| So you decided that have live plants in your aquarium | | | | Buy a few plants at a time. You'll be surprised at how |
| would add a lot to the environment. The next | | | | far a few plants will go. You don't want to over plant |
| question is what plants and where to get them. | | | | your aquarium. A good rule of thumb is having one |
| There are actually two sources of live plants. You | | | | plant for every six square inches of substrate area. |
| can get the in the wild or you can purchase them | | | | Simply multiply your tank's width by the length and |
| from a local pet or aquarium store. | | | | divide by six to get the number of plants you'll need. |
| I would not recommend getting your plants from the | | | | Be sure to have the dealer to bag your plants in |
| wild. You run the risk of introducing any number of | | | | water for the trip home. You want to make sure |
| aquatic pests like snails and parasites or worse yet - | | | | they don't dry out during the trip. Wrapping them in |
| disease. But if you must, make sure you clean every | | | | wet newspaper will work as well. If it's cold, you may |
| plant carefully in clear cool water with a soft | | | | want to carry them in something like a cooler to |
| toothbrush. | | | | keep them warm. |
| A much simpler and safer route is to buy them from | | | | When you get them home, you'll need to clean and |
| a store. Before you start out on your buying trip | | | | acclimate them. Put them in a pan of water with a |
| spend some time in planning what types of plants | | | | 10% solution of potassium permanganate to kill |
| you are interested in. Do some research and learn | | | | unwanted germs. Trim all the cutting to the height |
| about of variety of plants. Make a list of the ones | | | | you want. Never pinch or tear off dead plant pieces. |
| that would go well in your aquarium. But be prepared, | | | | Use a sharp scissors. Plants need time to acclimate. |
| the dealer make not have everything you're looking | | | | So don't expect them to flourish immediately. |
| for so plan some alternates. | | | | |