What are aquarium plants planted in? Rules for choosing and planting aquarium plants

12.06.2019

Aquarium plants not only add beauty and liveliness to the aquarium, but also serve as a nutrient medium for its inhabitants, purify the water, increase the level of oxygen, one might say heal. Therefore, the question: ‘How to plant aquarium plants?’ is very important.

An aquarium is not a jar of water, it is a microsystem in which a lot of processes take place simultaneously among the inhabitants of this microcosm. And no two aquariums are the same. Therefore, aquarium plants must be chosen carefully enough so as not to change the existing ecosystem - the inhabitants of the aquarium are extremely conservative in this matter.

The planting plan for aquarium flora should be thought out in advance, since frequent plant transplants have a detrimental effect on root system , and not every plant can quickly adapt to new living conditions (even if everything happens in the same aquarium, its own aura forms around the plant, so to speak, to which it is already accustomed)

If you look at root system , then it is easy to understand how deep the plant needs to be buried in the ground.

Aquarists often face such a problem - you try to root a plant, but it does not want to and pops up. And here is a life hack: take a stainless steel nut, tie the root zone of the plant to it, and can be planted. Now the plant will definitely sit securely in the ground.
A prerequisite is that the nut must be made of stainless steel (it is easy to check - stainless steel is not magnetized).

At the landing stage aquarium plants need to take care of decorative elements . How and in what quantity to place decorative details is a matter of taste, but please note that due to the decorations, the volume of water is reduced, and in addition to shelters, the fish still need space for swimming.

How to plant rosette aquarium plants

Rosette plants are easy to identify, they are similar to a broom. Popular are:

Echinodorus
Sagittaria
Cryptocoryne
Aponogeton
Samolus

This is enough big plants with dense roots. The choice of rosette plant is based on the size of the aquarium. When planting medium plants, a step of 10 cm must be observed, otherwise the plants will interfere with each other's growth and development (the larger the plant, the greater the step). If the aquarium is small, then a single rosette plant will also look very good.

The scheme of planting an aquarium plant with rosette roots.

Usage decorative elements, such as stones. They are wrapped with fishing line or thread and an aquarium plant is tied.

glass rod. It performs the function of a "weight" very well, and also has small size, which makes it easy to disguise it in the aquarium.

How to plant aquarium plants with horizontal roots

The main problem with planting this type of aquarium plant is the constant attempt to float. First, take a look at the plant, you need to determine how deep we will sink into the ground, the beginning of the green part serves as a guide - it should be above the ground, everything below is deepened into the ground. On top you need to put a pebble (pebble), which a little later, when the plant is strengthened, can be removed.

Other aquarium plants

Planted directly in the water, they do not have a root system. They are unpretentious and grow quite quickly, so they need to be sorted, thinned out and monitored so that they do not cover the entire surface of the water. The correct amount of floating plants is one third of the surface of the aquarium. The most popular floating aquarium plants are duckweed and frogwort.

There are also types of plants that grow simply on snags, stones and other objects. No problem in how to plant this type of aquarium plants , no, for them the main thing is to cling to the object.

What to consider when planting plants

The roots of plants should be freely located in the ground. The root must not be allowed to bend up or stick out of the hole - so the plant will not take root.

After planting aquarium plants is completed, it is necessary to fill the aquarium with water.

The location of each aquarium plant should be chosen according to its needs. Light-loving plants are planted at the most illuminated wall of the aquarium. Volumetric plants occupy the background, corners or side walls. The middle part of the aquarium is given to small plants.

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Algae are also plants

Algae is one of the broadest sub-kingdoms in the plant kingdom. The outdated name, lower plants, is used less and less nowadays, however, such a concept is due to the simple structure of plants.

Basics of algology

Algae are unicellular and multicellular photoautotrophic plants - they use light to generate energy. Algae grow not only in water, but also in humid conditions, for example, a stone located near a reservoir can become an excellent place for algae to live.

Exists a large number of different algae, they also differ in color: there are green, brown and red algae.

Algae, entering into symbiosis (mutually beneficial cooperation) with fungi, form a new organism - lichens.

Common characteristics for a large number of algae are:

The presence of chlorophyll.
Photoautotrophic nutrition.
The body of algae does not have a clear distinction and is called the thallus or thallus.
Algae only live in moist environments - damp soil, water, or any other place with a lot of water.

Scope of algae

Most often, algae are used as food for people or livestock. In coastal countries, there are many popular dishes made with algae. Algae are cultivated to obtain biomass for livestock feed. In coastal areas, algae is also used as a fertilizer.

Algae, rich in iodine content, are used in pharmaceuticals to create medicines.

The chemical industry uses algae to produce iodine, cellulose, alcohol and acetic acid.

Algae are not only unique plants that can double their mass per day, under favorable conditions. They are great for use as livestock feed - in the US, algae are pressed into briquettes, which are then sold to animals.

Despite the fact that algae is the simplest plant, a large number of different food products can be prepared from it: bread, soups, chocolate, marmalade. Algae is also used to make burlap and fabric for clothing.

It is necessary to choose which type of algae to grow on your own, they differ in color, size and scope.

In order to grow algae at home, you do not have to carry out lengthy preparatory activities.

All algae need is nutrient-rich water, carbon dioxide, and light.

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In the last century, scientists discovered substances that affect the work of certain plant functions. With the help of these substances, every gardener can influence the life cycle of a plant, speed up or slow down its development. Such substances are called growth promoters.

Modern technologies allow you to control the development of plants at the will of man. Back in the 20th century, scientists discovered phytohormones, substances that stimulate all life processes and control their course.

When growing plants without sunlight, you need to try hard to provide everything you need. After all, the plant feeds on light rays, without which growth and development is impossible, soil and fertilizer play a secondary role.

At artificial lighting any green space use powerful lamps that can give a large amount of light rays. But in addition to the number of rays, their qualities are important for the plant, that is, the length of the light rays.

LED lights without a doubt are the most modern way of lighting. Their design allows for negative temperatures and emit a minimum of heat during prolonged use.

Instruction

Prepare the plants for planting Carefully inspect seaweed. Remove rotten or diseased parts. Clean the dirt off the roots. Prepare a weak saline solution at the rate of 1 teaspoon of salt per liter of water. Rinse each thoroughly and then leave in the solution for at least five minutes - this is necessary to destroy harmful organisms. Rinse with running water. Trim excessively long roots.

Choose the method of planting algaeThere are two methods of planting that take root in the ground. Can be planted seaweed already partially filled with water, or you can first plant the plants in the ground, and only then pour water. Each of these methods has its pros and cons. In the first case it is much easier to give seaweed the desired position, in the second - it is easier to fix the plant.

Consider a place for planting algaeIt should be remembered that plants, as a rule, should occupy no more than 1/3 of the area. thick and seaweed it is recommended to land at the far wall. If planted forward, they can block the view and crowd the fish. Size plants will look good on the sides and in the middle. Freestanding seaweed it is recommended to place in the center. In the foreground, plant undersized seaweed, leaving part of the front wall free. Make sure that light-loving plants are located as close as possible to the light source and do not shade each other.

When planting algae in a dry aquarium, it is necessary to make small indentations in the previously designated areas of the soil. Gently lower the plant into the hole, making sure the roots are pointing down and not coming to the surface. Lightly tamp the soil around the planted plant.

Purchased plants before placing them in the aquarium, they must be treated with a disinfectant solution to rid them of the bacteria living on them. Prepare a solution table salt, consisting of 1 tsp. NaCl and 1 liter of water, rinse the acquired sprouts in it.

But for some sprouts, this is not enough. Plants with increased buoyancy should be tied to a stone with a nylon thread and dug with sand. After rooting, the thread can be removed.

Fill the aquarium to the top with water, straighten plants give them the desired shape. After that, you can launch surface water into the aquarium. plants. Place them in the corner where you want them to be. If plants blurred, build a small nylon network and limit the area of \u200b\u200btheir distribution.

Types of aquarium plants

The following types of vegetation can be distinguished in the aquarium:

mosses and ferns - there are no full-fledged roots and leaves, no flowering, no care is needed, they grow in different conditions, are unpretentious, perfectly decorate the aquarium (azolla, bolbitis, cladophora);
stem plants - distinguished by the presence of a trunk (alternantera, tradescantia, rotala);
rosette plants - do not have a stem, foliage grows from one point, forming a rosette (cryptocorina, echinodorus, vallisneria);
ground plants - planted in the ground (hygrophila, cabomba, echinodorus);
unpretentious plants - require a minimum of attention (naias, hornwort, elodea);
floating plants - float freely on the surface (duckweed, salvinia, marsh flower);
ground cover plants - very stunted up to 10 cm, their shoots and roots beautifully envelop snags and stones, decorate the facade (Riccia, Sitnyag, Hemianthus cube);
fast-growing plants - grow rapidly, absorb organic and inorganic substances, enliven the landscape (ludwigia, magnolia vine, ambulia);
meristem plants - they are obtained by microcloning, they are identical to each other, not susceptible to snails, algae and fungi.

Description of popular plants

There are many varieties of aquarium plants. Here is a short overview of the most common of them.

Lemongrass

The plant smells like lemon big size, has spiky leaves, is sensitive to chemicals in the water, requires weekly quarter-water changes and mineral fertilization. Lemongrass grows in nutritious silted soil, has a powerful root system, needs intense lighting and propagates by cuttings.

lemongrass

hornwort

This dense perennial plant decorates the aquarium, plays the role of a shelter for fish, filters water from harmful substances. The hornwort is characterized by long rigid stems, it has no roots, the alga grows a meter per month, floats in the upper and middle layers of water, has small inflorescences and fruits.

hornwort

Elodea

Water elodea reproduces successfully, grows rapidly almost all year round, requires a lot of light and cool water, lives well in all but tropical aquariums, can attach to the soil or swim freely. The plant resembles tropical liana, requires pruning and minimal care, has a long stem with bright green translucent leaves.

Elodea

Anubias

anubias

Cryptocoryne

The Cryptocoryne plant is often found in home aquariums, there are many species that are difficult to distinguish from each other, the flowers are quite beautiful and rarely appear. It is possible to breed in dimly lit aquariums without carbon dioxide supply, food comes from the ground without additional feeding.

cryptocoryne

Echinodorus

Aquarium lovers prefer Echinodorus for its high ability to adapt to different conditions, there are excellent decorative properties, most species have roots, leaves are petiolate and arranged in a spiral. The plant requires bright light, often overgrown with algae, and needs carbon dioxide feeding.

echinodorus

Kabomba

You can grow kabomba in different aquariums, it is very beautiful, it takes root well almost everywhere, it is unpretentious and does not create problems, which is why aquarists love it so much. This plant has a high growth rate, prefers a moderately warm or tropical environment and has a pronounced effect on the metabolic processes of the habitat.

cabomba

Nymphaeum

Nymphea has not thick, but strong roots, is in demand due to its beautiful flowering, large heart-shaped leaves, it can only be grown in spacious aquariums. In the soil where the plant is located, there should be enough nutrients organic matter, for example, peat, charcoal, clay act as top dressing.

nymphaeum

Riccia

Water moss is generally unpretentious, but grows better in intense light, it floats in water of any temperature, likes frequent changes of water. Riccia has stems filled with air and collected in rosettes, does not require fertilizing with minerals.

riccia

How to plant aquarium plants?

Priming

Aquarium soil is neutral, with a nutrient substrate, granular, earthy. This product may be natural, such as gravel, sand, pebbles and stones. Also on sale you can see the soil obtained after processing natural raw materials with chemicals. And another group is artificially produced materials.

Most plants are attached to the ground, only a few are floating. Upper layer should be represented by fine gravel or sand. The substrate is selected based on the wishes of the breeder. For an aquarium, gravel with fractions of 3-4 mm and river sand with fractions of 1.5-2 mm are optimal. Fine sand, such as marine or quartz, is inappropriate.

The soil should have normal porosity, an appropriate nutrient medium and as little calcareous rock as possible. Welcome dark color and the absence of harmful impurities.

Before placing the soil in the tank, it is washed and boiled for about 15 can with stirring. Alternatively, for preparation, you can use a warm solution with 25% of hydrochloric acid, this allows you to fill the material with useful potassium for plants. After this treatment, a triple wash is needed.

There are plants that can only be found in soft water. For them, the soil, cleared of magnesium and potassium salts, is suitable. This is done with sulfuric acid. When aquarium vegetation requires an anaerobic environment, then planting is done in clay pots. good soil usually not dyed. Most plants are comfortable with a soil thickness of 5-7 cm.

The soil collects bryozoans, fungi and bacteria on its surface. It promotes the processing of fish waste products, filters water.

For planting, it is preferable to use natural soil, for example, small stones, quartz and quartz sand, lava, volcanic sand, pebbles. Application without processing is possible. There are no nutrients in this material. Plants planted in such soil give flowering after six months. At this time, enough silt will appear.

It is undesirable to use glass, expanded clay, puff soil, garden soil for planting. Artificial multi-colored store material made of plastic and glass is appropriate.

Fertilizer

Aquatic plants are not suitable for conventional garden flower dressings. Against the background of nitrogen deficiency, aquarium plants suffer - their leaves are destroyed and fall off. When there is not enough potassium, brown spots and holes appear on the foliage.

With iron deficiency, intense yellowing of the leaves is observed. Calcium and boron are also important for plants, without these elements, plants deform, small leaves appear whitened at the edges.

Fertilizers are introduced into the water in strict accordance with the attached instructions. The most significant factors are the volume and types of vegetation, carbon dioxide supply, the nature of lighting, and the properties of water. Novice aquarium lovers will not be mistaken if they start with ready-made fertilizers.

Modern feeding substances are available in liquid form, as well as in the form of tablets or capsules. The liquid is poured into water, such a fertilizer is useful for floating plants. Tablets and capsules are placed in aquarium soil, they nourish the roots well. There are also clay balls on sale, they contain trace elements, birch charcoal, sapropel, peat.

Before starting the aquarium, until the vegetation has adapted, they usually do not add top dressing, only potassium is used. It is also obvious that it is useless to add additives to an unbalanced aquatic environment. Therefore, you must first set all the parameters correctly. Care must be taken when adding different products together, it is worth checking compatibility in advance, and in the worst case, a precipitate will form that does not dissolve.

At first, the dosage of the new top dressing should be small, it is reasonable to make a third of the usual dose. This way you can see the changes. With an overdose, algae begin to actively multiply, which is undesirable.

As a rule, macronutrients are introduced in the dark, and micronutrients in the morning. Nutrients have a delayed effect, after about a month changes appear.

Examples of well-known manufacturers of aquarium food for the growth of beautiful and healthy plants:

Tetra;
AquaMedic;
Florastim;
Sera;
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals;
Tropical;
Aqua Plants;
Zoomir;
Dennerle.

Lamps and light

Daylight hours in the aquarium should be close to natural environment where plants live. For example, for a tropical aquarium, this is 12 hours. With a lack of light, plants grow slowly, their leaves fall off. Due to excess light, aquatic vegetation can also suffer and blue-green and green algae will begin to grow.

Today, fluorescent, LED, metal-halogen, mercury-organic lamps are popular. When choosing lighting, you should start from the depth and volume of the tank, plant varieties.

For aquariums high up to 50-70 cm, it is advisable to use mercury-organic lamps. Of the power is 80 and 125 watts. The light of the lamp reaches the bottom.

For an aquarium 1 meter deep, metal halide lights are needed, they are not cheap and give good light output, color rendering and intensity.

Keep in mind that some plants do not like bright light. And some of them can change appearance under the influence of light. Most species thrive at 0.5-0.8 watts per litre. When buying an aquarium with built-in lights, you need to select plants for the existing environment.

For aquariums with dense vegetation, lighting should be at least 0.8 W per liter. The best choice for a home herbalist (a tank of water inhabited by plants) - this is a special phyto-lamp.

Water parameters

The total hardness (GH) of the water should be 6-8 degrees. Plants do not need a too soft environment, and the maximum show is 15 degrees.

Temporary hardness (KH) of water is also important. The pH and KH are interrelated. If KH is equal to 2-4 units, then PH should be equal to 6.6-7.5 units. Such an environment is good for vegetation growth.

You will also have to monitor the pH level, the best range is 6.6-7.5. Under such conditions, plants grow well and absorb CO2 as much as possible.

There should be an optimal concentration of nutrients in the water, so all fertilizers should be applied in a timely manner. The average temperature is 24-25 degrees. If it falls below 24 degrees, then plants can grow sluggishly, less algae appears. When the temperature exceeds 25 degrees, algae grow intensively. In the first week of life of a herbalist aquarium, it is recommended to start at 22 degrees and gradually increase the degree.

Diseases and care

Why don't plants grow in an aquarium?

If you notice a slowdown in the growth of aquatic plants, then you will need to check the hardness of the water, populate the fish that care about the landscape. Some plant species take a long time to get used to a new place. Try to clean the soil and partially replace the water. And most importantly, check the temperature.

Why does a raid appear?

The cause of black plaque is an infection with harmful algae. To get rid of this problem, it is necessary to regularly change the water, remove all unwanted impurities from the soil. Black beard is treated with a remedy called JBL Algol. It may also be necessary to update the entire aquarium, replace some of its inhabitants and the feeding regimen.

Why do plants rot and blacken?

Blackening and rot on the roots are a consequence of soil problems. Perhaps, organic deposits lie deep in the ground. Also, the problem may be excessive density of the soil, loosening is required. Also, acidification of the soil is undesirable.

Rotting and exhaustion of the stems occurs in poor light. It is worth revisiting the lighting schedule.

Sometimes Cryptocoryne and some other plant species become infected with rot. This disease is provoked by a supersaturation with nitrates, a sharp cooling or a change in the properties of water. For treatment, you do not need to touch the plant, it is enough to set the correct environmental parameters and change the water frequently.

How to disinfect aquarium plants?

Disinfection of plants is carried out according to the instructions given by the manufacturer. They are kept in a disinfectant liquid for a while. Only experienced aquarists can do everything right. Here are the right drugs:

bicillin;
whiteness solution;
buprofezin;
methylene blue;
imidacloprid;
alum solution;
trichlorphan;
peroxide solution;
ammonia solution;
sodium permanganate solution.

How to care for plants?

Aquarium plants need to be pruned in time and skillfully propagated, fed well, created for them the correct temperature and other water parameters, set optimal lighting.

It is also important to control silting, change the water strictly according to the schedule.

It is wise to buy a book on aquarium keeping, consult with experts or watch instructional videos regularly. Some fish can damage leaves and stems, this must be taken into account.

Decorating a freshwater aquarium is unthinkable without plants. Today, the trading network offers a wide range of plants for cultivation in the home aquarium. Finally the plants are bought. What to do next, how to plant aquarium plants? Before planting acquired plants, you need to carefully examine them. Pay special attention to the root system, it should look healthy without the slightest sign of decay, if diseased or decaying parts are found, they must be removed. Old yellowed leaves are carefully cut with scissors.

If the plant has a powerful root system, it should be slightly discharged and cut to 2-3 cm, with a weak root system, the roots are only slightly shortened. At aquarium plants with an elongated stem completely cut off the lower part with leaves and roots, leaving 3-4 knots.
After the plants are selected, they are washed well in water at room temperature,

Decorating the aquarium decorations

First, snags and large stones are decorated with plants. This is best done in a tank that is not filled with water, as it may be necessary to move the decorations many times during the process of attaching the plants, which is not very convenient to do in an aquarium filled with water. For placement on snags and stones are best suited different kinds mosses and ferns. They are fixed with a nylon thread, which usually collapses after two weeks. And during this time, plants usually have time to attach their roots to the decor object.

Beautifully designed aquarium with driftwood and large rocks

A thin transparent fishing line can also be used to attach moss, such an attachment is almost imperceptible from the very beginning, and after a while it completely overgrows.

After decorating the scenery, we begin to pour water, we do it in several stages, so that at each next planting, the water slightly covers the planted aquarium plants.

Foreground aquarium plants

Landing aquarium plants starting with foreground. Decorating the foreground of an aquarium is the most difficult task, since the choice of suitable plants for this purpose is rather limited. Small species of Echinodorus are well suited for this, such as Echinodorus tenellus and Echinodorus quadricostatus, which are capable of covering a section of the bottom with a continuous carpet in a short time.
As foreground plants, you can use Eleocharis acicularis, they are unpretentious, but grow too slowly, so they should be planted immediately in large numbers.

Some types of cryptocorynes are good in the foreground: C. wendtii, C. parva, C. walkeri, C. willistii who, unlike most aquarium plants less demanding on the intensity of lighting.

In the foreground, you can also place dwarf anubias (nana). But they are quite capricious and very photophilous and therefore not suitable for beginner aquarists.

We plant plants using tweezers, pressing the roots with soil so that it does not float up.

Landing aquarium plants foreground - work is not for the faint of heart, as it takes a lot of time and effort, since all the plants are planted side by side, each in its own hole.

Medium and background aquarium plants

Once the foreground plants are in place, start planting the middle and background plants. When placing plants in the middle and background, certain rules must be followed.

Yes, stem aquarium plants they are planted only in a group, and the plants in the group are located in a ledge, lower specimens are closer to the observer, and more and more tall ones are placed behind them. large group always looks more interesting than a few instances. Many types of cryptocorynes are suitable for the role of such plants. From echinodorus, use species that give offspring.

Plants of similar color and structure should not be planted nearby.

When arranging plants, use contrast in color, shape and size, and try not to overwhelm the tank with red-colored plants.

And another one important detail- each group of plants, stone or snag must be visible to the observer, at least partially.

Aquarium plants - tapeworms

If the aquarium is large enough, then we plant tapeworm plants.

Usually 2-3 are used for these purposes. large plants. In contrast to the plants of the middle and background, which are planted in fairly large groups, they are placed in separate bushes at several strong points.

Plant - tapeworm

Large species of Echinodorus are perfect as tapeworms: Echinodorus bleheri, Echinodorus parviflorus, Echinodorus cordifolius, Echinodorus uruguayensis and many other plants of this genus. Some types of Aponogetons look good.

Very decorative as Crinum tapeworms ( Crinum thaianum) and Nymphaeum ( Nymphaea lotus).

In small aquariums, it is better to refuse the use of tapeworms, as they can take up the entire volume to the detriment of other plants.

Placement of aquarium plants in containers

Can get out so that when landing aquarium plants some species may need different types soil. This problem can be solved by planting plants in ceramic pots of the appropriate size. Moreover, it makes sense to use large pots in large aquariums where it is easier to decorate them.

In small and medium aquariums, their use can spoil the whole look. Therefore, in such tanks, it is better to place plants in transparent cuvettes, which are practically invisible. If necessary, the cuvettes can be easily moved inside the aquarium. The use of such cuvettes and clay pots makes it possible to plant plants in various substrates, which can be either ordinary river sand or a specially selected soil mixture.

If the use of containers is not provided for aesthetic reasons, then for planting aquarium plants you can use special partitions made of natural materials or glass. In this case, in addition to using different soils, the substrate can be laid at different levels.

Aquarium planting technology

The plant is taken with the ends of the tweezers by the roots or by the end of the stem and inserted into the ground, after which the ends of the tweezers are unclenched and carefully removed at an angle to the planted plant.

short-stemmed aquarium plants planted so that the root neck was slightly covered with soil, and plants with a long stem are buried in the substrate by 3-5 cm, maintaining a distance between plants approximately equal to the length of the leaf.

Plants with a long horizontal rhizome are lightly pressed into the ground with your fingers.

Tuberous plants are not completely buried in the ground, but leave the upper part of the tuber on the surface.

Only in an aquarium already completely filled with water, floating aquarium plants, if necessary, limiting their location on the surface of the water with a thread tied to the suction cups attached to the side windows.

It is important to plant a large number of plants in the aquarium from the very beginning. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting a so-called algal outbreak. Small amount aquarium plants is not able to suppress the growth of algae, since not all nutrients are absorbed by useful plants.

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