How to properly plant plants in an aquarium. How to plant plants in an aquarium? Aquarium planting technology

After you have chosen plants and a place, next stage- landing. Most often, container-grown plants are planted that have a well-developed root system. Such plants can be planted from April to October (until the soil freezes). Plants with a bare root, as well as with a clod of earth wrapped in burlap, are planted only in early spring or in autumn.

Before preparing the soil for planting, it is necessary to rid the land of weeds nearby.

Landing site preparation

The landing pit should be of the appropriate size (photo 1).

Usually the hole is made twice as large as the plant lump.

The top layer of soil is always more fertile than the one below it, devoid of almost all trace elements, such as sand or clay.

Depending on the requirements, it is necessary to prepare the ground for planting.

If the soil is poor and permeable, the addition mixture should be rich in humus and tightly bound to retain water and nutrients. If, on the contrary, the soil is heavy and retains moisture, it must be lightened by adding sand with peat. clay soil, the bottom of the planting hole should be loosened well and mixed with sand or gravel. Such an operation will allow at least partially to divert water from the landing pit. It is also good to loosen the walls of the landing pit (photo 2.3).

Preparation of the root system - plants in containers

Carefully remove the plant from the container so as not to damage the lump and the roots themselves (photo 4).

Successful planting and further rooting of the plant in more depend on the quality of the coma.

The roots are usually very tender, easily broken and torn. It is impossible to pull the plant out of the container with force by the ground part. Large containers can be cut, small ones can be turned upside down, lightly tapped, then the plant is easier to get. If the plant in the container is too dry, before planting, it is necessary to immerse the lump in water for several minutes so that it is well saturated with moisture, since an overdried lump after planting does not absorb even abundant watering. If the roots are twisted and form a thick tangle at the end of the clod, a part must be cut off with a pruner, and the remaining ones should be carefully straightened. This will make it easier for the roots to penetrate the soil.

Landing site preparation

Preparation of the root system - plants with a lump

In order not to damage the clod when planting plants with a clod in a “ballot” (wrapped in burlap or net) (photo 5), it is necessary to transfer the plant without removing the net. The net is removed immediately before landing. If the lump is too dry, it should also be lowered into the water for a few minutes before planting.

Preparing the Root System - Bare Root Plants

Before planting, the roots of plants must be immersed in water for several hours (photo 6)

Usually, branches of 15-20 cm are cut off for such plants (photo 7). This procedure reduces the mass of the aerial part, which allows the plant to properly distribute water in the first period after planting.

In the case when the soil is poor, you need to pour a handful of fertilizers to the bottom of the planting hole. It is best to use a complex slow acting fertilizer. Fertilizer should be spread evenly and lightly mixed with the poured soil (photo 8). If the soil is fertile or a planting mix is used, it is not recommended to apply fertilizers during planting, as their overabundance leads to a worse plant survival.

We place the plant in the pit so that when it is covered with soil, it will be at the same depth at which it grew (photo 9, 10)

If the planted plant was from a container or with a lump, then we tamp the ground around the plant with our feet, stronger with outside from the root ball (photo 11). In the case of planting a large-sized plant, the earth should be tamped in layers. When planting a plant with an open root system, it is very important to carefully cover it so that the roots are pointing down and spread out on the sides, not twisting or bending (photo 12). As the hole fills with earth, it is necessary to compact it tightly to avoid tilting the plant to the side. Also, good soil compaction accompanies close contact of the earth with small roots, facilitates subsoil irrigation and prevents the plant from settling after planting.

Watering after planting

Should be watered large quantity water so that the soil settles and sticks around the small roots. Around the planted plant, you need to form a trunk circle with an earthen “bowl” (photo 13). At first, this will allow you to retain water near the plant.

After planting, even in rainy weather, plants need watering. For better survival immediately after planting, it is good to water the plant with a solution of a root formation stimulator (Kornevin, Heterauksin, etc.). It is also good to immerse the roots of the plant in such a solution for a few minutes before planting.

Plants respond very well to mulching (photos 14 and 15). Most often, they mulch with a layer of bark of coniferous trees, sawdust, gravel. This operation limits the growth of weeds and also reduces the evaporation of water from the soil. If the plants are planted on the lawn, then mulching will protect them from damage during the mowing process. The function of mulch around tall shrubs and trees can be performed by ground cover plants (survival, periwinkle, euonymus, etc.)

Covering plants for the winter

Many trees and shrubs come from a warmer climate than ours. Therefore, when choosing plants, it is necessary to carefully select a place for planting, and also to avoid those for which our climate is too cold. Plants with evergreen leaves or needles (arborvitae, junipers, some types of spruces (for example, Canadian spruce “Konika”) most often do not freeze during frosts, but dry up. The reason is the lack of available water. In winter, especially in February, March, when the sun is most active, the needles of the plant evaporate moisture strongly, and the plant cannot replenish its reserves, since the surface layer, together with the water contained in it, has frozen.

Therefore, abundant watering of evergreens and mulching of the near-stem circle in late autumn is so important.

5 ways to cover plants for the winter:

1. Laying with spruce branches

This method is good for low-growing plants that need especially reliable frost protection (roses, hydrangeas, azaleas). Lignified shoots of floribunda and hybrid tea roses are cut to a height of 50 cm, soft shoots are cut. The root zone is mulched with peat to a height of up to 30 cm, and the branches are covered with spruce spruce branches stuck into the ground. Even if the winter turns out to be snowless, the spruce needles will hold the crumbs of snow, and a mini-greenhouse will form around the sissy plant. This design completely protects the roots of the plant from freezing in frosts down to -30 C.

2. Simple spruce protection

Used to protect perennials. Preliminarily, for reliability, the cut stems of the plant are covered with dry leaves or mulched with peat, and only after that they lay spruce branches.

3. With wire mesh

This comfortable design sold in gardening stores. The frame is installed on the ground, the free space is filled with dry foliage.

4. Hut made of mesh, burlap, spunbond or straw

It is used for plants with brittle branches and for conifers. A frame is built from thin rails or sticks, the top is tied. The structure is wrapped with spunbond, the edges are pressed to the ground with stones or pegs. You can do without a frame by wrapping the plant itself with protective material and tying it with a rope.

Plants are one of the most important components of the aquarium environment. In addition to their decorative function, they play the role of a natural biofilter, purifying water from harmful substances and saturating it with oxygen. As a result, they maintain the balance of the ecosystem within a closed environment.

Preparation for disembarkation

What plants to plant in the aquarium? Before planting greens, you need to clean it from snail eggs, as well as algae, dirt and turbidity. Do not forget to cut off the dead parts of the plant (rotten, dry and lethargic). Next, the plant must be disinfected. What manipulations should be carried out for processing:

Place the seedling for 20 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate (preferably light Pink colour so as not to burn it).
You can make an alum bath in which the plant needs to be lowered for 5-10 minutes. 1 tsp alum must be diluted in 1 liter of water.
Another recipe for a disinfectant solution: 1 tsp. peroxides dissolved in 1 liter of water. Dip the seedling for 5 minutes.
When disinfection is complete, the plant should be rinsed under clean water.

To accelerate the growth of the seedling, it is advisable to use the method of cutting the roots. A few minutes before planting it in the tank, it should be lined with 10 cm of washed soil in a container, and filled with water of the same height. You need to plant aquatic plants starting from the background of the aquarium. Behind plant high species, in front of them - low, or lush bushes, forming a vegetation cover in one row. From the front, the aquascape looks like an observation deck that will immediately attract attention.

See how to properly plant plants in an aquarium.

Roots should be positioned in accordance with their natural growth. If in plants such as aponogeton and echinodorus the root system is horizontal, deepening down a couple of centimeters, then in cryptocoryne and vallisneria the root system is directed downward vertically. A characteristic error when planting is made is the bending of the roots, and not their direct location in the soil substrate. When you are going to plant Cryptocoryne and other species with a similar root system in a tank, make a deep hole in the soil, and place the seedling in it below the neck of the root, then spread the root. The soil must be crushed, and the plant pulled up so that the neck of the root is above the surface of the soil. This procedure helps to place small branches of roots directly in the ground.

When planting plants with a creeping rhizome, you need to take a group of seedlings of 4-6 pieces, and plant them together to take shape decorative look in an aquarium with fish. When planting creeping plants, each of them should be correctly placed at a distance of 1-2 cm from each other. In a similar way, you need to plant those species that grow slowly.

Floating plant species feed on what they get from the aquatic environment. Before planting plants in the ground, the lower leaves with 2 lower nodes are cut off, and the seedling is placed in the ground without roots, and cuttings in the soil substrate itself. Use flat roots to prevent it from floating up after disembarkation.

Hard-leaved plant species that receive nourishment from the soil due to the roots can be planted in pots. They should be filled with soil that contains clay or peat for aquariums. It is important to consider when preparing or buying such a soil mix that it is intended for aquarium plants and not for potted flowers. If there are fish living in the tank who love to dig the soil and uproot the roots of seedlings, then the pots will ensure the safety of the plants. Pots are also convenient in that they can be easily and quickly removed from the container during cleaning, without damaging the roots themselves. So that the aquascape is not spoiled, it is better to decorate the pots with stones.

See how to plant aquarium plants in pots.

When studying the issue of the density of planting greens in a glass aquarium, it is correct to take into account that the planting is individual for each species, and depends on the size of the seedling and its length. When planting Beckett's Cryptocoryne, Ciliate Cryptocoryne, or Griffith's Cryptocoryne, it is necessary to lay the roots in the ground, moving them away from each other by 15-20 cm. This is necessary in order to big plants not hooked when they grow rapidly.

Echinodorus and aponogetons are planted at a distance of 8-10 cm from each other. When plant species are very large, then the distance should be 20-30 cm. If the aponogeton has 20-40 large leaves, then you need to provide the seedling with enough space around it, otherwise it will be crowded.

When planting a home pond, it is not recommended to place seedlings close to each other. There should be enough free space for their development and growth in the future. In a month, the plants will grow, become more lush, and for fast-growing species (vallisneria, sagittaria, eregia) this is extremely important.

Properly plant aquarium plants in the spring. Young seedlings are recommended to be taken from the greenhouse, because in those conditions they have adapted to the correct change of seasons. In the spring, they start up daughter shoots, and in late autumn and early winter they are at rest.

❶ How to plant plants in an aquarium:: kabomba how to plant:: Furniture and decor

How interesting it is to watch the underwater world - swimming flocks of fry, fish playing among the thickets. But on their own plants in aquarium they will not grow up and in order to create an idyll in the underwater kingdom, you will need to work a little.

The question "where to order a playground?" - 2 answers

You will need

Plants, tweezers, encyclopedia of aquatic plants, table salt

Instruction

1. After you bought the underwater plants, it is advisable to open the encyclopedia and see which one loves the light, and which one likes to grow in the shade. Light-loving plants should be planted under a lamp. Also see what size your plants- it is better to remove large shrubs in the background, or plant them near the side walls of the aquarium.

2. Before boarding plants it is best to disinfect - this will save the rest of the inhabitants of the aquarium from undesirable consequences. To do this, make a solution of table salt (take one teaspoon of salt per liter of water) and rinse plants in the resulting solution.

3. Fill the aquarium with water approximately one third. Now pick up the tweezers and the plant. Holding it by the stem with tweezers, carefully insert the stem into the sand.

4. Plants of the same species are best planted together: so they will not interfere with each other's growth. So plant your kabomba on one side and let your anubias grow on the other side.

5. Now when plants planted in the ground, fill the aquarium with water completely and place floating plants. If you want them to be located in a certain part of the aquarium, attach suction cups to the glass walls and pull the nylon thread - plants won't float anywhere.

Instruction

❶ How to plant aquarium plants:: Animals:: Other

To make the aquarium look beautiful, and the fish feel comfortable and cozy there, it must have aquarium algae. Of course, you can buy plastic ones, but they will only decorate, without carrying any benefit. It is better to buy and plant a live plant, it will improve the water in the aquarium and become additional food for fish.

The question "Why are cats not a product when there are already reviews about them" - 1 answer

Instruction

1. First of all, review the purchased plant and remove all rotten and diseased parts, clean the roots of dirt and rinse thoroughly in water room temperature. For greens with a strong root system and a shortened stem, thin out the roots. Then cut a fragment 3 centimeters long and plant it in the ground, only slightly covering the roots. So the plants will grow faster. If the plant has too thin and small roots, in no case cut them.

2. Remove all cuttings from plants with an elongated stem lower part with leaves and roots, while not leaving less than 4 knots. Avoid frequent transplanting of plants, because when planting they lose old roots, and new ones are only being formed, and they experience some difficulties in adapting. These species must be planted at a depth of 4-5 centimeters.

3. Before planting, be sure to disinfect the plant. To do this, rinse it in a salt solution, in the proportion of 1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water. So you will destroy all harmful microorganisms, and they will not get into the aquarium.

4. Plant plants either in empty aquarium with wet sand, or pour some water. Each method has its advantages: with the first, you better fix it, with the second, give it the necessary position. When planting, try not to bend the roots, because they are so tender that they can easily break. They must be planted in sandy pits made in advance. In tuberous or bulbous algae, almost all roots can be cut off. Do not completely immerse the tuber in the ground, leave the top open. Before planting the bulb, wrap it in filter wool or peat fibers, just leave the root growth areas free.

5. Introduce floating plants into an already filled aquarium. If you want to restrict where they swim, then tie a thread to the suction cups and place it in the aquarium. Attach moss or fern in the same way. Plant aquarium algae in height, the highest at the far wall, and the lowest at the front.

Hemianthus cube: content, how to plant, photo and video review

Green lawn in your aquarium!

Hemianthus cube or Hemianthus callitrichoides "Cuba" is perhaps the most popular ground cover aquarium plant that is widely used in aquascaping. Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba' was discovered by Wiedelouf Holger (founder of Tropica) while traveling on a rocky Cuban river near Havana.

The plant gained popularity thanks to the maestro Takashi Amano who sang it in his masterpieces. Since the beginning of the 80s, the plant has gained massive popularity, its magnificent decorative properties have been appreciated by all aquascapers of the world.

Hemianthus cube is a great tool for creating underwater lawns, the plant forms a low, dense green carpet that beautifully covers the bottom of the aquarium. Moreover, with a sufficient concentration of CO2 and proper lighting, the cube chemianthus creates an amazingly beautiful perling (bubble) - oxygen bubbles, like beads, are scattered all over the bottom of the aquarium.

Well, let's take a closer look at this attractive plant.

The plant forms low clearings, about 3-6 cm high. The plant is quite capricious - it requires proper powerful lighting and the supply of carbon dioxide. This is primarily due to the fact that the cube hemianthus is at the very bottom. Lighting, passing through the water column, loses its intensity with each centimeter and only a tenth of the original power of the light source reaches the bottom of the aquarium. The selection of lighting for each aquarium is individual and depends primarily on the level of the water column. The approximate level of illumination for a chemianthus cube is from 0.7 watts / liter, to be more precise - from 50 lm / liter (with a water column height of 45 cm). Hemianthus cube at insufficient lighting ceases to form a dense carpet and begins to stretch upward, with extremely adverse conditions breaks up. If more powerful lighting is installed above your aquarium (~ 1 Watt / liter, 80-100 Lm / liter) - this will only benefit such a tiny and delicate cube rug.

Application micro and macro fertilizers necessarily. The lack of fertilizers affects the intensity of growth and the condition of the plant as a whole.

Like all aquarium plants, Cube Hemianthus prefers soft, slightly acidic water: pH, dH, kH below 7 (but able to adapt to higher parameters). The temperature regime is 25 degrees Celsius. Water changes are required, weekly fractional or at once from 1/4 to 1/2 of the water. Good filtration and aeration must be ensured. Permissible indicators of ammonia products: NH4-0, NO2-0, NO3-10.

Particular attention when keeping chemianthus cubes should be given to the soil. The plant has a weak root system, and takes root rather poorly. Therefore, when choosing soil for a Hemianthus cube rug, you should pay attention to light porous substrates in which the plant will take root well.

The plant cannot be called fast growing, yet it is not Vallisneria, under favorable conditions and proper fit, Hemianthus cube forms a mat in 3-4 months.

For obvious reasons, Cube Chemianthus is not compatible with all bottom fish ( corridors, ancistrus, other loricaria and armored catfishes). Shrimps will make a good company for the rug: cherries, Amano, crystals. Of the fish, we can recommend the characin family, for example, neon, as well as the family platy fish.

Since the plant is tiny, it perceives extremely unfavorably any, even the most minimal algal outbreaks. Upon detection of xenocrocus (the correct name is colheta), thread and black beard, it is necessary to immediately take measures aimed at restoring balance. For more information on algae control, see the article: "Algae in the aquarium, know the enemy by sight".

Purchase Hemianthus Cuba. Currently, kubu hemianthus is often presented as a meristem aquarium plant. In preparation this material On the Internet, we found a very interesting experiment in which the meristem cube heminthus and the usual one were compared. In order not to describe the whole experiment for a long time, here is an excerpt from the conclusions:

... A week later, it is clear that the "meristem cube" takes root more quickly, does not get sick, the color is healthy and saturated.

... I can say that the leader was immediately visible, both in color and in condition. The decisive factor was the condition during landing. In the "potted cube" the loss and injury of the roots / stems is inevitable. With the "meristem", on the contrary, everything is whole.

Here is what the domestic manufacturer of meristem aquarium plants, the Akvaryumka company, writes about its products:

Hemianthus cube is one of the smallest aquarium plants and one of the most desirable among aquarists.

Ideal for foreground placement in nano aquariums. Very often used when decorating an aquarium in the Iwagumi style (from the words iwa - "stone" and gumi - "arrangement"). It is the most famous and very demanding plant for aquascaping, creating a unique green carpet.

General characteristics:

Difficulty: high

Size: 3-5 cm;

Growth rate: medium;

Value: pH 6 - 7;

Temperature: 22 - 26 ° C;

Carbonate hardness: 3 - 10° DKH;

CO2: 10 - 40 mg/l;

From the foregoing, we can conclude that it is better to buy meristem cube hemianthus! For more information about meristem aquarium plants, see the article - here.

How to plant Hemianthus cube, secrets!

The plant has a weak root system, unlike similar plant micrantemum monte carlo, hemianthus cube "does not bite" into the ground, and therefore, you must be patient when planting and waiting for the moment of rooting.

If a planting material enough, hemianthus cube is planted in bunches in the holes (at a distance of 3-5 cm from each other), after which they lightly fall asleep, press it with soil.

With a small number of plants, individual branches (small bunches) are planted separately with tweezers, while leaving only a couple of leaves on the surface.

Some aquarists complain that after planting a chemianthus cube, it floats (from the current of the water or from the fact that the fish disturb it). In this case, it is recommended to put a small pebble on a bunch of planted hemianthus or use a paper clip in a plastic winding (curving it in the form of a hairpin) or pin the plant with an olive skewer. Paper clips, skewers fix the plant well in the ground, after rooting the plant grows and the fixing elements become invisible.

Beautiful photos with Hemianthus Cuba

Videos cube hemianthus

Aquarium plants everything for beginners with photos and videos

AQUARIUM PLANTS
Let's talk about the benefits of plants
for your aquarium and its inhabitants Many people who start and equip an aquarium, for some reason, believe that aquarium plants are extra chores and worries. However, it is not! In this article I will try to analyze the main aspects related to the life of aquarium plants and debunk the Myth "On the complexity of keeping and breeding plants in an aquarium."
To begin with, there are a huge number of plant species for the aquarium. Some of them are really hard to keep. But there are many plants that I do not require special care, except perhaps your non-intrusive attention, comparable to caring for indoor plants. For convenience, we will break this article into thematic chapters:
1. ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF AQUARIUM PLANTS: do you need aquarium plants. Why are they. Is it possible to do without them.
2. WHAT YOU NEED FOR AQUARIUM PLANTS: care, fertilizer, soil for aquarium plants, planting.
3. HOW MANY PLANTS NEED IN A AQUARIUM: the ratio of fish and plants.
4. TYPES AND LIST OF AQUARIUM PLANTS.
5. HARDNESS AQUARIUM PLANTS: Plants for beginners.
6. DISEASES OF AQUARIUM PLANTS: what to do if aquarium plants die - “wither”.

About the benefits of aquarium plants

Plants in an aquarium play a huge role in the life of its inhabitants. We can say that the presence of plants in the aquarium is only a huge number of pluses, what? Yes, here they are:
- plants are the "lungs" of the aquarium;
- plants are a well-established aquarium biosystem, the absence of harmful substances in the water, the absence of algae;
- plants are a sensor of the state of the aquarium;
- plants are a natural interior and a "maternity hospital" for fish, fry, shrimps, snails, etc.
- plants are an additional food for aquarium inhabitants;
- plants set up the aquarium so that you can safely leave it and go on vacation;
- live aquarium plants - it's beautiful, natural and aesthetically pleasing;
Now, about everything in more detail!

Plants are the lungs of the aquarium

During the life of plants in an aquarium, under the influence of light, the well-known photosynthesis is carried out. As a result, plants consume carbon dioxide (CO2) and release oxygen. Thus, in your aquarium there will never be excessively accumulated CO2, which is emitted by fish and other inhabitants of the aquarium, and the aquarium water will naturally be saturated with oxygen.
Some experienced aquarists, with the help of plants, achieve such a biological balance in the aquarium that they no longer need mechanical aeration and water filtration. Just imagine - the aquarium does not buzz, electricity is not consumed - beauty !!! True, in order to do this, you need to gain a lot of experience and know the aquarium hobby thoroughly.

Plants are a well-established aquarium biosystem, the absence of harmful substances in the water, the absence of algae

Actually this aspect follows from the previous PLUS. In addition to the photosynthesis benefits of aquarium plants, they also absorb harmful substances, which also accumulate from the vital activity of fish and other comrades. Namely, plants absorb nitrates, nitrites and phosphates, using them as fertilizers. Thus, we get a “clean” aquarium, which rarely, rarely needs to be siphoned, or even completely forgotten about it!

Plants are an indicator of the state of the aquarium

Everything is simple here! Aquarium plants are the primary indicator of the condition of your aquarium. If the plants "wither", turn yellow and rot - this is a sure sign of the poor condition of the aquarium, and vice versa, lush, beautiful growths - this is a 100% indicator of the excellent state of the aquarium world.

Aquarium plants are a natural interior and a "maternity hospital" for fish, fry, shrimps, snails, etc.

No other aquarium decoration will replace the vegetation in the aquarium. If you want to maintain an aquarium with a professional approach, then you can not do without plants.
First, because plants are beautiful decor aquarium and only the natural-designed view of the aquarium is a good imitation of the environment in which the fish lived until they got to you.
Secondly, plants are a cozy home for the inhabitants of the aquarium world. Many fish, shrimp and other inhabitants use the vegetation as shelter, spawning grounds, and many fish juveniles find refuge in them.

Plants are additional food for aquarium inhabitants.

Many, many fish are "herbivores". Some just graze like sheep in a meadow, mowing everything they see. For example, the family of Goldfish, well, just loves plant foods. For these types of aquarium inhabitants, plant foods are needed, which are sold in pet stores, such as Tetra Vegetable. And here a reasonable question arises - why spend extra money when you can feed the fish with natural, fresh vegetation.
The mechanism of such feeding is very simple. I'll give you an example. I have in one aquarium live Goldfish - veiltails. I don’t know about others, but mine just tear out vegetation from me with their hands! What I've done. In another aquarium with cyclides, I started a duckweed, which cichlids do not eat very much and which breeds very quickly. Twice a week I catch duckweed from the cichlid and feed it to the Goldfish. It turns out a kind of vicious circle, which is useful for both cichlids and veiltails. In addition, expensive plants that are in an aquarium with Goldfish remain untouched by them and have a good aesthetic appearance.
Additionally, you can offer the fish - Hornwort, which is also perfectly eaten.
From the foregoing, only one conclusion can be drawn - aquarium plants, well, are simply vital for feeding fish. And taking into account the fact that Duckweed does not cost anything at all (in pet stores they give it away just like that), only, probably, the lazy one will not take up vegetation.

Plants set up an aquarium
that you can safely leave him and go on vacation And indeed it is. I think many people have encountered this problem when they need to leave, but there is no one to leave the aquarium to. Even I wrote, here in this article: VACATION AND AQUARIUM, about the disappointing problems of the aquarium and recreation. However, if your aquarium has good lawns with vegetation, this will allow you not to worry about its abode for about two weeks. On the own experience proven! Yes, and many professionals say that a “good” aquarium can exist without external interference for about a month. So we equip an aquarium with good vegetation and calmly go to the Maldives;)
Live aquarium plants are beautiful, natural and aesthetically pleasing! I think you yourself understand this. And who is not sure, please look at these photos and compare the naturally and artificially designed aquarium.

with live plants with artificial plants
Summing up this section, it remains only to say in the affirmative - AQUARIUM PLANTS ARE VERY NECESSARY AND USEFUL FOR THE AQUARIUM AND ITS DIVISIONS. Is it possible to do without them? Can. In fact, nothing terrible will happen, but the aquarium will not be beautiful, empty, scanty, dirty, difficult to care for, and the fish will, like orphans, not live in a chic comfort house,
but in a "shelter or rooming house."

What do you need for aquarium plants?

Many, starting to deal with the aquarium, think that the plants in the aquarium are unnecessary problems and worries. However, it is not!!! Actually, for the normal life of plants in an aquarium, as well as for fish, the main thing is to arrange everything. In relation to plants, this is achieved by selecting the right soil, top dressing with fertilizers and due to good lighting. That's actually all! Well, once a month you need to “cut” them, now that’s all for sure. Let's take a closer look at each of the above nuances.
PRIMING: The soil for plants is purely individual in nature. Some plants do not need it at all, while others need a thick layer of soil. In general, we can say that the soil for plants should be from 3 to 5 centimeters thick and of medium grain size. It is this thickness (and more) that will allow the plants to take root well. A newly planted plant can be slightly pressed with a larger pebble, well, or pressed down with some kind of decor, you can tie the plant with a fishing line. Common mistake is tying a lead weight to the horse system of a plant - this is not very good. Yes, the plant does not float and it is difficult for the fish to pull it out. But after all, lead is oxidized, and besides, it prevents the roots of the plant from developing. The same applies to other cargoes.

By the way, regarding the issue of proper planting

the photo shows the rules for planting aquarium plants

FERTILIZING WITH FERTILIZERS: Like fish, plants need to be fed. Modern aquarists do not know this problem. Any pet store sells tablets or liquid plant conditioners. For example, Tetra plant start or Tetra Crypto. Such tablets are crushed and applied under the root system of plants monthly. The cost of one tablet is $ 1, depending on the size of the aquarium, one or two tablets are enough for a month. 1 tablet per 50 liters aquarium water.
photo Tetra Planta Start

Protects and strengthens newly planted aquarium plants.
- the composition of the tablet includes a plant hormone that enhances growth.
- helps the formation of roots.
- promotes root survival during plant transplantation.
- enhances the resistance of the plant due to the content of macro-substances in the tablet.
photo Tetra Crypto-Dunger Pills

Top dressing for aquarium plants, contribute to the normal formation of the root system. The tablet contains iron and other micronutrients. Does not contain nitrates, phosphates and does not cause water cloudiness. The action of the pill occurs for a long time. Promotes the development of the most important microorganisms, and also prevents the growth of algae.
You can independently, artisanally prepare fertilizers for aquarium plants. But this is a whole "alchemy" that requires you to search for chemical ingredients, accurate weights and other troubles. Considering that it is 2013, the choice is obvious! I don't think anyone would be sorry to spend $1 a month on a plant pill. Yes, and with artisanal fertilizers, you can unknowingly over-chemically, so much so that not only plants, but also fish will die. In general, I am for pills and I urge you to do so!
There are also old-fashioned methods - to put clay or peat under the plants. She understands that this is not an option either. Where in the modern metropolis to get good clay, and even more so peat. Moreover, be sure that there is no infection in them. And why, if we are talking about a home or office aquarium ?! After all, an aquarium is a piece of tropical nature, not a plantation in the middle of the Amazon River. Check out other company products "TETRA" and sera.

Lighting for aquarium plants

Light plays a very important role for plants. It is understandable! After all, the process of photosynthesis without it is simply not real. Features of lighting for aquarium plants are purely individual. Some plants need a lot of light, some don't. In general, all sources agree on one thing, that the light in an aquarium with plants should be on for about 12 hours. But here a small problem arises - so much light is not very useful for the aquarium itself. Therefore, I recommend turning on the aquarium lighting for about 6 hours, which will be a kind of compromise. With this length of daylight hours, the plants in the aquarium will feel good. Verified! True, it is worth mentioning that such a compromise is not very suitable for exotic, expensive and capricious plants. It will just be a pity if the rastyuchka is bent.

Care of aquarium plants

The actual care of aquarium plants consists in shearing and pruning plants, which should be carried out as needed (about once a month). Carrying out such an action, you need to: remove rotten leaves, trim the overgrown plant, and cut off the daughters, planting them later in a new place.
You can read a little more about this in this ARTICLE, there is a visual video of how "craftsmen cut the aquarium."
Snails will provide an invaluable service in caring for aquarium plants. They will gladly devour rotting, bad leaves, thereby relieving you of unnecessary worries.

Within the framework of this section, I will make a reservation about the CO2 system. Such a system favorably affects the growth and appearance of plants. Its meaning is to supply carbon dioxide to the aquarium, which in turn is very fond of plants. Such systems are branded and handicraft. You can read in detail about the CO2 system and watch a video on how to make such a unit “according to the mash principle” with your own hands. HERE.

How many plants do you need in an aquarium?

It is not possible to overdo it in this matter. I don’t think that someone will plant an aquarium with plants “for the most I can’t”. However, there is a certain limit to the number of plants in an aquarium. They need to be seated so that 2/3 of the free space remains for fish and other inhabitants. In addition, you need to proceed from the number of fish. The more of them, the more plants you can plant. Or in other words, the more CO2 is produced, the more plants can be planted and the more oxygen will be from them.

Types and list of aquarium plants for beginners

Like fish, there are also a huge number of aquarium plants. In order not to flood in this article, I will give a link to a list of all aquarium plants, here it is - LIST, in addition, you can scroll through the section of our site AQUARIUM PLANTS in the preview, which is laid out for the convenience of photographs of plants, which will give you the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the plant and choose the right one without poking into all the articles.
In general, all plants can be divided into:
- plants that float on the surface of the water;
- plants that are attached to the ground;
- and plants that do not care where they are;
When choosing plants, these factors must be taken into account. So that it does not happen that some plants do not allow others to live.

hardy aquarium plants

In fact, there are a lot of such unpretentious plants and in fact you can make an endless list, because if you give any plant a minimum of care, then it will survive in any aquarium.
However, the following aquarium plants can be recommended for beginners:

Duckweed

I already spoke about her. It will be a great addition to an aquarium. She is loved by all aquarium inhabitants, she creates a very beautiful view. Its only drawback, like all floating plants, is that it covers the water cover very quickly, preventing light from entering the aquarium. It should be thinned out more often, and especially before the holidays, leaving only a few leaves on the surface.
Vallisneria

In fact, not whimsical fast growing up, inexpensive plant.
Elodea

Normal and classic, thin, fast growing up.
hornwort

A spruce-like plant. Grows fast. A huge number of small leaves is an excellent protection for all the small inhabitants of the aquarium.
Limnobium

A floating plant similar to small lake lily leaves. Puts down long roots. Grows very fast. Limnobium, and especially its roots, love to eat fish and shrimp.
Riccia

Wonderful fast growing, floating, bright plant. Gaining weight with growth, it can sink to the bottom and cover entire expanses. It can be tied with a fishing line to a snag, to a pebble, creating a wonderful green island. In addition, she is very fond of, there are aquarium inhabitants.
java moss

Highly beautiful plant. The truth does not grow very fast and is more demanding of light. It can easily wrap a snag or something else.
Diseases of aquarium plants
Plants, like fish, can get sick. Like all living plants, they die due to improper or poor maintenance. But I assure you that if you follow the above recommendations, then your aquarium plants will never get sick.
Without spreading demagoguery. Here are the signs of the disease, causes and treatment of aquarium plants.
THE PLANT LOOKS CUTSOO: the leaves are stunted, thin, the plant stretches up, pale, sheds young leaves! These are all sure signs of a lack of lighting.
TREATMENT:
- increase daylight hours for plants;
- if there are a lot of plants, thin them out so that one does not interfere with each other;
- Lower the water temperature. The higher the temperature of the aquarium water, the more light the plants need.
PLANT LEAVES ARE COVERED WITH HOLES: uneven edges, curling of the plant, pale puffy appearance, etc. These are signs of a lack of top dressing and fertilizers.
TREATMENT:
- fertilization under the roots of plants (aforementioned tablets).
- make sure that the soil does not press and does not deform the roots of plants.
LEAVES FALL PREMATURELY: yellowing of the edges of the leaves, slow growth. These are signs of a lack of CO2 - carbon dioxide.
TREATMENT:
- lower the temperature. At low temperatures, the CO2 content in the aquarium increases.
- Get more fish.
- as an option, turn off the aeration at night, but this will not be very good for the fish.
- build a CO2 plant with your own hands.

And finally, a few words about artificial aquarium plants. Since they are sold, since I buy them, it means that they also have a place to be in our reservoirs. There is no trouble with them at all - you buried a plastic bush and admire it! The benefits of such plants are zero, moreover, harmful algae grow well on them. And over time, the plastic breaks down and becomes brittle! They cost more than living plants. Nevertheless, such plastic aquarium plants, as an element of decor, look very good in a pond.

Video - webinar "All the secrets of growing aquarium plants"
Video starts at 54:43 minutes and further,

useful video about keeping aquarium plants

I propose to see beautiful photos of naturally designed aquariums with plants

I hope the article was helpful to you.
I think that the material presented has debunked
The myth "About the complex content of aquarium plants."
Hornwort: content, types, photo-video review

Hornwort (Ceratophýllum) is the most popular aquarium plant for beginners! Why? It's simple - the plant is unpretentious, able to withstand low light, cold water, easily multiplies and is inexpensive. Moreover, this plant is a good biological filter, firstly, because it collects all the "garbage" - the waste products of fish, dead organic matter. And secondly, because this plant “pulls out” nitrates very well - the final product nitrogen cycle.

Thus, by purchasing a hornwort, a novice aquarist can significantly improve the condition of his new aquarium - speed up the adjustment of biological balance, can "fill his hand" and understand how plants grow and what they need, while not being afraid that the plant will wither and rot.

Well, let's take a closer look at this simple and at the same time popular representative of the aquarium flora.

Hornwort is perennial having an oblong stem and needle-shaped leaves. The hornwort has no roots. Modified shoots grow from the stem - rhizoids, thanks to which the plant is strengthened in the ground.

In nature, the hornwort is very common, it can be found in almost any aquatic environment. Especially in those reservoirs where the water is stagnant or with a weak current (lakes, reservoirs, rates). Under natural conditions, hornwort can exist even at a depth of up to 9 meters. This explains its unpretentiousness to lighting. According to some reports, the plant does not like bright lighting at all and dies under the influence of direct sunlight.

Types of hornwort

Botanists have counted more than thirty species of this plant, but only four species are widely used in the aquarium hobby:

Hornwort submerged- has dark green leaves and slightly reddish shoots. The leaves are dissected once or twice, have up to 4 "horns". The leaves are arranged along a thin, weakly branching stem, in whorls, on different distances from each other. Sometimes red tones appear in the color of the stem. Hydrophyte grows exclusively in the water column. With the help of horn leaves, the hornwort receives nutrients from the water. There is no root system, and if necessary, the plant is attached to the ground with specialized stems. The leaves and stem are covered with a tough cuticle that saves the hornwort from being eaten by fish and snails. At the base of the whorl one can see solitary same-sex flowers. The plant is monoecious, pollinated under water by pollen carried by the current. A small nutlet up to 5 mm long is a hornwort fruit.

Likes warm, stagnant water. An interesting feature of this species is that when the temperature drops, it, as in nature, sheds the lower leaves and presses to the bottom, one can say “fits for wintering”.

Mexican hornwort- This is the most unpretentious type of hornwort. Able to withstand temperature regime from 5 to 30 degrees.

Hornwort semi-submerged - not very whimsical, but its stems are very delicate and can be easily broken in the process of washing or transplanting.

Cuban hornwort - grows in fluffy bunches, which consist of many long stems. Even in winter, such a representative of the flora does not stop growing.

Like many aquarium plants, they prefer slightly acidic and soft water or neutral (pH and dH 6-7), but at the same time they can easily live in alkaline and hard water (pH and dH above 7). Lighting is unpretentious 0.3-0.5 watts per liter, it will be enough for this plant. For more information on lighting, see the article. here. It does not need special feeding with micro and macro fertilizers, the plant takes everything necessary from the water on its own, it also does not need CO2 supply.

Favorable temperature conditions are 23-25 degrees Celsius.

Hornwort branches often collect aquarium debris, so it can be taken out and washed from time to time. This must be done very carefully, as its stems and leaves are quite brittle and fragile. After washing this plant, some debris is almost always left, more often these are short young twigs. You can simply throw them away, or you can throw them back into the aquarium - later new branches will grow from them.

A small remark should be made for beginner aquarists - despite all the unpretentiousness of the plant, it is still worthwhile to understand that it is alive and certainly you should not count on its survival "in Spartan conditions". The plant will not grow without light, in a frankly cold and dirty aquarium with high concentrations of nitrogenous, etc.

Planting a hornwort

The plant can be planted in the ground in bunches, in the background or on the side. It is advisable to do this with tweezers. Some aquarists tie it with fishing line to decorative elements or to a weight.

At the same time, the hornwort has no roots, so it can live perfectly, floating in the water. Given the fact that the plant is inexpensive, it is often recommended by beginners when starting an aquarium - the plant perfectly removes NO3 (nitrates), the process of adjusting the biological balance in the aquarium is faster, which in turn makes it possible to reduce the time of planting the first fish.

For more information on aquarium biobalance, see:

Aquarium biobalance

The Nitrogen Cycle Brochure

Aquarium Navigator for Beginners Brochure

Reproduction of hornwort. When the plant reaches the surface of the water, it can be cut by cuttings - dividing the stem with scissors into segments of 10-15 centimeters. Soon, the plant will give new shoots.

It should be noted that under favorable conditions, the hornwort in the aquarium grows even better than in nature. In addition, it can grow in length up to 1 m per month.

Summing up, let's say:

1. Hornwort is within the power of everyone.

2.Hornwort helps the aquarium to be clean, healthy, removes poisons from the aquarium.

3.This is an inexpensive, fast growing plant.

4.Does not require special care.

5.Hornwort serves as additional food for many fish, and an excellent shelter for fry of viviparous fish.

Photo with hornwort

Before planting, each plant must be cleaned of filamentous algae, snail eggs, rotten areas, etc. that have stuck to it.

After that, it should be disinfected for about 20 minutes in a pink (to wine-red) solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate). A soak (5 to 10 minutes) with an alum solution (1 teaspoon / 1 liter of water) or a hydrogen peroxide wash (1 teaspoon / 1 liter of water) is also recommended. Then the plants should be gently rinsed. The roots can be trimmed a little to encourage them to grow faster. After that, it is necessary to fill the tank with washed soil to a height of about 10 cm and fill it with water (5 - 10 cm). The placement of plants should begin from the back wall of the aquarium: plant the tallest of them there, and leave the viewing side as free as possible or distribute along it those species that remain small or form a grass cover. Roots should be placed according to their natural growth. Cryptocorynes and Vallisneria take roots vertically down. Use the index and middle fingers to make an appropriate hole in the ground and place the plant in it - a little deeper than the neck of the root, although the root should be straightened. Then slightly flatten the soil and gently pull the plant up so that the neck of the root appears. Thus, even thin ramifications of the roots will be located directly in the ground. In Cryptocorynes, the neck of the root may even protrude slightly from the ground. Each plant should have 5 - 6 sq. cm of bottom area, but the distance between them also depends on the size of each specimen and on future growth. Plants such as C. griffithi, C. ciliata or C. beckettii become large and the distance between them should be at least 15 cm. In aponogeton and echinodorus, the roots are flat, they go down only a few centimeters and spread mainly horizontally . For them, you need to make an oblong and not very deep hole with your fingers, place the roots in it like a fan and sprinkle it again with the soil mixture. The distance between small specimens should be 8-10 cm, and between larger ones (in a large aquarium) 15-30 cm. Some types of aponogeton have 20-40 leaves, and they need more free space on all (!) Sides.

Water plants that absorb the substances they need directly from the water with the help of special organs of their leaves should be planted in the ground in the form of cuttings, without roots, after removing the leaves from the two lower nodes of the stem. Flat stones will hold these cuttings so they don't float until they take root. Creeping plants should be planted 4 - 6 pieces together, like bushes, otherwise they look rather miserable. But each of them should be located at a distance of 1 - 2 cm from the other (especially for cabomb). Plants that do not increase in size are also planted nearby, in bushes. Plants with a horizontally branching rhizome (for example, calamus) should be placed at a slope so that its shoot parts protrude from the ground. Water plants that absorb the substances they need from the soil exclusively with the help of roots, like those that hardly “work” with roots, but need nutrients ah (aponogethon, echinodorus, cryptocoryne), should be placed in the ground in bowls or pots. These bowls can be filled with an earthen mixture, two-thirds consisting of clay and aquarium peat. By the way, in recent times special ready-made mixtures for aquaristics appeared on sale. In no case should you use ready-made earth mixtures for flowers: it is impossible to control what fertilizers are added to them, and they can easily turn into pockets of decay. Tall bowls or pots that protrude above the ground should be laid with stones so that they do not spoil the overall look of the aquarium, reminiscent of wildlife. The same method should be used in aquariums where burrowing cichlids will live. Among other things, pot culture has the advantage that when cleaning the bottom soil, the vessels can simply be removed from the aquarium and then put back in without damaging the roots. The most favorable time for planting plants is spring. Young specimens occur for the most part from greenhouses, where they are accustomed to the correct change of seasons. It is in the spring that these young plants end their dormant period (from November to January) and they begin to sprout new shoots.

Many amateurs make mistakes when planting plants in an aquarium: The roots should not be bent (a), but with all their processes should be located straight in the ground (b). It is best to first make a deeper hole, plant a plant, and then slightly pull it up.

Learn to plant plants in an aquarium

Elena Gabrielyan

Everything is very simple. Take aquarium soil with a fraction of the usual 3-5 mm, pour it a little in a pot so that it covers the bottom, then put either blue clay balls or a fertilizer tablet as a top dressing and plant plants on top, it is better to put larger pebbles so that the fish do not pull them out. If you put the plants to the fish digging in the ground, then the pots must be overlaid with large stones. There is no need to wrap the plants with anything. Be sure to remove rotten and blackened roots from plants in pots before planting. Look like that's it. Good luck.

RED DIRECTOR

Before planting, rinse the plants well, cut off excess roots, rotten leaves, stems without tops. With a stick or just a finger, make a hole in the sand and put the roots in there. You can press it with a stone. Especially valuable plants are really better to plant in pots or jars. At the bottom of the jar, put a lump of clay or a piece of boiled peat, and pour sand on top. Pots or jars can be left on the surface of the soil, or buried in it. In general, you don’t need to leave the bottom without soil, it spoils the view of the aquarium, and to make it easier to collect dirt from the bottom, you need to take very coarse sand or small pebbles. For example, I have an aquarium where the bottom consists of small pebbles brought from the Black Sea coast.

Yuri Balashov

How to plant plants in an aquarium? "Aquarium. Aquatic plants". V. Mikhailov

Acquired plants are carefully examined, diseased and decaying parts are removed, the roots are cleaned of dirt and rinsed in water. In plants with a shortened stem and a powerful root system, the roots are thinned out, and the remaining ones are cut to a length of 2-3 cm. After cutting the roots, the plants grow better.

In plants with a small number of thin roots, they are not touched or cut very moderately (in anubias, the roots are not touched).

In cuttings of plants with an elongated stem, the lower part with roots and leaves is removed, but less than 3-4 nodes should not be left. Each plant after planting loses old roots and forms new ones, so plant growth is difficult, so try to avoid frequent replanting.

It is good to disinfect the plants before planting. To do this, each of them must be rinsed for about five minutes in a weak solution of table salt, the water should be slightly salty in taste (one teaspoon per liter of water). This must be done in order to destroy harmful organisms, which can get into the aquarium along with plants.

Plants can be planted in an aquarium in two ways: either planted in wet sand before pouring water, or after some of the water has already been poured. With the first method, it is easier to strengthen the plant in the ground, and with the second method, it is easier to give the plant the desired position.

In both cases, the plants are planted in holes that are made in sandy ground. When planting, make sure that the roots of the plant do not bend. Remember: the roots of aquatic plants are very delicate and can easily break if handled carelessly. Therefore, be especially careful and careful!

Planting plants after filling with water. The ends of the tweezers are clamped on the roots of the plant or the end of the stem of the cutting and inserted into the ground, then the ends are opened and the tweezers are carefully removed at an angle to the plant. Plants with a short stem are planted so that root neck was only covered with soil, and plant cuttings with an elongated stem are planted to a depth of 3–5 cm, with each cutting planted separately at a distance not less than the length of a leaf from one another. In plants with a rhizome, tuber or bulb, the roots can be almost completely cut off, because the plant will live off the reserve nutrients. A long, horizontally located rhizome is additionally slightly pressed into the ground with your fingers. If the plant has a large lifting force and floats, then the rhizome is first tied with a nylon thread to the stone, and it can be removed after the plant takes root. They also attach Thai fern and key moss to a stone or snag, and bolbitis and Javanese moss can simply be put in the place intended for them and they will attach themselves. The tuber of the plant cannot be completely immersed in the ground, it must be open from above. The bulb is wrapped with filter wool or peat fibers before planting, leaving free seat root growth.

Floating plants are allowed into the water after filling the aquarium with water. If it is necessary that they occupy a certain area, then it is limited to a nylon thread tied to suction cups attached to the walls of the aquarium.

Planting plants before filling with water. A hole is made in the ground with a stick or finger and the plant is lowered into it, after which the soil is squeezed around it, while the roots should hang down, and not bend up and come to the surface.

Never plant plants in the front of the aquarium, otherwise you will not be able to observe the life of your underwater world.

Never plant next to different plants. Remember that plants compete with each other for light, food and living space. Therefore, plants are usually planted in groups - each group consists of plants of the same species.

Do not plant plants too densely, especially fast growing ones. They will soon grow, and you will have to clear the aquarium from underwater thickets. In addition, closely planted plants will interfere with each other /

Live plants in an aquarium are the best decoration. At the same time, they participate in the oxygen saturation of water, reduce its hardness and neutralize the waste products of fish. In this article, we will look at how to care for aquarium plants and properly plant plants in your aquarium.

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planting

Planting and growing aquarium plants should be approached as responsibly as the maintenance of fish. When choosing them, you need to pay attention to the color, which should be bright green. You should also look at the integrity and absence of rot.

After buying plants, it is not necessary to immediately place them in water. It will be enough for them warm temperature and humid environment. For transplanting to a new place, young shoots should be chosen, as larger specimens may not take root.

Before planting aquarium plants, they should be thoroughly rinsed with water. Each bush must be cleaned of caviar, small algae and areas with rot. It is recommended to carry out disinfection by lowering the sprout for several minutes in a 2% manganese solution. After this procedure, it must be washed under running water.

from seeds

In an aquarium, growing plants from seeds is quite easy. The most popular are chastukhovy and aponogetone. Seed germination persists for a different time, depending on the selected species.

For germination, it is enough to place them in humid environment with plenty of oxygen. Some species need certain temperature, especially when it comes to a representative of the flora middle lane who need low temperature. For successful cultivation it is necessary to create conditions that are as close to natural as possible. This can be achieved through the wise use of light, heat and the optimal amount of nutrients.

Seeds are sown in the ground in grooves that can be made with a glass rod. As for the depth, it all depends on the composition of the soil and the size of the seeds. If there is clay in the gravel, seedlings will come to the surface very slowly, so the planting depth should be minimal.

Large seeds have a lot of nutrients, so they break through more easily. Planting depth should not exceed 10 mm, for small grains - 5 mm. It should be noted that during the germination period it is important that the plants do not develop algae fouling, which can kill them.

cuttings

Before planting plants in an aquarium, you need to prepare the cuttings. If they have an elongated stem, then the lower part must be removed. However, at least 4 knots must remain. Before planting, the cuttings are treated in a saline solution.

Planting can be carried out in moist soil before or after filling the aquarium with water. The cuttings are easier to strengthen in the first case. When planting a plant in a pond with water, the roots are clamped with tweezers, after which the seedling is placed in the ground. Next, the tweezers should be removed at an angle. The root neck should be covered with soil.

To prevent it from floating up, its root can be previously tied with a thread to stones or other decorations. After rooting, the thread is cut off. Plants should not be planted very densely, especially for those species that have accelerated growth. They will grow very quickly, and the aquarium will have to be cleaned. Light-loving species must be placed in the place where the strongest light. Large bushes are recommended to be planted in the corner of the aquarium or at the back wall.

Proper plant care

Aquarium plants need constant care. It can be provided in this way.

Every week, it is necessary to thin out the amount of floating greenery so that its amount does not exceed 1/3 of the entire surface. Thus, normal is provided.
If observed a large number of large leaves, then they must be removed so that they do not drown out other plants.
Old plants in the process of growth can take out rhizomes from the soil. As a result, the roots may not reach the soil, and their nutrition is disturbed. To avoid this, the plant is taken out of the ground, the old roots and part of the lower leaves are removed. Then they are planted deep in the ground so that all the roots are completely immersed in the soil.
With dense growth, old specimens should be removed.
If there are shoots that have penetrated into the area of \u200b\u200ba different species, then they need to be wrapped and rooted or simply cut off.
The growth of some types of vegetation may be inhibited over time, and the condition of the appearance will deteriorate. In this case, it is necessary to transplant the plant to another place.

It happens that all conditions of detention are met, and the flora of the aquatic world looks bad or its growth is disturbed. This indicates a lack of nutrients. It is necessary to fertilize aquatic plants occasionally, and they will always look healthy.

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Fertilizer and top dressing

Any type of plant grown in an aquarium needs certain nutrients. These include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron. Most often they are obtained from the water, however, some species feed through the root system.

The need for trace elements for each representative of the flora in the aquarium is different. However, experts recommend periodically feeding them through the use of special mixtures. The presence of iron in water is necessary for photosynthesis, as it promotes the formation of chlorophyll. Copper and zinc are involved in metabolic processes.

Fertilizers are useful in plant rooting because they can speed up the rooting process. There are several types of dressings: micro- and macronutrients. The former contains calcium, iron, sulfur, chlorides and others. Macronutrients include nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. This fertilizer is available in liquid or solid form.

You can feed the plants at any time of the year. The main thing is to follow the dosage. The inhabitants of the aquarium will tolerate a large dose of nutrients, but the number of algae will increase greatly, which is not always good.

Video "How to fix plants in an aquarium"

What defines the beauty of a fish house? Of course, not only their inhabitants themselves. Greenery in the aquarium plays a big role, as it allows you to diversify its "landscape" and dilute it with eye-pleasing colors. But it does not always work out with green spaces in the aquarium. Because of this, the plants die.

Uninvited guests

Properly planting a plant is the key to its further development. First, you need to make sure that a plant taken from another aquarium or from another environment in general will not bring any into your aquarium. Disinfection with a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour will get rid of doubts. Now is the time to pay attention to the root system of the plant. Old roots can be carefully cut off, get rid of too long. At the same time, do not forget that the young root system is a fragile system that is easy to break.

landing technique

The very technique of planting a plant is very similar to transplanting ordinary plants. We tear out a small hole, straighten the roots. Under the roots, it is advised to put a special top dressing so that the plant is better accepted. We fall asleep on top of the soil, apply large ones - and voila. If the conditions in the aquarium are favorable, the plant will not only live gloriously, but also multiply. At the same time, it is better to plant young plants, separating them from the "mother" base. If it is too fond of reproduction, it should be thinned out. And finally, paying attention to the fish, do not forget to pay attention to the wonderful green thickets that are so pleasing to the eye. For this they will delight you triple.

...or a pot?

Another option for placing plants in an aquarium is to plant them in pots. Small root tanks with special soil and holes for ventilation are a good option for those green spaces that "feed" with the help of roots. Planting in bowls or pots is not particularly different from planting plants in the ground, except that special fertilizers in the form of tablets, for example, are placed under the roots at a depth of one to one and a half centimeters. The roots should ideally be evenly distributed and covered with another layer of soil. However, if even distribution cannot be achieved, do not be discouraged. In the aquarium itself, the edges of the pot are lined so that they are not noticeable and the bowls themselves do not affect the aesthetic appearance.

Choosing the roots

Here's a herbalist you can have

When buying a new plant, it would be logical to pay attention not only to appearance, but also on its root system. Logically, but only at first glance. The fact is that the root system of an aquarium plant changes completely during transplantation. The old roots will soon leave, and in their place in your green bushes and twigs will hold new roots. So when planting a plant, the only important thing- make sure that the plant does not float. Young roots that have grown up will grab onto the ground. There are, of course, a number of such plants that do not change their root system so radically, but basically new living conditions give rise to new roots. Also, be careful that the roots do not show above the ground, otherwise they will bend.

Planting aquarium plants

Planting green aquarium plants with an extensive root system is carried out as follows - the aquarium should be filled with water to a level of 5-7 centimeters, only after that you can plant plants. Light-loving plants are placed closer to the light source, and shade-loving - where there is the least light. Small plants are planted in front, tall ones are planted behind them. This is necessary to create a beautiful aesthetic appearance of landscaping an aquarium. Before planting the plant in the ground, it is necessary to clean it. To do this, he removes wilted leaves and cut the roots. Then a small hole is made in the ground, the plant is planted and the roots are covered with sand, but this should be done very carefully so as not to damage them, and the root collar should be left above the ground. Plants of the same species should be planted in a group for their harmonious combination, in which they will look beautiful complementing each other. After planting the plants, the aquarium is filled with water. After some time, when the sand and particles of soil that have risen from the bottom have settled, you can launch the fish.

Plant compatibility

A variety of plants require a different arrangement of planting relative to each other, this is the only way to achieve the beauty of the underwater world in your aquarium. Plants should be placed when arranging an aquarium as follows: green root plants are planted in a quarter-filled aquarium, then plants floating freely in the water are placed at a short distance from them. Despite their name, they will not randomly move around the aquarium, but form a kind of interconnected green structure that will be located in the water column. Then, having filled the aquarium completely, you should place plant species floating on the surface. It is necessary to ensure that plants floating on the surface and in the water column do not obscure those that grow at the bottom of the aquarium.

Number of plants in the aquarium

An important role in determining the quantity is determined by the size of the aquarium and the density of the settlement of fish in it. On average, the required planting density is determined as 1/3 of the area of the aquarium as a whole. With this planting density, plants will not create discomfort for swimming fish. During the day, they will release a sufficient amount of oxygen, and at night they will not cause oxygen starvation in the fish. Guided by these tips, you can determine the need for green plants in your aquarium. And most importantly - correctly position and plant them without causing discomfort to other inhabitants of the aquarium.

Acquired plants are carefully examined, diseased and decaying parts are removed, the roots are cleaned of dirt and rinsed in water.

In plants with a shortened stem and a powerful root system, the roots are thinned out, and the remaining ones are cut to a length of 2-3 cm. After pruning the roots, the plants grow better.

In plants with a small number of thin roots, they are not touched or cut very moderately (in Anubias, the roots are not touched).

In cuttings of plants with an elongated stem, the lower part with roots and leaves is removed, but less than 3-4 nodes cannot be left. Each plant after planting loses old roots and forms new ones, so plant growth is difficult, so try to avoid frequent replanting.

It is good to disinfect the plants before planting. To do this, each of them must be rinsed for about five minutes in a weak solution of table salt - the water should be slightly salty in taste (one teaspoon per liter of water). This must be done in order to destroy harmful organisms that may enter the aquarium along with the plants.

Plants can be planted in an aquarium in two ways: either planted in wet sand before pouring water, or after some of the water has already been poured. With the first method, it is easier to strengthen the plant in the ground, and with the second, it is easier to give the plant the desired position.

In both cases, the plants are planted in holes that are made in sandy soil. When planting, make sure that the roots of the plant do not bend. Remember: the roots of aquatic plants are very delicate and can easily break if handled carelessly. Therefore, be especially careful and careful!

Planting plants after filling with water. The ends of the tweezers are clamped on the roots of the plant or the end of the stem of the cutting and inserted into the ground, then the ends are opened and the tweezers are carefully removed at an angle to the plant. Plants with a shortened stem are planted so that the root neck is only covered with soil, and cuttings of plants with an elongated stem are planted to a depth of 3-5 cm, with each cutting planted separately at a distance not less than the length of the leaf from one another. In plants with a rhizome, tuber or bulb, you can almost completely cut off the roots, because. the plant will live off the reserve nutrients. A long, horizontally located rhizome is additionally slightly pressed into the ground with your fingers. If the plant has a large lifting force and floats, then the rhizome is first tied with a nylon thread to the stone, and it can be removed after the plant takes root. They also attach Thai fern and key moss to a stone or snag, and bolbitis and Javanese moss can simply be put in the place intended for them and they will attach themselves. The tuber of the plant cannot be completely immersed in the ground, it must be open from above. The bulb is wrapped with filter wool or peat fibers before planting, leaving a free place for root growth.

Never plant plants in the front of the aquarium, otherwise you will not be able to observe the life of your underwater world.

Never plant different plants side by side. Remember that plants compete with each other for light, food and living space. Therefore, plants are usually planted in groups - each group consists of plants of the same species.

Light-loving plants are planted near the most illuminated wall of the aquarium. Large bushes are planted either at the back wall or in the corners. Make sure that light-loving plants do not shade each other.

Before choosing a place for a plant, remember how this plant relates to light, what kind of light is best for it.