Benefits of Live Aquarium Plants

One of the benefits of putting live aquarium plants in your tank, is that you will be creating a new biosphere, the kind that you only get a glimpse of from underwater nature programs.

Establishing a “natural” aquarium, one where the balance of fish and plants mimics the natural habitats of both, is not only challenging, but fun, with lots of room for creativity.

Aquarium plants are substitutes for what exists in the wild, and even though your fish are most likely “captive” bred, they still have the same needs for shade, shelter, and a source of vegetation to nibble on. Fish provide wastes, which the plants use for their own nutrients, reducing the amount of ammonia and nitrate build-up in the tank. The mutual exchange of benefits, maintains a cycle that would be found in nature.

In the daytime, when there is light, plants take in carbon dioxide, and through the process of photosynthesis, eventually produce oxygen, which the fish need. At night, when the lights are off, the plants take in oxygen to break down food substances, a process which then expels carbon dioxide.

But establishing the natural habitat can be tricky. Plants, like fish, require different conditions according to their species. Some will do well in almost any kind of substrate, while others only attach to rocks and pebbles. PH is also important, and can be affected by the calcium content of using crushed coral and shells as bedding.

The beautiful “seascape” that you have lovingly slaved over, can start to fade and die off, if your lighting conditions aren’t right for the type of plants you have bought. Live aquarium plants provide an amazing range of heights and foliage for your underwater garden, but not all of them will live successfully side-by-side.

The ideal conditions that will give you lush, and scenic greenery, also produce algae, a sub-product of the light and heat needed for your aquarium plants. This is almost impossible to eradicate, whether you fight it off with manual removal, algae filters, algae eating fish, or other techniques. The most effective method of keeping your plants free of algae, is to also mimic as closely as practical, the natural exchange of water. Changing 25% of the water in your tank on a bi-weekly basis, will help to reduce the build up of algae, and will provide benefits to both the fish and plants.

Grow Your Own Aquarium Plants Right in Your Aquarium

Grow Your Own Aquarium Plants - 7-10 bulbs. Grow your own aquarium plants! Just drop the bulbs into your aquarium. The live plants will produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide produced by fish, help in the breakdown of waste materials, and provide hiding places for newborn fry.

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Your Comprehensive Resource on Creating the Best Tropical Fish Tank Possible

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