Adding live plants to aquariums provides beauty, shelter, food and cleaner water. Plants also absorb carbon dioxide and waste product and increase the oxygen level, aside from producing tiny worms, rotifers and protozoa the fish eats.
Good lighting is essential for good growth of the plants. They require about 12-14 hours of light each day. Opinions vary concerning how much light live plants need, but generally 3-5 watts per gallon works well. Par 20, 50-watt halogen bulbs and compact fluorescent bulbs work quite well, so choose the one that best works for your aquarium.
Your plants will also need certain nutrients to stay healthy. Everything works together in a well-planned aquarium, so keeping the plants fed isn't a difficult prospect. The fish itself provides the nutrients, and you rarely need to add more. Fertilization is easy as well because plants are able to naturally use fish waste as fertilizer. A commercial fertilizer can also be added, but it is rarely necessary. A level of fertilizer that's too high will cause too much algae in the tank.
And should you worry about water temperature? The average temperature for aquatic plants to thrive is between 72f and 78f. You should try to maintain a Ph level of 6.8 to 7.8.
Snails can also keep the aquarium healthy. They consume food and algae from plants as they crawl over the leaves. However, some snails can actually cause problems. Some species such as Ramshorn and pond, eat the leaves instead than cleaning them. Removing bad snails is very simple. Place some lettuce on top of the water and let the snails congregate on it, and then remove the whole thing with a net.
Rinse the plants before you place them in the aquarium to remove unwanted insects. Healthy plants have solid roots and firm leaves, so this is what you should look for when purchasing aquatic plants. Stay away from plants that smell funny, especially bulbs.
Buying young plants is a good idea because they adjust easily. During the time when the plant adjusts, you might lose some leaves. This is completely normal. Remove the leaves without damaging the roots.
Live plants give a special touch to the aquarium, and they keep your fish happy and healthy.
Good lighting is essential for good growth of the plants. They require about 12-14 hours of light each day. Opinions vary concerning how much light live plants need, but generally 3-5 watts per gallon works well. Par 20, 50-watt halogen bulbs and compact fluorescent bulbs work quite well, so choose the one that best works for your aquarium.
Your plants will also need certain nutrients to stay healthy. Everything works together in a well-planned aquarium, so keeping the plants fed isn't a difficult prospect. The fish itself provides the nutrients, and you rarely need to add more. Fertilization is easy as well because plants are able to naturally use fish waste as fertilizer. A commercial fertilizer can also be added, but it is rarely necessary. A level of fertilizer that's too high will cause too much algae in the tank.
And should you worry about water temperature? The average temperature for aquatic plants to thrive is between 72f and 78f. You should try to maintain a Ph level of 6.8 to 7.8.
Snails can also keep the aquarium healthy. They consume food and algae from plants as they crawl over the leaves. However, some snails can actually cause problems. Some species such as Ramshorn and pond, eat the leaves instead than cleaning them. Removing bad snails is very simple. Place some lettuce on top of the water and let the snails congregate on it, and then remove the whole thing with a net.
Rinse the plants before you place them in the aquarium to remove unwanted insects. Healthy plants have solid roots and firm leaves, so this is what you should look for when purchasing aquatic plants. Stay away from plants that smell funny, especially bulbs.
Buying young plants is a good idea because they adjust easily. During the time when the plant adjusts, you might lose some leaves. This is completely normal. Remove the leaves without damaging the roots.
Live plants give a special touch to the aquarium, and they keep your fish happy and healthy.
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