Want to liven up your aquarium and add some color?
Live plants are a great option! Not only do they provide shelter and oxygen for your fish, but they also create a beautiful aquascape.
Adding live plants to your tank can seem daunting, but it’s not as hard as you might think. You can add them at any time, whether you’re setting up a new tank or adding to an established one.
Here are some tips on how to add live plants, where to find them, and which types will work best for your tank.
The Benefits of Adding Live Plants to Your Aquarium
Live plants are a must-have for any aquatic plant enthusiast, and for good reason. While fake plants may look similar to real ones, live plants offer several benefits for your aquarium.
They provide shade and shelter for your fish, particularly shy or delicate species, and promote a healthy ecosystem. Additionally, through photosynthesis, live plants produce more oxygen than they need, releasing clean oxygen back into the water.
This not only helps the fish thrive but also creates a more natural and comfortable environment for them to live in. In this way, live plants help to create a healthy, clean and clear habitat for your fish.
When it comes to selecting live plants for your aquarium, the options are endless. There are hundreds of species to choose from, each with their own unique characteristics and benefits.
This diversity makes the hobby of aquascaping both challenging and rewarding. Some plants may be tall and lush, creating a natural canopy for your fish to swim beneath.
Others may be low-lying and carpet-like, providing shelter for bottom-dwelling fish. Some plants may be fast-growing, while others may be slow-growing but long-lasting.
Each species will bring something special and unique to your aquascape, making it an opportunity to create a truly one-of-a-kind ecosystem for your fish to thrive in.
Aquascaping Plant Care Level
The level of difficulty in caring for aquarium plants will vary depending on the species you choose.
- Easy to care: for beginners, it’s best to start with easy-to-grow options such as Echinodorus Tenellus, Bacopa Monnieri, and Rotala Macrandra.
- Medium level: For those who want a challenge but aren’t ready for high maintenance plants can opt for hardy options such as Hygrophila Polysperma, Bacopa Caroliniana, and Ludwigia Inclinata.
- High maintenance level: Experienced aquascapers looking to create dramatic landscapes with advanced plants can choose high maintenance options like Vallisneria Spiralis or Dwarf Sagittaria.
Plant placement
Your aquatic vision will also guide the type of plants you select. To create a harmonious environment, every aquascape should boast a blend of foreground, mid-ground, and background plants. Here are some top-rated beginner options for each category.
- Foreground plants: Carpeting plants are perfect for the front of the tank. Consider starting with low-maintenance options like Java Moss, Pygmy Chain Swords, or Dwarf Hairgrass. Keep in mind, these plants have roots that thrive submerged in water, so a plant substrate is necessary.
- Mid-ground plants: For a lush, leafy look, medium height plants like Anubias, Limnophila Aromatica, or Java Ferns are ideal. Frilly plants also make a great addition, as they add texture and depth to your aquascape.
- Background plants: These towering plants are placed at the back of your tank, creating a layered effect. Opt for tall, reedy plants that won’t block any light. Amazon Swords or Red Melon Swords are excellent choices.
Exploring the variations: potted vs. bunched vs. tissue culture plants
When it comes to buying aquatic plants, there are several options available. One of the newer options is tissue culture plants, also known as Invitro plants, which have been gaining popularity in recent years.
However, potted and bunched plants have been a staple in the aquarium hobby for a long time and remain a popular choice among hobbyists.
Regardless of which form you choose, each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. To help you make the best decision, here are some tips for purchasing aquarium plants in the form that best suits your needs.
What sets them apart?
Potted plants typically come in plastic net pots with rock wool surrounding the roots to provide support and retain moisture.
Bunched plants are stem plants that have been trimmed to the same length and bundled together in groups of three or more. They are often wrapped in a thin foam material to protect the roots and anchored with weights at the bottom.
Tissue culture plants are grown in a laboratory, in small cups or jars, and are free from pests and diseases.
Tissue Culture Plants
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| They are grown in a sterile lab environment, making them free from pests and diseases. | Tissue culture plants are generally more expensive than potted plants. |
| They are generally smaller and more delicate, making them easier to handle than potted plants. | They can be harder to find and may not be available at all local fish stores. |
| They are also less likely to release pollutants into the aquarium when they are planted. | |
| Tissue culture plants are also more consistent in terms of size and growth patterns. |
Potted Aquatic Plants
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Potted plants are usually cheaper than tissue culture plants. | Potted plants may come with pests or diseases, which can be introduced to the aquarium if not properly inspected and cleaned. |
| They are more readily available, and can be found at most local fish stores. | They may also release pollutants into the water when planted, which can negatively affect water chemistry. |
| They are also more established and can be planted directly into the substrate without a need for special care. |
Adding plants when setting up a new aquarium
Whenever you set up a new aquarium, you need to let it cycle before you add fish. What this means is that the aquarium needs to grow a colony of beneficial bacteria that allow the aquarium to break down the toxic ammonia into the way less toxic nitrate.
These bacteria take about 6 weeks to establish into your filter, gravel and pretty much all other things in your aquarium. But mostly in your filter.
If you were unaware of the nitrogen cycle, and you want to know when and if your aquarium is properly cycled, check out this guide that will teach you just that.
The beneficial bacteria only grow when there is a little bit of ammonia in the tank. This is because they feed on it. Just like when there would be fish in the aquarium that poop and therefore produce ammonia.
Now there are different ways to add ammonia during the cycle stage. I always add a little bit of fish food that will start to rot and produce the ammonia I need.
Because live plants always need some time to establish themselves in a new tank (new water, new light, new parameters), most of the time they will ‘melt’ a little. This means that they will drop a couple of leaves before replacing them with new growth.
And that helps start your nitrogen cycle, because those leaves and other organic material the live plants add to the water are good source for some extra ammonia. It sort off jump starts the cycle.
Remember that this does not mean that your cycle is done in a couple of days, you still need to wait for about 6 weeks before your aquarium is ready to handle fish.
Tip
Do not add many fish at once. Instead, start slowly with just a couple of fish and buy more later. This is to make sure your tank does not get overloaded.
So you can add plants from the start. But there are just a few things you should keep in mind.
First the obvious one, you need to have some form of aquarium light present. This is because live plants need light to grow and will die without it. Now there are low to medium light plants like Anubias and Java Fern, whereas other plants might need medium – high light intensity. Therefore always do a little bit of research on the plant you are adding.
The second thing is something that might adding live plants right from the start a little bit challenging. At least in my experience. When I was setting up my aquarium the substrate I added made the entire tank cloudy. I could not see a thing.
This was so annoying because I could not see what I was doing when I was trying to position my plants at the right place.
The substrate should complement everything else that you place in your tank.
The best way to plant plants is to do it before filling the tank with water (after proper preparation of the substrate). It is enough that you moisten your plants so that they do not dry out when planting.
For instance, if you want to create a planted tank, you want a substrate that supports the roots of your plants, like soil. Likewise, if you have bottom-dwelling fish, you want a smooth, rounded substrate – a sharp substrate can injure your fish.
Don’t forget, you can layer multiple substrates to take advantage of the benefits each one provides.
In the article How to set up a fish tank you learned how to properly prepare the substrate. Substrates provide rooted plants with nutrients and give them a stable base. They also help with maintaining water quality, as trapped debris in the substrate is easier to clean.
After you have added your plants, it’s time to fill the tank with water. Be sure to use dechlorinated and conditioned tap or well-water.
Be careful not to damage the plants when pouring water. Add a small amount of aquarium plant fertilizer as well – this will allow them to really grow and flourish.
I recommend adding a good quality all-in-one liquid fertilizer such as Seachem Flourish. The reason for this because a new aquarium does not contain any nutrients for your plants to grow. You can’t expect plants that you add to a near-sterile environment to grow. Therefore, get plant fertilizer, it will help a lot!
When planting your aquarium, be sure to work carefully and slowly as plant roots are delicate! Use a pair of tongs or tweezers so as not to damage them. Also, ensure that each specimen has some space between it and the next so that they have room to grow.
Adding plants to an already established aquarium
Whenever your aquarium is already established, you can add plant whenever you want. I can imagine you might be looking for a ‘best time’ to add plants. If I would have to pick one I would say a couple of hours before the light turns off.
When you want to add plants to an established tank the water parameters of your aquarium are not exactly the same as in the store you bought them from. There will always be a difference. Just like fish, plants need to adjust to new water parameters.
This shift in water parameters is also the reason why so many plants look like they are dying when they have been in our own aquarium for a couple of days/weeks. This is called ‘melting’ and is a way for the plant to adjust. Cryptocoryne plants are especially notorious for melting.
Just know that the plant is not dead and it should be just a while before you start seeing new growth.
Plants might ‘die’ after adding due to emersed growth
The reason a lot of live plants ‘melt’ after adding them to your aquarium is because they were grown “emersed” which means partly under water. Most of the times only the roots and soil was under water, and the stems and leaves of the plant were exposed to air.
Now there are pros and cons to emersed growth compared to submerged (immersed) growth. It is way cheaper for the nursery to grow the plants emersed. There also are no algae on the plants and when exposed to air have all the CO2 they need.
The cons of emersed growth are the fact that the plants will die down when you start to grow them in your aquarium. The leaf structure will completely change. I have had plants changing in color, shape and structure when they were regrowing.
Preparing live plants before adding them to the aquarium
When it comes to adding new plants to your aquarium, it’s important to take a few extra steps to ensure their health and the health of your aquatic ecosystem.
One habit I have adopted is to give all new plants a thorough rinse under the tap before planting them. This not only helps to remove any debris that may have accumulated during transportation, but it also helps to eliminate any unwanted snails or snail eggs that may be present.
When it comes to removing your new plants from their packaging, there are a few simple steps to follow. First, use your fingers to gently squeeze the plastic pot to release the plant and rock wool. If the roots are overgrown and tangled, you may need to trim them back a bit to free the basket.
Next, split the rock wool in half, and carefully remove the plant from the middle without damaging any roots. If there are any pieces of rock wool stuck to the plant, use your fingers, a fork, or large tweezers to manually strip them off.
Be sure to remove all the small, yellow fertilizer balls so that they won’t cause a nutrient spike in your aquarium. After washing off any remaining debris, you’ll be ready to plant your new aquatic addition!
Finally, I want to share a tip that has helped me in the past when dealing with snail infestations.
Introducing assassin snails to your aquarium can be an effective way to hunt down and eliminate unwanted pest snails. It’s worked for me and I hope it will help you to keep your aquarium healthy and beautiful.
When it comes to in vitro plants, they are grown in a controlled, sterile environment in the lab. Because the growth medium contains sugar, it’s important to thoroughly rinse it off before planting to prevent bacterial blooms.
To prepare these plants for planting, you can remove the entire portion from its cup and rinse off the nutritious gel with tap water. Another option is to place the plant and growth medium in a bowl of aquarium water and wait for the gel to dissolve.
When it comes to planting, it’s often helpful to divide the large portion into smaller pieces for better distribution in the aquarium. This makes it easier to arrange the plants and ensures that they will have enough space to grow and thrive.
Overall, in vitro plants are a great choice for aquariums because of their guaranteed freedom from pests and excess nutrients, but it’s important to take the extra step to rinse off the growth medium before planting.
How to plant live aquarium plants
Introducing live plants to your aquarium can be a great way to add color and vitality to your tank. But with so many different types of plants to choose from, it’s important to know the proper method for planting each one. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started.
Rhizome Plants
Rhizome plants like anubias, java fern, and bolbitis are popular choices among plant enthusiasts. They boast a horizontal stem, called a rhizome, that serves as the foundation for the leaves and stems to grow upwards and the roots downwards.
These plants can be easily installed by wedging them between rocks or mounting them on driftwood using glue or sewing thread. Alternatively, if you wish to plant your rhizome plant in soil, simply bury the roots, ensuring that the rhizome remains exposed.
Rhizome plants primarily derive their nutrients from the water and should be given a liquid fertilizer periodically for optimal growth.
Sword Plants
Sword plants, like the Amazon sword and red flame sword, are classified as rosette plants due to their circular pattern of leaves growing from the base. These plants can grow quite tall, so it is best to place them in the midground or background of the aquarium to avoid blocking other plants.
To plant a sword, dig a hole in the substrate with your fingers and bury the roots, or use planting tweezers to insert the roots into the substrate. It is crucial not to cover the crown, where all the leaves emerge, with substrate.
As heavy root feeders, sword plants prefer to absorb nutrients through their terrace, so ensure to add root tabs for a boost of nutrients if using an inert substrate or if your nutrient-rich substrate is depleted.
Cryptocoryne
Cryptocoryne, also known as “crypts”, are a type of rosette plant that thrive with a substrate and root tabs. Examples of this plant species include Cryptocoryne wendtii, Cryptocoryne spiralis, Cryptocoryne parva, among others.
It is important to bury the roots while leaving the crown of the plant exposed, similar to sword plants.
These plants are susceptible to melting when first introduced to a new aquarium. Don’t be alarmed if its leaves fall off, as submersed leaves will grow back after the plant adjusts to its environment.
Some aquascapers recommend trimming the emersed leaves prior to planting, as this will encourage the growth of submersed leaves. However, this technique should not be used with Cryptocoryne parva, as it does not typically undergo melting.
Mosses
Mosses, similar to rhizome plants, don’t need a substrate and can be easily attached to hardscape using thread or glue. They are often sold pre-fixed to a mesh rectangle, driftwood, or other decorative pieces.
Additionally, moss can grow freely as a floating mass, making it a great choice for breeding colonies, as the dense coverage provides a hiding place for baby fish. Some of the most commonly available moss varieties include Java moss and Christmas moss.
Marimo moss balls are actually a type of algae, but like regular mosses, they should be placed on the ground or attached to hardscape, rather than buried.
Grass-Like Plants
This classification encompasses vallisneria, dwarf sagittaria, micro sword, and other similar plants that grow via stolons. These are horizontal stems that produce new plantlets at their tips and create a continuous chain of interconnected plants.
To plant them, bury the roots in the substrate, ensuring that the base of the leaves remains uncovered. When purchasing these plants, you may receive several individual specimens in one pot. To promote their growth, it’s recommended to plant each one separately, with some space in between for expansion.
Stoloniferous plants are versatile, and their final size will depend on the species. They can create a lush carpet of grass in the foreground or a towering seaweed forest in the background.
If you want to transfer them to another location or tank, simply cut the runner at the point where the new plantlet has established roots and leaves and replant it elsewhere.
Stem Plants
Stem plants, including species like bacopa, Pogostemon stellatus, and pearl weed, are prized for their vertical growth and leaves sprouting from the stem.
To plant them, first remove any baskets, rings, or rubber bands. Then, plant one bunch (3-4 stems) deeply into the substrate, about 2-3 inches deep, so that some bottom leaves may be covered. Use tweezers for ease, and add plant weights if needed to keep the stems from floating away.
If the stems don’t have roots, some aquarists let them float until they grow roots before planting them into the substrate. Stem plants receive their nutrients from the water, so they benefit from a diet of liquid fertilizers.
Bulb Plants
The banana plant, tiger lotus, aponogetons, and dwarf aquarium lilies are all examples of plants that sprout from bulbs or tubers.
Before planting, rinse the bulb or tuber to remove any debris and place it on top of the substrate. If the bulb starts to float, hold it in place with a hardscape item or wait for it to sink naturally.
In a few weeks, new roots and leaves should begin to grow, but if there is no growth, consider turning the bulb over as it may have been planted upside-down.
Bulb plants are known for reaching the water surface with their towering leaves and require a combination of root tabs and liquid fertilizers to thrive.
Carpeting Plants
In this section I will focus on short, lush carpeting plants with abundant tiny leaves and delicate roots. Some examples include Monte Carlo and Dwarf Baby Tears, not to be confused with grass-like carpeting plants such as Dwarf Sagittaria, Micro Sword, and Dwarf Hair Grass.
Common advice is to divide the plants into small portions and plant them around the aquarium, but this approach often results in floating plant pieces due to insufficient root growth.
An alternative suggestion is to plant the entire pot of carpeting plants directly into the substrate, where the basket and rock wool will provide stability and anchor the roots.
Once the carpeting plant becomes well-established, you can remove the pot for a seamless, carpeted appearance. To thrive, carpeting plants require bright lighting, pressurized CO2, and a combination of liquid fertilizers and root tabs.
Floating Plants
Floating plants are the simplest type of plant to add to an aquarium. Examples include frogbit, dwarf water lettuce, duckweed, and even some stem plants like water sprite.
All you need to do is place them on the water’s surface, provide ample light and nutrients through liquid fertilizers, reduce water flow, and make sure their leaves don’t get too wet.
To keep them from being pushed underwater by the filter output, you can use fishing line or airline tubing to secure them in place.
However, make sure not to overpopulate the water surface with floating plants, as this can lead to a lack of light for other plants and oxygen depletion for your fish.
If you want to know the best plants for beginners have a look here.
In conclusion
I hope that this article has provided you with a comprehensive understanding on how to incorporate aquatic plants into your freshwater aquarium. If you found the information useful and informative, I would be thrilled if you would consider sharing it with your network of friends and loved ones.
If you did not find the article to be helpful, please leave us a comment and we will be more than happy to assist you and clarify any questions or concerns you may have. Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I wish you the best in your journey of creating an aesthetically pleasing aquascape.
