The Best Freshwater Aquarium Plants For Your Aquarium

Selecting freshwater aquarium plants for your aquarium is a serious business.      Plants have an enormous beneficial effect to both the aquarium environment and the fish in it, they reduce levels of nitrate, make the aquarium look great, provide hiding places for shy and timid fish, limit the growth of algae and during breeding, provide spawning areas.

Tropical fish do not like high levels of nitrate in the water, adding live aquarium plants can be a good idea because they use up the nitrate. Apart from all the benefits that live plants provide, they also look so much better than their plastic copies.

Some are more difficult to look after than others. Amongst the more robust plants for your aquarium are the Java Fern, Hygrophila polysperma and Vallisneria spiralis.

Before you begin your plant adventure you must make a few decisions.

Water Parameters

Plants are just like your tropical fish when it comes to water parameters.   Different aquarium plants require different water conditions. Make certain that you are aware of the required water conditions for the plants that you want. Make sure that for each plant you know its preferred ph, water hardness and lighting levels.

Good Substrate

A good substrate is essential if you want your plants to live a long healthy life. You can place some plants straight into the gravel but you can also place your plants in clay planters. If you place your plants directly into the gravel you will need to use an iron supplement for your aquarium water since these plants won’t be getting the nutrients they need from the iron fortified clay.

Good Lighting

Poor lighting is the one main reason why plants do not do well in an aquarium.   Plants require much more lighting than the 20-30 watts normally provided as standard when you buy a new aquarium.   Different levels of lighting are required by each aquarium plant, this is usually measured in watts per gallon.   This measurement is most important for photosynthesis to occur and therefore for your plants to thrive.   Photosynthesis also requires CO2. The fish respiration process which goes on in the aquarium can produce enough CO2. However you won’t be getting enough carbon dioxide from your fish alone if your tank is well planted, so you may want to get a CO2 injector.

Fish Compatibility
Certain fish species will make aquarium plant keeping a nightmare.   Silver Dollars for instance will love to eat your plants while Goldfish and Oscars will spend their time digging them up.   So, before you embark on your live plant journey, if you have any fish check that there won’t be any issues between fish and plants.

Save yourself some money and dead plants by researching the plants you want to get before buying them so that you can determine their exact needs and whether or not you can meet those needs.

Finally, you should feed your plants with special freshwater plant food.   I usually feed mine about once a week.

Some Recommended Plants

Most of these do not require very high lighting levels and they all look good in the aquarium.

1. Java Ferns.   pH 5.5-7.5, temp. 20-28 Celsius, Water hardness 2-15 degrees, tolerates low light levels.   These do better tied to floating driftwood rather than planted in the gravel.
2. Amazon Sword.   pH 6.5-7.5, temp. 22-28 Celsius, Water hardness 2-15 degrees, Lighting 50 watts per 25 Galls water.   These should be supplemented with iron fertilizer and planted in loose substrate.
3. Argentine Sword.   pH 6.5-7.5,   temp. 16-25 Celsius, Water hardness 1-5 degrees, Lighting 50 watts per 25 Galls water.   These should be planted in loose substrate and supplemented with iron fertilizer.
4. Hygrophila Polysperma.   pH 6.5-8.0, temp. 20-30 Celsius, Water hardness 2-15 degrees, Lighting 50 watts per 25 Galls water.   Small reddish or green leaves atanding at 24 inches, they should be placed in the center back of the tank so they have room to grow.
5. Umbrella Plant.   ph 5.0-7.0, temp. 22-25 Celsius, Water hardness 4-12 degrees, Lighting Intense.   They can be anywhere between 8-12 inches tall. They have tall, thin stems with small leaves at the top of each stem that branch out into a star shape. They are not really aquatic plants so they will die if completely submerged. You can still have this gorgeous greenery as a part of your fish’s habitat-Just grow the plant on the surface and submerge the roots below.
6. Vallisneria Spiralis.   pH 6.5-7.5, temp. 15-30 Celsius, Water hardness 5-15 degrees, Lighting 50 watts per 50 Galls water.   This grows up to 24 inches and looks a bit like grass.   Because Vallisneria spiralis is not too fussy with its water parameters, it is a good choice for beginning aquarists. These plants look best along the sides or in the back of your aquarium
7. Anubias Barteri.   pH 6.5-7.5, temp. 22-28 Celsius, Water hardness 8 degrees, Lighting Moderate.   Anubias Barteri has broad green leaves that grow as much as 16 inches long.   They grow best with CO2 fertilization.
8. Other low light options include:  Cryptocoryne, Dwarf Hairgrass, Water Sprite, Anacharis, and Cabomba.

For more information on Freshwater Aquarium Plants go to my website www.freshwateraquariumsecretsonline.com