Aquarium plants
Live aquarium plants are probably the most important thing you can do to make your freshwater aquarium truly spectacular. There are so many different varieties available that you can create just about any look you want. It’s your chance to create that one-of-kind aquarium. No artificial substitute will ever come close to the natural beauty of live plants. All it takes is proper water conditions, good lighting and a little patience. Plus, your fish will love you for it.
There are some very good reasons to use live plants beside the fact that they look beautiful.
Plants in your aquarium can provide:
- Good shelter for pregnant females who are looking for a place to escape.
- They will supply shade and cooler temperatures when it gets warmer.
- They will also help protect smaller and shy fish from more aggressive tank mates.
- The more delicate and long-finned fish will also welcome a safe refuge once in awhile.
- They will also inhibit the growth of algae. They will keep the algae from having enough nutrients to flourish.
There are basically three categories of plants that you will find offered in most aquarium shops. The aquatic plants are the best since they can be entirely submerged and still survive. Marginal plants can spend only part of the time fully submerged. Terrestrial plants live on land and don’t survive very long when fully submerged. Be careful. Unfortunately some dealers will sell terrestrial plants as aquatic plants.
Stick with aquatic plants if you’re just starting out. You can find plenty of variety. There are floating plants that float around on the top of your aquarium and there are rooted plants that anchor themselves in the substrate. If you have floating plants make sure you thin them out regularly. Many varieties can grow very quickly. If you let them get to thick they will eventually block the light from the top.
Plant Friendly Aquarium Conditions
To keep your plants healthy, you need to provide them with the proper temperature, nutrition, proper substrate, good water conditions and sufficient lighting.
All plants have temperature requirements. Make sure you check the temperature requirements before you purchase them. They should be compatible with the temperature your fish need.
Live plants need about 1 to 2 inch deep substrate consisting of fine gravel or course sand. This allows sufficient water to move through the plant roots and gives enough room for them to expand as the plants grow.
Good water conditions are an absolute necessity for live plants. Don’t let your aquarium get to dirty. Regular water changes are one of the best ways to keep proper water conditions. Try to use a filtration system that doesn’t pump a huge amount of air bubbles into the water. The air bubbles drive out the CO2 the plants need.
The water in the aquarium doesn’t contain the necessary nutrients your plants need for proper growth. You can use tablets and liquid feeders in the gravel near the plants for fertilization. Never use household plant fertilizers in your aquarium. They contain extremely high amounts of phosphates which are very bad for the fish.
Tropical plants usually require a constant light source. Most should have at least 8 hours of light a day. Check the requirements of your particular plant species. You could also consider using a plant grow light which provides the proper light spectrum the plants need.
With a little care your aquarium will be spectacular with those new live plants you add.