My simple question is, what exactly do live plants do for an aquarium? I've had tanks on and off my whole life but never had an interest in plants. For some odd reason I'm really interested in them now but down know if there's a purpose. Correct me if I'm wrong but from Wut I gathered from some research and reading the stickys plants can help extract metals out of the water and they help with oxygen?
Hello, very quick question from a beginner.
- Thread starter bbenjamin21
- Start date
Hello!
I was in the same spot you're in now. My tanks were all stocked and I wasn't sure where to go. So, I added a couple of plants. Now, I am loving plants
Plants can do a couple of things for you. If you're having nitrate problems, you can use (for the most part) common houseplants to help out. Only the roots go into the water and the green parts stay above the tank in the air. True aquatic plants will help with ammonia problems.
Mostly though, they add a whole new dimension to your tank and environment. All of my tanks looked pretty blah when I had them filled with fake decorations. Now, they all look really nice and the fish even seem healthier. They always seemed to avoid the hard, plastic plants. Now, they swim in and out of everything I put in the water.
I am not so hardcore that I add CO2, etc. I just go with basic, common aquatic plants and am thrilled that I decided to go this route
I was in the same spot you're in now. My tanks were all stocked and I wasn't sure where to go. So, I added a couple of plants. Now, I am loving plants
Plants can do a couple of things for you. If you're having nitrate problems, you can use (for the most part) common houseplants to help out. Only the roots go into the water and the green parts stay above the tank in the air. True aquatic plants will help with ammonia problems.
Mostly though, they add a whole new dimension to your tank and environment. All of my tanks looked pretty blah when I had them filled with fake decorations. Now, they all look really nice and the fish even seem healthier. They always seemed to avoid the hard, plastic plants. Now, they swim in and out of everything I put in the water.
I am not so hardcore that I add CO2, etc. I just go with basic, common aquatic plants and am thrilled that I decided to go this route
Well since u mentioned it. I am fighting with nitrates. I do a 50% wc weekly and I just cannot get them steadily under 20-40ppm. So u think I can just put any type of plant ontop of the water for this issue? I am housing 2 geos, fire eel, 2 Florida gars, bgk, and a Motoro stingray. I know sum will eat and destroy plants.
Awesome, thank you very much for the info. Any tips on keeping the leaves out of the water? Maybe just pinch the plant between the glass canopy and the top of the tank. Where the leaves will hang out with the roots in the water
You're welcome! You could probably find a few openings behind the light and back of the tank where you can get the roots through. That way, you're not crushing the plant and your lids close tight.
Post up a photo once you get them set up
Post up a photo once you get them set up
I'm going to try to get some tonight. Another question though, will they completely take out all nitrates? Because I don't want that. And is there overkill on this? Becuz I'll get 2-3 small ones if I can.