| So you want to grow freshwater aquarium plants. | | | | but make sure that you change the fluorescent |
| Not everyone wants plants in their aquarium but I am | | | | tubes every six to nine months as they do reduce in |
| a firm believer. They add to the appearance, provide | | | | power and that can affect your plants and your fish. |
| food for some fish and will act as shelter for small or | | | | What kind of fish do you have and how do they |
| even baby fish if your fish start breeding and they | | | | behave with plants. Some fish like nibbling on plants |
| also help with the water balance of the pond. | | | | whilst others seem to think that it is great sport to |
| But before you reach for your wallet you need to do | | | | simply uproot them. |
| some research because otherwise you are likely to | | | | Generally speaking, it is at this stage that it is worth |
| end up wasting money and spending some time | | | | knowing a bit about the natural conditions that your |
| separating dead and dying plants form the live | | | | fish would live in and where they come from. If your |
| healthy ones. Well thought out planting will not only | | | | fish all happen to come from the same geographical |
| enhance the appearance of your aquarium but will | | | | area then that factor alone can go a long way to |
| also help with the nitrogen cycle by using the nitrates | | | | helping with plant choice. If your fish are thriving, the |
| that would otherwise have built up and encouraged | | | | plants that come from the same habitat will thrive as |
| algae. | | | | well. |
| Think of growing aquatic plants as simply gardening | | | | You will need to have a good substrate if you are |
| underwater. If you're a gardener like me, you'll | | | | intending to plant directly into the substrate. |
| already know that some plants like shade, some like | | | | Otherwise clay pots are ideal for some plants but do |
| sun, some like alkaline soil some like acidic soil. Well | | | | be careful when planting. Make sure that the soil is |
| your freshwater aquarium plants are exactly the | | | | completely waterlogged and all the air has |
| same, just under water and you need to select them | | | | disappeared before you try putting them into your |
| carefully depending on the conditions that they like | | | | aquarium. One tip is to 'plant' them in a bucket first, |
| compared to the conditions in your aquarium or | | | | once they have settled and air has stopped coming |
| planned aquarium.. Check out their requirements in | | | | out you can move them to the aquarium. Otherwise |
| terms of pH levels and temperature. | | | | you may find that the air in the soil tries floating to |
| Different aquarium plants like more or less lighting but | | | | the surface taking plants and soil with it. |
| as a general rule of thumb most plants will grow if | | | | There are some good books on freshwater aquarium |
| the lighting in your aquarium is at least 2 watts per | | | | plants on the market and it is well worth investing |
| gallon and that really is as easy as dividing the | | | | before you start planning the planting. |
| wattage of your lamps by the volume of your tank | | | | |