So you want to grow freshwater aquarium plants. Not everyone wants plants in their aquarium but I am a firm believer. They add to the appearance, provide food for some fish and will act as shelter for small or even baby fish if your fish start breeding and they also help with the water balance of the pond.

But before you reach for your wallet you need to do some research because otherwise you are likely to end up wasting money and spending some time separating dead and dying plants form the live healthy ones. Well thought out planting will not only enhance the appearance of your aquarium but will also help with the nitrogen cycle by using the nitrates that would otherwise have built up and encouraged algae.

Think of growing aquatic plants as simply gardening underwater. If you're a gardener like me, you'll already know that some plants like shade, some like sun, some like alkaline soil some like acidic soil. Well your freshwater aquarium plants are exactly the same, just under water and you need to select them carefully depending on the conditions that they like compared to the conditions in your aquarium or planned aquarium.. Check out their requirements in terms of pH levels and temperature.

Different aquarium plants like more or less lighting but as a general rule of thumb most plants will grow if the lighting in your aquarium is at least 2 watts per gallon and that really is as easy as dividing the wattage of your lamps by the volume of your tank but make sure that you change the fluorescent tubes every six to nine months as they do reduce in power and that can affect your plants and your fish.

What kind of fish do you have and how do they behave with plants. Some fish like nibbling on plants whilst others seem to think that it is great sport to simply uproot them.

Generally speaking, it is at this stage that it is worth knowing a bit about the natural conditions that your fish would live in and where they come from. If your fish all happen to come from the same geographical area then that factor alone can go a long way to helping with plant choice. If your fish are thriving, the plants that come from the same habitat will thrive as well.

You will need to have a good substrate if you are intending to plant directly into the substrate. Otherwise clay pots are ideal for some plants but do be careful when planting. Make sure that the soil is completely waterlogged and all the air has disappeared before you try putting them into your aquarium. One tip is to 'plant' them in a bucket first, once they have settled and air has stopped coming out you can move them to the aquarium. Otherwise you may find that the air in the soil tries floating to the surface taking plants and soil with it.

There are some good books on freshwater aquarium plants on the market and it is well worth investing before you start planning the planting.

Nick North
01/06/09

Nick North lives in The Midlands in England with his wife and family. He has been a keen freshwater aquarium enthusiast for nearly twenty years and passes on his knowledge and experience through his articles. Working with his friend and fellow enthusiast John Eddie he has recently written the ebook "The Ultimate Guide to Freshwater Aquariums" which is available at their freshwater aquarium website

Source: http://ezinearticles.com

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