| Placing plants in fish tanks is becoming ever | | | | sulphur, phosphorous and iron while there are also |
| popular these days so much to a point where | | | | other lesser elements as well that increases their |
| there are people now who prefer to indulge in | | | | health. |
| aqua-culture while not having any fish in their | | | | Lighting is another thing to consider. Plants |
| aquarium. The benefits of having plants in a tank | | | | perform photosynthesis and this requires a light |
| is undeniable and with a little interior design, | | | | source. If your fish tank is placed near a window |
| creates a gorgeous little inner world that allows | | | | or door that has a natural light source, that is |
| your fish an ideal environment to live and play. | | | | perfect but if it doesn't than you will need to fix |
| Beginners generally tend to shy away from | | | | proper lighting to provide it with the light it needs. |
| planting in their aquariums but it really is not as | | | | The last thing to consider is the kind of filter you |
| difficult as one might think. What you need is | | | | plan to use. Undergravel filters are not the right |
| some patience, a streak of creativity and a | | | | kind to use because the plant roots will eventually |
| proper guide and you're bound to create a nice | | | | clog the gravel and prevent proper filtration. You |
| little inner world. | | | | should try to use a filter that does not move the |
| The first thing to do before you even think of | | | | water around too much. |
| buying your plants is to work out a general design | | | | When all these considerations have been taken |
| of what the end product should look like. Aquatic | | | | into account, it's now time to plant them. Firstly, |
| plants come in a variety of shapes and sizes as | | | | inspect the plant leaves carefully for snails and |
| well as planted and floating types. Work out on | | | | rinse them off. While you do this, discard any |
| paper what you want your tank to be and then | | | | leaves that are brown or decayed which might |
| head over to the nearest fish store. A good idea | | | | contaminate the aquarium later. When placing the |
| is to also seek the advice of the shop owner on | | | | plants, it is best to plant them all at once. This is |
| what would be ideal plants for the set up you plan | | | | where the complete design comes in handy. |
| to create. | | | | Placing the plants all at one go allows the aquarium |
| The most important element in a planted | | | | water to achieve a balance which is something |
| aquarium is substrate. Your plants will never | | | | that happens each time you place in new plants. |
| survive on a base that is made up of just gravel | | | | It is easy to plant the aquatic plants. Just use |
| and sand. It is the nutrients in the substrate that | | | | your finger or a pencil and create a depression in |
| will enable to plants to grow healthily. The | | | | the substrate. Then plant the roots into the hole |
| substrate is generally placed beneath the gravel | | | | you created and cover it back up again nice and |
| and will provide the nutrients once the roots of | | | | tight. If you have purchased plants that stubbornly |
| the plants bore down into them. Some of the | | | | refuse to stay down, you can add small lead |
| most important nutrients that plants will be able to | | | | weight which you can also get from the same |
| obtain from the substrate are carbon, nitrogen, | | | | fish store. |