Aquarium plants

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Plants are a very important part of freshwater aquariums. It is worth choosing plants carefully and taking good care of them. Water plants are not only nice in aquarium, but they are good for fish too. They give shadow to fish, which like it if they are shy. Some fish use plants as a spawning nest. For plant eating fish they also serve as food. Of course in some tanks, for example with big plant eating cichlids, plants are already doomed and it will be better to choose plastic plants.

Water gardening is almost the same as normal gardening. Plants require good conditions and care. They make their food themselves in strange green cells by absorbing carbon dioxide and excrete oxygen in a process called photosynthesis. For this process light is needed.

Plant nutrition:

As the terrestrial plants, so water plants need nutrients like nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. They usually take it from the water, but some of them take it from the roots. For some plants trace elements are more important than for others. But give it to the all plants. The best is to use trace elements which are specially made for aquariums. Plants need iron for making chlorophyll, the green pigment which is essential for photosynthesis. Other elements like copper and zinc take part in other metabolic processes.

Carbon dioxide:

Carbon dioxide is part of photosynthesis and supports optimal development of the plant. A bottle of carbon dioxide fitted with a regulator should keep the level from 5 to 12 mg/l. Higher levels could damage the liver of the fish. Such dosing device are based on such, which are used in garden greenhouses. The most simple dosing devices are those which can be manually set and the trickiest have pH measuring tape and even are connected into a light circuit, so they shut down with the light.

Light:

Fixed plants need a lot of light and their demands can rise in proportion with the maturity of the tank. The optimum light input for maximum plant growth should be 3-5 Watts per 4.5 litres of water. A Long lighting time of 12-16 hours supports growing, but can be too long for many tropical plants from near the equator. They may be accustomed to 12 hours light, but the influence on the plants is only 10 hours. Some plants like weaker light, especially anubias which need planting near, or under, other plants.

Plants and filtration:

Filtration systems support aquarium plants, because they keep the water clean and so they support photosynthesis. We know gravel filtration, but it is not a good choice for tanks with many plants. Permanent movement of water around the roots hinder their development and it could root them up. On the other hand, electric filters help plants prosper because the moving water from the filter gently moves the plants. So some types of plants do not always stay in the shadow. The gentle movement of water caused by the filter pump helps prevent any suspended sediment from settling on the leaves.

It repays to buy first class, healthy looking plants. They are usually shown in aquariums with moving water and under good lightening which keep them in good condition. It’s best to find some information about the plant you are going to buy, so you can be sure it will grow well. In choosing plants remember that different plants need different types of water. If you want, you can mix plants from different parts of the world. Before you place the plant into the aquarium, look for damage to the stem or for perished leaves or roots. Harmonizing the plants and the rocks and wood gives the tank a natural look. Tanks should have a chemically neutral substrate to absorb egested fish waste. Light gravel is better for the roots than rubble. You can mix granules from burnt clay into the gravel. They mellow the gravel and they often have trace elements. Many plants enrooting can be supported if you add special aquarium clay. Ordinary mixtures which are made for flower pots are not suitable. Pieces from them often rise to the surface and it may contain bad fertilizer. You can buy individual ingredients to go into the gravel and tablets with fertilizer for planting.







Many plants which are plentiful and quick growing are sold as snips, which the plant uses for breeding. Such plants are ideal for creating rich growth for hiding the background or machines like heating devices. They are also excellent for hiding small and shy fish. Such snips have to enroot and until that happens they will maybe need ballast so they can hold on to one place. Stems can be lined with stones, but it is important to not maul the stem because it can start to rot so it must either get to the surface or die.

Reproduction

Some sorts of water plants, unless they are constantly dipped, breed asexually. That is without flowers and seeds.

Rhizomes:

Some kinds of plants, like valisneria release rhizomes above the bottom. While others like cryptocorines and echinodorusses release rhizomes into the bottom. On the end of each sprit a new plant will grow. Some echinodurusses have shorter, thick sprits.

Cuttings:

Many aquarium plants bread by cuttings where a growing part of a stem is planted. With a clean cutting cut down a part even 30 cm long. Many plants hardly root if they swim in the water or they are lie on the bottom. Steams usually root from the ganglion on the steam. But on some plants they can grow from any part. Typical plants which breed by cuttings are: Bacopa caroliniana, Cabomba caroliniana, Egeria densa, Hygrophyla polysperma, Limnophila aquatica, Ludwigia mullertii, Myriophyllum hippuroides and Hygrophila difformis.

Lateral roots:

Some favourite kinds of plants makes lateral rhizomes, little plants growing from the mother plant. For example echinodoruses create new plants from ganglions based on the leave rosette, while the Indian moss grows filial plants from the border of leaves which can separate and swim on the surface. But if you cut them down, you can plant them. Vesicularia dubyana (The Java moss) creates a huge bunch of little plants separating from the mother plant and catching on any near surface one.

Taking care

Most water gardening is a matter of good sense. You should remove plant waste, so the tank stays clean, take care of plants, so they have enough light, by dilution, separating and replanting. No special tools are needed although effective tools are simple as knitting-needles for fluffing around the plants and a scraper for removing algae from the glass.

Sick plants

Plants get well on the beginning, but then they fade. The main cause is that most water plants experience a period of low water level, so they poke above the surface. It happens when they are breeding, blossoming and insects are pollinating them (water plants were mostly land-based and only later settled in rivers and lakes). Most plants, when they are in water, do not blossom. About one year later they get weaker and they fade although some of them live three years. Other plants need a period of rest. But giving it to them in a tank is impossible. The only way is to replace these plants with new, stronger and healthier ones.

Source: Peter W. Scott – Aquarium
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Aquarium plants

has been viewed times since June 30, 2009.