Aquarium Plants for Beginners

2016/5/3 8:52:39

It is easy to see why so many people put live plants in their aquariums. Live plants that are lush and healthy are also very beautiful to look at and will create a natural environment for the fish in the aquarium. Fish will feel safe hiding under the leaves of the live plants. They will also be less stressed in an aquarium with plants than in an aquarium with little to no plants. Some fish are native to waters that are over grown with many plants. Aquarium plants will make these fish feel like they are living at home. Some fish are rock dwellers and enjoy living in the safety of caves and rocks. These items should be incorporated into the landscape. Aquarium decorations such as caves, rocks, pirate ships, treasure chests and large rocks can be purchased from a local pet store. Sometimes, plants are not right for the fish you own. The fish may eat the plants and dig up the ground underneath them. These types of fish would prefer the rock formations and caves. Even if you own fish that dig up the ground, you can still have plants in the aquarium. Plants that float above the water work great in this situation. They cannot be dug up as they do not have roots and are not attached to any type of substrate. Artificial plants are good for aquariums that house fish who eat live plants. They will not eat artificial plants. A few live plants species will taste gross to the fish so choosing to plant these species is a good solution as well.

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Most fish will nibble on the plants so it is important to make sure the plants are fast growing and can tolerate the nibbling. Plants not only make the aquarium feel like home to the fish and make the aquarium look better but live plants improve the water quality in the fish tank. In the wild, the plants improve the quality of the water in the lakes that the fish live in. The plants will use the fish's waste as nutrients as they contain vitamins and minerals that the plant needs to stay healthy. The fish's waste will be consumed by the plant instead of floating in the water and making the water dirty and unhealthy for the fish. Even so, you should keep in mind that the fish waste will not be completely used up by the plant. The aquarium still needs to be cleaned regularly. If the aquarium is not cleaned, the waste will keep building up and will start to contaminate the water and cause the fish harm. The leaves on the plant may die and, if so, they should be removed immediately so they do not pollute the water. The plants do add healthy components to the water. They use the fish's waste for themselves and, in turn, they produce oxygen that is used by the fish.

Plants need to breath as well but they do not breath oxygen. Plants breath carbon dioxide and they get it from the water. This will lower the carbon dioxide levels in the water which is good for the fish. This exchange that occurs between the plants and the fish will help keep both parties healthy. This is not the only way that plants do to help keep the water clean. Plants can also provide a healthy amount of micro organisms to the aquarium ecosystem. These micro organisms help ward off diseases that can attack the fish.

Live aquarium plants can also stop algae growth as the plants will use all of the nutrients for themselves. Some fish do not feel safe in an aquarium with no plants so they will not spawn. Fish that will spawn in an open fish tank must have something to attach their eggs to or the eggs will float to the top of the tank. An aquarium with lots of live plants will increase the chances of the fish spawning and will increase the chances of the fry surviving. The fry can hide under the plants to get away from the adult fish. Plants with many small leaves are perfect for this situation. Some other ways to increase the survival of the fry is to lay large marbles at the bottom of the tank or provide caves and pirate ships for the fry to hide in.

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There are many types of artificial aquarium decoration that can be used to give the fry a good hiding place so they can stay safe. Aquarium plants rely on sunlight for photosynthesis to survive. The best way to provide light to an aquarium is to purchase and install aquarium lights designed for this purpose. A standard incandescent light does not work well for aquariums. The best option is to install a fluorescent light over the tank. Expert aquarium enthusiasts will install live plants that need more light than the fluorescent. These plants should not be used by beginners. Although fluorescent lights are higher priced than incandescent lights, the fluorescent lights will use less electricity and will burn cooler. This will give you a lower electric bill. The best species for beginners are the Java Moss and the Java Fern. These two plants can tough out any type of water impurities. They can even survive a variety of ph-values and water hardness.

Both plants can even be used in a tiny Molly aquarium. One thing to note is that the Java Fern is not to be planted in the bottom of the aquarium. It should be attached to something such as a rock, a cave or wood aquarium decorations. It will then grow its root over these elements. The plants will reproduce and grow after they have been planted into the aquarium. New plants will grow and older plants will die. It is important to clean out the dead plants regularly. Buy some small aquarium plants and place them into the tank. They will grow large in no time at all.