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Aquarium plants, also known as “hydrophytes” offer several benefits for your tank or aquarium. There are a range of different plants to keep, some easier than offers, which can help you build a stunning aquarium. You may be particularly interested in planting in your aquarium if you are considering breeding.

The first thing to do when you get a new plant is to quarantine it in similar water conditions to your tank for a few days. This allows you to get a better idea of its health and if it has any unwanted visitors in the form of parasites before introducing it to your fish. This would also be a good point to remove any decaying, brown or yellow leaves from the plant. This can also be extended to dying roots, taking great care not to damage the overall health by removing too many.

It is also advisable to start off small, especially if this is the first time you have used plants or are not very familiar with how they could do in your aquarium. You will need to know if your plants will sit in a substrate, take to gravel or will need to sit on something external such as driftwood or rocks. Most plants live their lives completely submerged, however some you may find some will flower above water, such as Water Trumpet, under the right conditions. Remember to prune your plants if they grow too well!

As for why you would be interested in keeping plants, there are several solid reasons for doing this. Firstly, they oxygenate the water, which is beneficial to your fish. As plants cycle carbon dioxide into oxygen, Co2 injections are normally helpful in aiding plant growth, but this is not necessary in most cases. One beneficial affect from planting is that they will help you balance the water chemistry, improving the overall quality of your water. This should starve algae or cyanobacteria of food as well, as plants compete directly for nutrients with them. Finally, most plants provide a refuge for fish, particularly fry, which becomes especially useful for a breeder. Java Moss and other bushy plants are particularly commendable for this.

Plants can bring a lot to aquarium, but it is important to begin by growing what you are comfortable with. If you have not had a lot of experience, Anubias, Java Fern or Java Moss are quite easy to grow, with more exotic plants more likely to be successful as your experience increases. A well planted and maintained aquarium can look beautiful, as well as helping keep your water clean and fish healthy.

About the Author: Sean Norman is an experienced fish keeper who also keeps terapins. Want to know more about how you can help keep your water clean and fish happy? You can find out how he does it by Clicking Here.

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There are many different kinds of filter media that are available for water treatment in aquariums and fish tanks, but which is best for your aquarium and how do they differ? Part of gaining an insight into using the right filter media for your aquarium is understanding the strains on your fish and the conditions of their environment.

The nitrogen cycle begins with any waste products which are produced by your fish. A kind of bacteria known as “nitrofiers” works to break down these waste products (called ammonia) into nitrites. This is later then further broken down by the same bacteria in the final product, nitrates. The first two of these chemicals in the process are both highly toxic to fish and the last may prove to be fatal in large enough quantities. If your fish are experiencing a large level of any of these chemicals, then it is likely your filter is not providing enough purification alone and additional water treatment is recommended.

A simple way to test if your aquarium could use extra water treatment is to look at level of nitrates in the water, this can be done by using a test strip which reports the level of nitrate in your water. 50 ppm is a deadly level for many species of fish and the lower the level of concentration the better. Polyester media and charcoal media work by chemical filtration by trapping particles passing through your water into the media and charcoal in many cases is believed to be more effective.

Foam bloaks of many different brands have also proved popular in many fish and aquarium enthusiasts. Although these may need regular cleaning, they can provide additional filtration as well as allowing the benefical bacteria, nitrofiers, to build up in your aquarium. With a combination of sponges and either a charcoal or polyester filter media, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate should be kept low in your aquarium. Finally, many plants also are useful in the nitrogen cycle and will help you keep on top of providing a healthy environment for your fish.

In conclusion, providing your tank is left to cycle before introducing fish for several weeks, with a mixture of mechanical and biological filtration your water may never need additional treatment. Make sure to check your water regularly and should you find a high level of toxic chemicals to your fish, consider additional plantation and either charcoal or polyester medias.

About the Author: Sean Norman is a fish enthusiast who also keeps terapins. More relevant information about the author and this article may be found by Clicking Here.