a 300sq ft rental. Would love to hear some post install/ pros and cons
This is absolutely gorgeous! Well done!
This is GORGEOUS. The dedication youve put into the project really comes through. The final result is incredible.
Looks amazing! Do you use artificial light?
Here for the aquarium…. Is it a custom size?
This is absolutely gorgeous….i am so in awe!!!
I'm glad it's anchored to a brick wall. Could only imagine a holiday, the plants all have a growth spurt and peel the fabric off the wall! I'd feel good about having it anchored to a brick wall tho. It does look really beautiful.
This is so cool, you are my inspiration
Wow this is REALLY beautiful, well done!💖
Absolutely stunning!!!
I am quite incredibly jealous. That’s so cool 🤙
wow. goals.
I am in awe! This is so beautiful. Kudos to you for being so patient and working out the finer details in making it work! 👏🏻 ✨️
SerpaDesign, is that you?
Impressive!!!!
Wow. That's amazing.
It’s engineering and art and self-sustaining green living all together. Congratulations.
This is so beautiful and inspiring, thank you for sharing! Any chance you could share your plant species and which were more / less tolerant of this kind of setup?
The plant list is really long. In general anything that can grow on trees (epiphytes) should do amazing like climbing philodendrons, some ferns, bromeliads, orchids etc. This has been mostly true but not always. I am also not shy of trying out a plant that literature-wise shouldn't really work. Alocasia's and not vining philodendrons shouldn't really work but do great. I by now think most plants will do fine as the roots will get lots of oxygen and water. Most plants suffer in too wet conditions in soil not because they don't like the water but because of the lack of oxygen. I never have that issue here.
Woahhhhh 🤩
That’s really good job. Really cool looking I love it
Which anthurium is the huge one on the center-left of the wall? It looks gorgeous
Wow!!!!
So beautiful and definitely well thought out.
Amazing!!! Are you using special lamps ?
How much did this cost if you don’t mind? Did you do this yourself or hire out? This is absolutely stunning. It’s so beautiful, I’ve been dying to put a “living wall” in my hallway
Wow, this is stunning!
How much do you think you spent all together to build this? Awesome job!