| There is nothing as spectacular as a freshwater | | | | These short bushy plants should be arranged to hide |
| aquarium with well groomed live plants. If you have | | | | any unsightly equipment in the tank. Try to arrange |
| ever thought about incorporating live plants into your | | | | them so they don't look symmetrical in the tank. |
| aquarium but haven't done it yet - quit wasting time | | | | There's nothing symmetrical about the way they |
| and get it done. It can make all the difference in the | | | | grow in nature so don't plant them that way in your |
| world. The benefits to your fish and the whole | | | | aquarium. |
| underwater environment completely out weight the | | | | When you start the planting process, make sure the |
| extra effort it takes to care for the plants and their | | | | tank is full. It may seem like it would be a lot easier |
| slightly higher costs. | | | | (and it would be) to empty the aquarium to do the |
| Before you start, make a rough sketch of how you | | | | planting but that would be a mistake. You need the |
| want the aquarium to look when completed. This will | | | | water to see how the plants will spread out in the |
| give you a simple plan when you go to buy the | | | | water. You can't do this with a dry tank. |
| plants and a roadmap to follow when you begin the | | | | Don't bury the plants in the substrate below its |
| planting process. | | | | crown. The crown is the area between the plant's |
| One of the best planting strategies I've seen is to | | | | roots and the stalk. Be sure to place the plants far |
| plant the taller plants toward the back of the | | | | enough apart to let the roots grow properly. A rule |
| aquarium and the shorter ones in front. This is a good | | | | of thumb is to separate them by the length of one |
| technique to use if you are mixing plants that have | | | | leaf. Overcrowding causes the plants to eventually |
| different lighting needs. The taller plants can be used | | | | wither and die. |
| to shade any shorter plants that need less light. | | | | |