Creating an Indoor Aquatic Plant Display

Feasibility

An indoor water feature with lily pads is absolutely doable. Any watertight container—stock tank, preformed liner, large ceramic pot—works. Depth of 12–18 inches is sufficient for dwarf lilies and marginals.

Key Requirements

• Light: South-facing window plus 12–14 hours of full-spectrum LED grow lights.
• Filtration: Small submersible filter or sponge filter with air pump.
• Plants: Dwarf water lilies (Nymphaea 'Pygmaea' series), dwarf papyrus, dwarf umbrella palm, floating heart.
• Fish (optional): A few white cloud mountain minnows or mosquito fish for mosquito control.

Resources

Brooklyn Botanic Garden's guide: Indoor Water Gardening. Search "indoor container water garden" for more designs.