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Aquarium Plants
This months topic
focuses on the different plants available for use in your aquarium.
Each plant will be listed by it's latin name and it's common name given
when available; also a short description of each plant and it's requirements
will follow it's listing. The pros and cons of live plants will also
be discussed as well as how to sterilize them to avoid unwanted guests.
Plants
Ceratopteris (Water Sprite)
Echinodorus
Elodea
Hygrophila
Ludwigia
Microsorium (Java Fern)
Nomaphila (Temple Plant)
Sagittaria
Synnema (Water Wisteria)
Vallisneria
Pros and Cons on Live Plants
Deciding whether or not to keep
live plants is a very hard decision to make. Live plants add a lot
of beneficial properties to the aquarium environment. They help to
filter and aerate the water and provide some vegetation for the fish to
nibble on. They also promote beneficial bacteria growth for infusoria
which is good for fish fry. They do however have some drawbacks.
Different plants can be hard to maintain and not all aquarium plants can
be kept together. Some plants simply can't be kept with certain fish
because they will get devoured. Certain plants require different
ph levels or have different light requirements. Plants can also decay
and foul the water if the light and nourishments aren't there for them.
It is important for you to way the balance between whether or not to keep
live plants and then chose what is right for your situation and setup.
Plant Cleansing
In order to keep your aquarium
free from unwanted guests when planting your live plants there are a few
steps you should always take. You should always quarantine plants
before introducing them to your main community tank, the same way you would
do for a new fish. It is very important not to forget this because
once your tank becomes contaminated it is extremely hard to remove pests
without having to completely break the tank down, gravel and all.
The best way to clean your plants of potential pests is to submerge them
in chlorinated water for half an hour ... rinse them off in the sink with
running water then submerge them into dechlorinated water again for another
half hour. Finally remove the plants and submerge them one more time
in a salt water solution for 30 minutes. Then wipe the leaves off
between your fingers and do the same for the roots. Don't be worried
if parts of the plant fall off. Finally place the plant in a container
with plenty of light and some water from the bottom of your well established
tank. Leave the plant alone until you see some new growth which will
hopefully be in a week or so. This means your plant has recovered
from the treatment. Now you can place them in your tank and aquascape
the gravel to suit your new plants.