Freshwater Planted Aquariums
Decorating Aquariums the Natural Way
Every perfect representation of an aquatic ecosystem requires a good and convincing replication of the actual environment, plants, fishes and everything. Now, replication of the actual environment to the minute detail is impossible, but you can supplement each and every available basic element of underwater life to represent it quite nicely and in a neat fashion too. Freshwater planted aquariums add that beauty and splendor that you can find in a natural underwater habitat, you can successfully make one by taking note of several key things that you have to consider.
Raising Aquatic plants is hard you say? Well not really.
Many aquarists consider having plants in an aquarium as either an extra load of effort that they just don’t have time to do, or a professional activity far from taking care of fish, that they have to do several complicated techniques in order for the plants to grow properly. Well, part of this is true, but only if you look at the tiring side of raising aquatic plants, if you try to look at the brighter side by keeping in mind the common mistakes (such as taking care of plants with different kinds of environmental requirements, etc.) in raising aquatic plants and avoiding them, then you’ll find that it’s not really that difficult.
Knowing and understanding the essential elements is the key
Just like our common land plants, aquatic plants also need certain elements for them to live and survive in the artificial environment that you had set up in your aquarium, and successfully establishing a freshwater planted aquarium would definitely require proper application of these elements.
The first on our list is the general property of the water, or more particularly, the levels of the water’s pH, the standard water temperature, and the water’s hardness. When we refer to the water’s pH, we refer to the alkalinity or acidity of the water, and knowing where your aquatic plant’s pH tolerance is definitely crucial for the plant’s survival. Water hardness is secondary, because most tropical plants are able to survive in relatively harder water (not too much though) than in their original habitat. Tropical plants are not used to the cold weather of the colder countries of the world, so you’ll have to use a heater to control the water temperature to the desired level.
Next is the lighting. As part of the normal process of plants that is called photosynthesis, they would also need an ample amount of lighting to be able to grow naturally. A wide array of different kinds of artificial lighting for different plants are available at your local specialty store, so do your research and find out about the right lighting levels of a certain plant that you intend to buy.
Finally, other more generic elements, but of equal importance, such as firm substrates, fertilizers, placement in the water (either for aesthetic or functional), and fish interaction, are also crucial for good plant growth in your aquarium. Use substrates that can hold the plant firmly, fertilizers are good but proper application should be considered before using one, placing the plants at strategic places in the water not only ensures that they stay the way they are, but are also lovely attractions for your aquarium, and don’t forget that there are herbivorous fish, and never place these fishes in your freshwater planted aquarium
