Aquarium plants, types and care

Today there is a huge assortment of everything that is necessary for an aquarium and aquarium fish.

This applies to the flora. Aquarium plants can be divided into three categories:

• Aquatic plants are real;
• Semi-aquatic;
• Ground.

They all, like fish, need different water conditions, including the composition of water. It, depending on the type of plant, should be hard, soft, acidic, alkaline or brackish. Plants are aquarium, unpretentious and stable in a wide range of survival, remain viable in any habitat. Others need special conditions, so you have to make efforts to grow them.

Fully aquatic species

Aquarium plants, water completely - these are those that grow well underwater and die if they are taken out of it. On sale they are usually in cut form. A typical example is Cabomba.

Semi-water species

Aquarium plants belonging to this type, in contrast to the above, only a part of their lives are under water. In summer and during the dry season, they grow without staying in a liquid, many of them bloom and bear fruit. These semi-aquatic plants include the following: Echinodorus (Echinodorus) and cryptocoryne (Cryptocoryne), which are sold with roots or cut, for example, hygrophila (Hygrophila).

Aquatic plants, terrestrial

They usually live outside the water and may even never be covered by it. In a certain period of time they are under water up to three to four months, but it is not recommended to use them in aquariums. Some of the plants, in particular the diffenbachia (Dieffenbachia), have a poisonous juice, but, nevertheless, they are sold for use in an aquarium.

Acquisition of

Part of the plants came to us from the tropical climate, so try not to overcool them after purchase and when transplanting into the aquarium. Do not purchase tropical plants from a cold reservoir or trays. When supercooling in some species, in particular, in Vallisneria, transparent plaques appear on the leaves. Aquarium plants are sold cut, either with leaves, or with a stem, or with growth buds.

Having brought home the purchased plant, place it in a large basin filled with warm water, and consider it well. You should pay attention to the length of the stem, if necessary cut it. It is best to use scissors for this, because when you pluck your fingers, you can damage the tissues of the plant.

Landing

To the ground used for planting, certain requirements are met: the plant should not be strongly squeezed by roots. For these purposes, coastal sand or pure gravel is ideal.

The planting method is approximately the same. Place them in such a way that light falls to the bottom, and the lower leaves will not turn yellow and die. Aquarium plants are planted at a distance that depends on the size of the leaves. When planting it is desirable to adhere to the chess order.

Not all plants need planting, they are floating, and some can be mounted on stones or wood, for example, Thai fern. The Javanese moss can freely swim until it meets a reliable support. Being rooted, it grows well and needs frequent thinning.

Cutting

Many specimens are sold in the form of cuttings. These are aquarium plants such as cabbomb, peristawist, synemma-oak, rotala, water plague and hygrophil.

Nutrients they get through the leaves, and the roots they are mainly strengthened. Many species grow beautifully, freely floating around the aquarium. Sometimes they use fish to lay eggs or to hide fry.

Odrevesnevshie cuttings after planting can lose all leaves, leaving a bare stalk. However, in the places of attachment, in time, young shoots will appear, but of a different shape and color than those that have disappeared.

Plants with roots

Aquarium plants with roots are grown with slightly higher costs. Individual species of Echinodorus or Amazon grow to large sizes and protrude from the water, so they are selected according to the size of the aquarium. E.paniculatus and E. tenellus are the best plants for the front wall, as they actively and quickly coat the soil with a continuous carpet. Cryptocoryne (Cryptocoryne) grows slowly and hard to survive, however, it forms wonderful thickets that need to be thinned out.