Aquarium Plants

Aquarium Plants

Don’t Overlook Aquarium Plants In Setting Up Your Home Aquarium.

Many home aquarium owners focus primarily on selecting their fish – making sure the fish they buy will be able to live together, deciding which type of fish to buy, and going to the store to make the purchase. Food, oxygenation and filtration systems, and plants often seem to take a back seat, but can be crucial decisions, affecting the health and happiness of your fish.

Aquarium fish rely on live plants for good health, and a sound aquarium ecosystem requires a good mix of plant types. Thus, although some of the varieties available may give the appearance of muddying the water, or look more like weeds than decorations, the addition of plants to a home aquarium should not be overlooked. Live Plants Add to Aquarium Enjoyment While plastic plants may seem more attractive when viewed from a distance, live plants assist in attaining the correct balance of water and chemicals in the aquarium.

Properly planted and cared-for, a well-selected variety of live plants can make the aquarium environment more attractive, as well as maintaining your fishs health. Plus, picking out pretty plants and placing them in the aquarium - limited only by the tank’s capacity, true experimentation is possible - can be as much fun as picking out a new fish!

Aquarium plants are available in many sizes and shapes, as well as different colors and textures. Ultimately, however, the plants in a home aquarium are for the benefit of the fish. Fish that are comfortable in their environment will be happier and healthier, and in the otherwise entirely artificial surroundings of an aquarium, live plants are the only touch of nature. Plants filter the light and the water, give the fish hiding places which increases their sense of security, and provide the illusion that the fish are swimming in different ocean levels.

Plants also may reduce the need for expensive chemicals, such as pH adjustment additives and ammonia absorption resins; thus, by adding well-chosen live plants to your tank from the start, you may be able to reduce your long-term costs of aquarium ownership. Plants - such as elodea, a popular aquarium plant - which release oxygen directly into the water, are known as "oxygenators".

These plants are especially vital to the aquarium ecosystem. In addition to oxygen, such plants also soften the water in the tank, and assist in the maintenance of proper pH balance. Elodea in particular is well-liked because of its dark green leaves, which, if the water is too hard, contrast with the calcium being deposited upon them, making it easy to see. Thus alerted, the home aquarium owner can more quickly resolve the problem.

Perhaps it would be wise to mention that just as the garden needs careful planning, so does the aquarium. To show all plants to their best advantage, use any method desired, but keep in mind that attractiveness must be the keynote and harmonious blending of the plants you use will produce a startling and satisfying effect.

Remember, your plants must have either natural or artificial light for several hours a day. This enables them to supply oxygen to the fish and keeps the water clear and sweet. Without proper lighting, the water will get
bad as the plants rot at the roots and will spoil the beauty of the aquarium. VALLISNERIA is the most popular plant for aquarium purposes. It is beautiful, with long leaves that propagate rapidly. This plant is also one of the best oxygenators and lends itself nicely to providing a wavy, green background for the fish. The number of these plants are dependent upon the size of the aquarium.