Choosing aquarium plants will add beauty to your tank. This is true of both live and artificial plants, but live plants also do so much more to contribute to the tank environment. Live plants provide a more natural environment for your fish, and provide healthy bacteria that can help keep your fish healthier. Live plants that are not healthy though, can do harm to your fish. On the other hand, artificial plants can be attractive and easy to maintain. Choosing aquarium plants that are compatible with your fish and your tank conditions is important.
If you opt for artificial plants, choosing aquarium plants is a fairly simple matter. You should select plants that are good quality and intended for use in an aquarium. This will help reduce the need for cleaning the plants and also ensure the materials used are safe for your aquarium. Your fish will benefit when you choose aquarium plants that provide a natural-looking environment, giving fish places to hide. When your artificial plants get dirty, simply remove and clean them with fish-safe products and return them to the tank. You need not worry about any special lighting for artificial plants of course, and any substrate that keeps the plants “rooted” is fine.
If you are considering live plants, choosing aquarium plants that will grow well in your tank environment is critical. You will need to consider the lighting, substrate, tempature, and the amount of space you have. Live plants will grow of course, so you need to plan not only for the current size of the plants but also keep in mind the anticipated growth. You will need a substrate that allows your plants to move, but also supports them enough to allow for rooting or spreading runners. When choosing live aquarium plants, your lighting needs will be a little more specific than with artificial plants. Fluorescent lights are usually sufficient for live plants in freshwater tanks. Although the specifics will depend on the types of plants you have, you can usually expect to need 2-5 watts per gallon of tank capacity when dealing with live plants.
Live plants will contribute to the oxygen cycles in your tank by taking in
carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen during daylight hours. In the dark hours of the night, they do the opposite. While this means your tank will have plenty of oxygen during the day, your fish may need an air stick to increase the oxygen supply at night. Live plants can also introduce harmful bacteria to your tank, so make sure you are choosing aquarium plants from a safe and reputable source.
Some fish can be especially prone to eating live plants, sometimes going beyond just nibbling to actually destroying the plants. Others may try to uproot plants, making it difficult for live plants to grow. Choosing aquarium plants that are compatible with all facets of your tank environment will help ensure beauty and health in your aquarium.
