How To Keep Live Aquarium Plants

Anyone who has seen a photograph of a lush, verdant setup with a school of jewel-like tetras knows the beauty of a freshwater planted aquarium. But many hobbyists avoid adding live plants, believing they are too fragile or too difficult to keep. On the contrary, most live plants are hardy and require very little maintenance if the proper precautions are taken.
By avoiding some of the most common mistakes through careful planning and a little forethought, you'll be pleased with your success. The most common reasons for the loss of aquatic plants are due to:

1. The addition of plants that require differing water parameters (incompatible species)
2. The addition of plants ill suited to the existing lighting conditions

Water parameters
Just like fish, live plants do best when they are kept in an aquarium that best suits their needs. Selecting live plants that share common water parameters will minimize problems and will make it easier for you to maintain ideal water conditions. The three main aspects to consider are pH, water hardness, and water temperature.

pH - Most live plants are tolerant of a pH range between 6.5 and 7.5. However, some sensitive plants have a narrower pH tolerance so it is important to research the specific pH requirements of each plant.

Water hardness - Usually expressed in degree of hardness. Though tropical aquatic plants tend to prefer softer water, most plants are able to adapt to harder water conditions (general hardness). Once again, research the specific range your desired plants are able to tolerate.

Water temperature - Though most aquatic plants do well within the temperature range of 70 to 80 degrees, there are several aquatic plants, such as Anacharis and Japanese Dwarf Rush, that prefer cooler water temperatures. Find out the particular temperature requirements of each plant first.

Planted Aquarium Conditions Drs. Foster & Smith Educational Staff TOP VIEWED ARTICLES Planted Aquarium Conditions  Adding Driftwood to Your Aquarium  Planted Aquarium Care  PRODUCTS RELATED TO: Freshwater Planted Aquariums Fluval Freshwater Aquarium and Cabinet Set As low as $539.99 Marineland Aquatic Plant LED Lighting System w/Timer As low as $129.99 Yup Planted Whimsy Blue/Purple Hygrophilia Plant As low as $7.99 Anyone who has seen a photograph of a lush, verdant setup with a school of jewel-like tetras knows the beauty of a freshwater planted aquarium. But many hobbyists avoid adding live plants, believing they are too fragile or too difficult to keep. On the contrary, most live plants are hardy and require very little maintenance if the proper precautions are taken. By avoiding some of the most common mistakes through careful planning and a little forethought, you'll be pleased with your success. The most common reasons for the loss of aquatic plants are due to: The addition of plants that require differing water parameters (incompatible species) The addition of plants ill suited to the existing lighting conditions Water parameters Just like fish, live plants do best when they are kept in an aquarium that best suits their needs. Selecting live plants that share common water parameters will minimize problems and will make it easier for you to maintain ideal water conditions. The three main aspects to consider are pH, water hardness, and water temperature. pH - Most live plants are tolerant of a pH range between 6.5 and 7.5. However, some sensitive plants have a narrower pH tolerance so it is important to research the specific pH requirements of each plant. Water hardness - Usually expressed in degree of hardness. Though tropical aquatic plants tend to prefer softer water, most plants are able to adapt to harder water conditions (general hardness). Once again, research the specific range your desired plants are able to tolerate. Water temperature - Though most aquatic plants do well within the temperature range of 70 to 80 degrees, there are several aquatic plants, such as Anacharis and Japanese Dwarf Rush, that prefer cooler water temperatures. Find out the particular temperature requirements of each plant first. Degree of hardness (dH) Description of water hardness Examples of plants 3 soft ChainSwords, Cryptocoryne, Dwarf Sagittaria 3-6 moderately soft Anubias Barteri, Rotala Indica, Cabomba 6-12 slightly soft Micro Swords, Java Fern, Ludwigia 12-18 moderately hard Anubias nana, Melon Sword, Anacharis Lighting conditions Most aquariums do not have adequate lighting to properly sustain many aquatic plant species. Plants that require high lighting conditions are frequently placed in aquariums with insufficient lighting and do not survive or demonstrate anemic growth. Provide the right lighting conditions or select plants that are suited to your current lighting conditions. A planted aquarium should receive at least 10 to 12 hours of light per day. Low or subdued lighting Moderate lighting High lighting 1 watt per gallon 2 watts per gallon 3-4 watts per gallon Other factors to consider Substrate - Live plants will thrive when specialized plant substrates such as Flourite or Eco-Complete Planted Substrate are used, especially for heavy root-feeders such as Anubias. Fertilization - Determine the feeding habits of your plants to select the appropriate type of fertilizer: tablets for root-feeders and/or liquid for plants that feed through their leaves. Placement - Each plant will grow to different heights and can be categorized as foreground, mid-ground, or background plants. Place the plants in the appropriate location in groupings of odd numbers for a more natural, nonsymmetrical appearance. Fish - Carefully select plant-friendly fish for your aquarium. Herbivorous fish such as Silver Dollars are not suitable for planted aquariums since they are avid grazers, and many cichlids are notorious for digging in the substrate and up-rooting plants. Fish to consider include: Tetras, Gouramis, Rainbowfish, Livebearers, and Rasboras. By choosing appropriate plants that best match the lighting and water parameters of your existing aquarium, creating a beautiful planted aquarium is not as difficult as you might think.