How to grow aquarium algae at home? How to plant plants in the aquarium.

Novice aquarists who decide to engage growing plants, they often ask questions on the forums: how to apply fertilizer, how to apply CO2, how to plant, how to prune, what to do with black bloom on leaves, etc. and etc. ... They are usually advised to "achieve balance" ... And this is absolutely true , but all these are common words, there is no instruction like: "How to achieve balance in an aquarium, step by step ..." Recently, I have also often been asked on such topics and the thought occurred to me to write such an instruction from my own experience. Why not? After all, we are all launching new banks and using the same start-up and parole schemes ..

To immediately avoid the wrath of the great gurus, who are always and everywhere, I will provide a photo of your aquarium (at the bottom of the article) and what it looks like at the time of writing this opus. Since launch, all this has gone through all types of algae without chemicals and technical equipment such as CO2 cylinders, external filters, UV lamps ... T4 6400k ordinary daylight lamps stand in place of the standard ones, as I wrote earlier ... No super spectra and there are no such super funds for super loot!
The instruction I will most likely get is multivariate, and the number of options will depend on the aquarist's goals and initial conditions .. However, it seemed to me possible to average this way)) Therefore, I decided not to take into account the initial conditions at all! No, no, I do not feel hot and delirious)) But since we need to achieve a balance, it means it is not yet ... and this means that the initial conditions are as they are. Well, I think more will be clearer ...

Perhaps I'll start with the simplest option: aquarist grows plants for himself and the growth rate of plants for him is not critical. If only it was clean and without algae. An aquarist gardener does not grow plants for sale in bulk, does not cut them after three days, and does not have technical devices such as CO2 plants and expensive UDOs, which, by the way, for example, I did not need at all. I already wrote using my Samomes)

So the first option and call it:

Growing plants in the simplest way.

We have an aquarium of 1 or 6 months of age with Vietnamese, a beard and black bloom on the leaves, the water is clean but occasionally crawl out, green threads, sometimes blue-green (for example, in the ground or at the roots) ... Light in the aquarium is simply very important. LIGHT AND NOT SUPER-LAMPS! For example, I have ordinary fluorescent lamps but: 100W per 140 liters ...

Perhaps we will start as before with the change of water. But first, let's take a couple of steps. For this we need, clay balls and self-made Udo which are described by me below.

Step one:

Tightly plant an aquarium with plants such as valisneria, rogolnik, hygrophil and, for example, rotatum indica ... In short, to the fact that we plant penny but very unpretentious plants that grow quickly and are intended for the extinction of excess nitrates and phosphates. Plants are selected by me so that both lovers of nitrates (hornpole) and great lovers of phosphates, or rather quickly absorbing them, are usually plants that actively give aerial roots and are ready to eat not only leaves ... and phosphates, well, it is, by the way, it was necessary ... The main problem is the number of fish and organic matter in the water. therefore

Step two:

We cultivate in the soil, namely in the soil, the culture of nitrobacteria. I would advise Nitrivek, I use it myself when starting .. Why in the ground? Because once the organics in the water is full, the filter (simple, with a sponge) must be washed often! Once a week and as follows carefully.
In the soil to the plants we drop clay balls, which you can make yourself, would be clay. This is necessary in order to make less water in the water ... After feeding, we begin to change the water.
The first week - every other day by 30%. The second - in two days at 30%, the third week - once at 50%. Then change the water weekly at 25 - 30%. And it is important: we try to keep the temperature, if possible, not higher than 25 degrees! The fact is that at low temperatures, plants that have not yet started up properly should be in growth will have the advantage of a reserve of nutrients over algae. At higher temperatures, plants have less chance, only if they have not already begun to actively grow. Algae will start much faster!

At this stage, we do not pour any milk at all! We hope only for fish. The number of fish can be calculated like this.
Optimum 7 cm on 10-12 liters of water. Those, if you have a bank of 120 liters, then it is advisable to have no more than 12 small fish, the size of which is about 7 cm ... This is of course roughly and roughly, but the principle is clear, fish is the best fertilizer producer, but also organic and we need it in such proportion that would have time to decompose and nourish our grass. The task is to ensure that bacteria quickly decompose organic matter and the plants have time to absorb it faster than algae.

Step Three:

We take a time out ... About 2-3 weeks ... We do not change the water and nifiga .... The aquarium is a self-regulating system .. The clay does its work in the ground .. Do not interfere and wait for biological balance to manifest, and this will happen approximately in 2-3 weeks. How to see it? Simply. You will see that the filter has become slower to clog up, the water is always clear, and you wipe the glass less often less ... and ... you cut it down once every 10 days and Valisniia begins to creep away with its sprouts on the can ... All this not in perfect condition but it can be seen that the life of the grass began to spread in volume ..

Now we are one step away from the desired !!!

Step Four:

This step depends on the results of the previous steps. Namely:
If the algae disappears in the aquarium, and the plants are growing, then you should not give extra udo .. In general, there is no need to climb into the biosystem while it heals itself! Then, when cleanliness comes, you feed the plants on a leaf and improve their size, but for now just watch the miracle: everything grows by itself! This is really a miracle, nature regulates itself very effectively without our intervention and chemistry ... You can add more complex and beautiful plants)

If purity has already come, then with a planned change of water, we begin feeding with Samomes. Very careful! Macro and micro + iron citrate separately. Slowly. The temperature continues to keep not high. If the temperature is reduced to 23-24 gr. then you can increase the number of fish percent by 50! Temperature and light - the most important factors, and in my opinion the temperature is more important.

That's all! It's simple. but there are small additions.

if the aquarium is young, less than 6 months then the denser you plant it the better.
if the bank is older than 6 months, the planting density will affect the amount of CO2 in the water, the rate of absorption of parole and metabolism, and it can be changed by changing the amount of parole and the amount of CO2, respectively.
if the light in the aquarium is less than 0.6 W per liter, then CO2 is generally not necessary when planting grass 30% of the volume. If the light is brighter, either let the brag CO2 or seal the fit.
separately, I note the usefulness of shrimp cherries, Beeline snails, and the like in the aquarium. Organics will be several times smaller than the black bloom, respectively. With thick grass, cherries will survive even with barbs and cichlid ones - it is verified, even soon I will publish the video.

In the next article I will describe in more detail and precisely the schedule and the amount of my personal parole. How much to give CO2 and about temperature in more detail ... and maybe something else))

All people know that water is necessary for growing algae. Therefore, entering it, you see crystal clear water or dirty as hell. You may think that they are nasty, but they save the life of beings, and these beings purify the Earth, preserving our health.

Steps

Find a clean container. Fill it with water (not salt water). If you use chlorinated water from the tap, put a container to stand at least for a day, this will allow chlorine to dissipate.

Place the container next to the window where it will receive a lot of sunlight.
Sunlight is crucial for algae growth (as for any green plant). The high intensity of UV radiation kills algae, but due to evolution, the intensity of UV radiation in sunlight is great for algae.
- Put a small piece of lettuce in a container, this will speed up the growth process.
Collect trial algae in a container. A brook or pond is usually a safe place to do this.
Add some common plant fertilizer to speed up the blooming of algae. Water from an aquarium or pond is also suitable, as it contains nutrients from fish waste that help algae growth.
After a few days, expand the surface area for algae growth. Adding stones to water is a good example.
The container can be closed. However, remove the cover for an hour or two every week.
Watch for algae growth. If you have a microscope, then the fun is just beginning. Examine a drop of your algae culture at 40-100x, most likely, that you will discover much more than just algae. You can even find protozoa representatives floating around!

If the algae outgrow, you can feed them your aquarium pets.
Adding salt can help algae growth, especially if you have taken algae.
Buy some fish food and add a little to the algae container twice a day. This ensures that the algae will live much longer.
Some types of algae need a lot of sunlight to grow, while others do not, just type in the form you are growing on Google to find out how much sunlight it needs.
Keeping a magazine with photos of algae growth will be an exciting addition to the project and will leave you with pleasant memories of the experience.
Add worms, soil and particles to the container.

Warnings

Do not eat kelp.
Do not give algae to children, they can swallow them.

What you need

Algae specimen
Container, preferably a jar

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Novice aquarists who decide to engage

growing plants , often ask questions on the forums: how to apply fertilizer, how to apply CO2, how to plant, how to prune, what to do with black bloom on leaves, etc. and etc. ... They are usually advised to "achieve balance" ... And this is absolutely true, but all this common words, there is no instruction like: “How to achieve balance in an aquarium, step by step ...” Recently, I was also often asked on such topics and I had the idea to write such an instruction based on my own experience. Why not? After all, we are all launching new banks and using the same start-up and parole schemes ..

The instruction I will most likely get is multivariate, and the number of options will depend on the aquarist's goals and initial conditions .. However, it seemed to me possible to average this way)) Therefore, I decided not to take into account the initial conditions at all! No, no, I do not feel hot and delirious)) But since we need to achieve a balance, it means it is not yet ... and this means that the initial conditions are as they are. Well, I think more will be clearer ...

So the first option and call it:

Growing plants in the simplest way.

Perhaps we will start as before with the change of water. But first, let's take a couple of steps. For this we need, clay balls and self-made Udo which are described by me below.

Step one: We tightly plant an aquarium with plants such as valisner, hornpole, hygrophil and, for example, rotatum indica ... In short, to the fact that we plant penny but very unpretentious plants that grow quickly and are designed for the extinction of excess nitrates and phosphates. Plants are selected by me so that both lovers of nitrates (hornpole) and great lovers of phosphates, or rather quickly absorbing them, are usually plants that actively give aerial roots and are ready to eat more than leaves ... , well, it is, by the way it was necessary ... The main problem is the number of fish and organic matter in the water. therefore

Step two: We cultivate in the soil, namely in the soil, the culture of nitrobacteria. I would advise Nitrivek, I use it myself when starting .. Why in the ground? Because once the organics in the water is full, the filter (simple, with a sponge) must be washed often! Once a week and as follows carefully.

In the soil to the plants we drop clay balls, which you can make yourself, would be clay. This is necessary in order to make less water in the water ... After feeding, we begin to change the water.

The first week - every other day by 30%. The second - in two days at 30%, the third week - once at 50%. Then change the water weekly at 25 - 30%. And it is important: we try to keep the temperature, if possible, not higher than 25 degrees! The fact is that at low temperatures, plants that have not yet started up properly should be in growth will have the advantage of a reserve of nutrients over algae. At higher temperatures, plants have less chance, only if they have not already begun to actively grow. Algae will start much faster!

At this stage, we do not pour any milk at all! We hope only for fish. The number of fish can be calculated like this.

Optimum 7 cm on 10-12 liters of water. Those, if you have a bank of 120 liters, then it is advisable to have no more than 12 small fish, the size of which is about 7 cm ... This is of course roughly and roughly, but the principle is clear, fish are the best fertilizer producer, but also organic and we need it in such proportion that would have time to decompose and feed our grass. The task is to ensure that bacteria quickly decompose organic matter and the plants have time to absorb it faster than algae.

Step Three: We take a time out ... About 2-3 weeks ... We change the water and do not do anything .... Aquarium system is self-regulating .. Clay does its job in the ground .. Do not interfere and wait for biological balance to manifest, and this will happen in about 2-3 weeks. How to see it? Simply. You will see that the filter has become slower to clog up, the water is always clear, and you wipe the glass less frequently and less ... and ... you cut the mouthstock once every 10 days and the valysnria begins to creep away with its sprouts on the can ... Everything is not in perfect condition but visible that grass life began to spread in volume ..

Now we are one step away from the desired !!!

Step Four: This step depends on the results of the previous steps. Namely:

If the algae disappears in the aquarium, and the plants are growing, then you should not give extra udo .. In general, there is no need to climb into the biosystem while it heals itself! Then, when cleanliness comes, you feed the plants on a leaf and improve their size, but for now just watch the miracle: everything grows by itself! This is really a miracle, nature regulates itself very effectively without our intervention and chemistry ... You can add more complex and beautiful plants)

That's all! It's simple. but there are small additions.

if the aquarium is young, less than 6 months then the denser you plant it the better.
if the bank is older than 6 months, the planting density will affect the amount of CO2 in the water, the rate of absorption of parole and metabolism, and it can be changed by changing the amount of parole and the amount of CO2, respectively.
if the light in the aquarium is less than 0.6 W per liter, then CO2 is generally not necessary when planting grass 30% of the volume. If the light is brighter, either let the brag CO2 or seal the fit.
separately, I note the usefulness of shrimp cherries, Beeline snails, and the like in the aquarium. Organics will be several times smaller than the black bloom, respectively. With thick grass, cherries will survive even with barbs and cichlid ones - it is verified, even soon I will publish the video.

How to grow aquarium plants from seed

Instruction

Get several options for aquarium plants in the store. Be sure to find out the features of a particular plant, as well as the requirements for its maintenance and compatibility with other types of plants.

Do not forget that in order for the plant to grow and produce new shoots, three components are necessary: \u200b\u200bminerals, carbon dioxide and light.

Adjust the lighting in the aquarium so that it is as bright as possible, long enough and not much different from the natural one. The light day of aquarium plants should be from 10 to 12 hours. In order for the lighting in the aquarium to be bright enough, purchase fixtures of the required power - 1 to 5 watts per liter of volume should fall. Pay attention also to the range of lamps for lighting the aquarium. According to experts, the growth of plants most contribute to the lamp, emitting red and yellow light. Of course, such lighting has a bad effect on the eyes, for this reason it is better to combine lamps of the red-yellow spectrum, say, with lamps of the blue spectrum. Optionally, you can increase the lighting thanks to the reflectors, which can also be purchased at the pet store. Pay close attention to the choice of soil for aquarium plants. As such, it is better to use gravel or sand. Also take into account the fact that not all plants need to be planted, for example, there are floating plants.

Plant the plants so that there is enough distance between them, so it’s best to arrange them in a checkerboard pattern.

Be sure to use fertilizer for aquarium plants. They can be bought at any pet store. In a good fertilizer must include substances such as phosphates, nitrates, iron and potassium in large quantities.

How to grow algae

How to raise a child? Modern parents, for some reason, are increasingly investing in the answer to this question a material value, rather than a moral one. We completely forgot about the fact that not expensive education and the best things in the “arsenal” of our children are the basis of character, habits and attitudes towards the world around us, relatives and friends. We are raising children according to the principle of detocentrism. A Russian journalist and prose writer Yevgeny Schwartz, more precisely than all psychologists and educators, described this social phenomenon in the middle of the last century: “Children need to be pampered, it’s only in this way that true robbers can be raised from them”.

If the best becomes the enemy of the good

Modern moms and dads are trying to compensate for the best with their lack of attention and personal communication - commercial schools and clinics, branded clothing and expensive gadgets. Harmonious development? Easy - drawing, pool, sport, foreign languages. And this approach has a negative impact not only on the child, but also on adults. You need to have time for everything - to work, take away at lunch or take the child to a circle (training, classes). Nannies and helpers are not affordable for everyone, then they will have to sacrifice their moments of rest and nerves.

Child-centrism is the principle of building family relationships, when the whole world revolves only around a child and for a child.

The first victim of child-centrism is adults. And the point is not only that a large load falls on them, but also that sooner or later mom and dad (grandmother and grandfather) arrange a competition - who can and will manage to make as much as possible for their beloved child. The conflict that the child is observing develops, and it is he who begins to consider himself the culprit.

Not rich in happiness or poor "rich" kids

For a child, vanity around him sooner or later becomes like a dance with tambourines, and he begins to hate her or take it for granted. As a result, he builds a family according to the principle “everything is for me, I am the center of the universe”. But what will this family be like if the second half was brought up in exactly the same way?

In tsarist Russia, the smallest rooms were allocated for children's rooms, even in rich large houses. And in these rooms lived several children.

I will show you a world of harmony and happiness

Teaching a child is the main task of parents. In our example, they form an image of the surrounding world and a model of behavior in the family. During the period of character formation, mom and dad should take on the role of lead, leader and mentor. In a family where child-centrism is practiced, this role is shifted and shifted to the child — he decides what and when, why, and how much. The unformed nervous system of children in such a family is subject to stress, which by the age of 16-18 results in steady apathy. The child simply gets tired of the hustle and striving for the unattainable. And if he also did not justify any hopes of his parents, then this could result in a stable inferiority complex.

Psychologists say that self-confidence is formed when the child feels protected and weak, follows the parents, listens to their advice and takes what is offered to him, and not what he chose himself. But you shouldn’t forget about freedom of choice - you need to discuss each step with the children, find out their opinion and take it into account.

What is the secret of success

Child-centrism is a trap of the modern world, but it’s easy to avoid this “trap”. How to raise children correctly? Follow just 4 basic communication.

Show that your other half means a lot to you too.
Be selfish - do not forget about your desires, needs, do not try to predict the wishes of the child.
Clear borders, even in the mode of the day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, sleep, games and activities) will help reduce the anxiety of the baby and create a sense of confidence. In addition, the rules of behavior are important - it is impossible and should be the same, regardless of the situation.
Off illusions - no need to raise your child, protecting him from reality. This will teach him to perceive society adequately, to build relationships with others without the help of parents.

And most importantly - be more together, talk, become a friend, not a source of wealth.

Sources:

What to do if the child grew up selfish? How to rehabilitate him?

www.kakprosto.ru

Reproduction of aquarium plants with seeds

Ornamental and useful plants to propagate by seed effectively and efficiently, as the result is a lot of plants at once. The same can be done with aquarium plants.

Presowing seed preparation

Although the metabolic rate that occurs in dormant seeds is low, they remain alive. The seed does not germinate and is at rest until it is placed in a favorable environment. For aquarium and other aquatic plants, such a medium is oxygen-rich water and plus temperature.

Not all seeds of aquatic plants can be stored for a long time in a dry state, some remain alive only in water and at a certain temperature. The seeds of the plants of the middle zone cause considerable difficulties in their storage, since the temperature must be constantly around 4 ° C, thus the seeds must be stored all winter.

Relatively easily propagated in cultivated conditions, plants from the family of part-aukhovye, aponetoconcrete flowers - with the exception of those species that have a net structure of leaves. Aronik and aroid rarely bloom at home. Growing seedlings of aquatic plants, sprouting their seeds, first of all you need to protect them from their worst enemies - algae.

Seed development

Most often seeds are germinated in a small vessel, the water level in which does not exceed 10 cm. Seeds begin to germinate and become free from the membranes in 2-3 days. First the leaves appear on the seedlings, and only after that - the roots. Plants with roots can be planted in the ground, which is made up of large quartz sand and a small amount of peat. For planting in an aquarium no more than 35 cm deep, seedlings that have grown by 5-7 cm are ready. It is recommended to grow any plants to an adult specimen that is able to bloom and form seeds. After the plant has flourished and the seeds are ripe, it needs rest.

Growing seedlings from small dry seeds is even more difficult, since their fruit coat is very hard and grows tightly with the seed. For those seeds that live only in water, it is much softer. Some fruits need to be cracked by placing the seeds in soft clay, some need to be cut a little. Large fruits of aquatic plants are less common, most often the seeds do not exceed the size of 2-4 mm, which makes the processing of their shells even more difficult.

The depth at which seeds are buried in the ground depends on the type of seed and the type of soil. From the soil with the addition of clay, it is more difficult for germs to make their way to the surface, therefore, in this kind of soil, the depth is taken to be minimal. But in the large seeds of nutrients and vitality more, so they sow deeper. In general, the depth can vary from 2 to 5, in rare cases up to 10 mm.

Reproduction of aquarium plants with seeds, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

Parting beginners in growing plants in an aquarium

purga_tao (purga_tao) wrote, 2013-12-01 19:32:00 purga_tao purga_tao 2013-12-01 19:32:00 I will write in simple language so that it is clear to those who just bought an aquarium and want to see in it growing plants, rather than quietly withering sprouts of a seemingly healthy bush, so I won’t get into the endless terminology and description of the substances required for the plants. I often see the post: “Tell me what kind of seaweed I bought in the store?” the alga is something that the aquarist tirelessly tries to get rid of; all the algae belong to the lower plants For example, blue-green algae, brown algae, green algae, etc. This is all that grows on aquarium glass, stones and grottoes, green threads throughout the aquarium and the most unpleasant thing is fouling on plants, the plant loses its appearance, languishes and may perish. Consider the standard case of a beginner, fish are bought, grottoes, stones and finally plants (well, or plants are already bought), several bushes are brought home, planted in an aquarium, after a few days of observation the question arises, why not grow ?? Unfortunately, after several attempts, many in this attempt to dwell on living plants and do not try to understand the problem more deeply, and it’s not so difficult to create a garden of various plants in an aquarium (I do not mean Takashi Amano's aquarium is an art requiring deeper knowledge) So, you need to immediately understand that aquatic plants as well as plants that live out of the water, say in a pot on a windowsill, need food and light, and not just water and stones or pure sand. In addition, water temperature, soil, chemical composition - the amount of dissolved mineral and organic substances, pH (pH) and many others matter. Most plants prefer soft water or medium hardness with a neutral pH (7). Here in order:

LIGHT: Without light in the aquarium, nothing happens! If you buy an aquarium with a cap, lamps are already built in there, but, alas, often this light is not enough for growing plants. For plants, the power of light for standard aquariums should be approximately 0.5-1.0 W / L for fluorescent lamps (I take fluorescent lamps as an example, because the most common), then 0.5 W / L should be understood - for those who are not very demanding plant light, 1 W / L - for more capricious and light-loving plants. It must be remembered that passing through the water column, there is a large loss of light, therefore, the higher the aquarium, the more difficult it is to enlighten. To ensure the normal functioning of plants, we need the entire visible light spectrum, in the aquarium this is difficult to achieve. The most important role is played by two relatively narrow spectral ranges - blue-green and red, and this is the reason to make a start when choosing lighting. Now a huge selection of various lamps. For freshwater aquariums, special lamps are expensive, but they were specially created with a spectrum for plants - there is even a full solar spectrum. You can light up the usual fluorescent inexpensive lamps, you can combine the usual with special lamps, say one lamp Grolux, for the red spectrum of plants (if this spectrum is not enough red plants will not be saturated red, but most likely, will be either green or pale orange) and one ordinary is permissible with marking 865 (marking “865” indicates a color rendering index of 80 Ra, and a color temperature of 6500 K indicates the color temperature of the lamp, the smaller the yellow light, say 3000K will yellow, like incandescent bulbs, 10000K will be tinged with a blue tint in saltwater aquariums).

POWER: Do not underestimate the role of nutrition for aquarium plants, their lack leads to stunting, death and yellowing of leaves, curvature of plants, etc.

SOIL: Soil is not only a decorative element, but also serves to root the plants and the habitat of bacteria, which in turn maintain biological balance in the aquarium, as do plants that process fish life products. The soil should not be too small, but not large, approximately 2-5 mm. Since most plants like soft water, it is desirable that the soil does not contain rocks such as marble, coral chips, limestone - these stones enrich the water with dissolved calcium and magnesium salts and make it hard, and the ever-growing GH and KH index of the plant is not much appreciated. The stores now have a large selection of primers of all colors and shapes, but the painted primer will discolour over time and the paint will come off. I like the natural color of the soil, I don’t really like colored (blue, red ...) soils - not natural, and the design closer to a natural aquarium looks better. There is also a nourishing soil, just for a herbalist, if there is a possibility and it is planned to plant most of the aquarium with plants, it will be good to use it.

I also want to say about the use of CO2 in the aquarium - carbon dioxide, this is the most important food for plants. Breathing fish sometimes is not enough to saturate a lot of CO2 plants, so you have to start it up additionally, they do this mainly by putting a CO2 balloon system and dissolving it in water through various diffusers, this is a rather expensive method, but a stable supply of CO2 for several months. More budget is to get CO2 by fermentation (yeast + water + sugar) or by chemical reaction (soda + citric acid), knead it in a bottle and bring it to an aquarium, where with the help of a so-called bell (an inverted cup in which carbon dioxide is collected ) gradually dissolves in water CO2. This method has drawbacks - it is a short fermentation reaction of 1.5-2 weeks, the reaction is unstable, at first there is a rapid release of gas, but with every day it will be less. You need to be careful when using CO2, because if during the day the plants absorb it and release oxygen, then at night everything is exactly the opposite, and this may lead to the fact that the fish may not have enough oxygen before the morning, so you should take care of additional aeration of the aquarium at night . Also, CO2 lowers the pH in the aquarium, which is good if you have a high one, but you should not overdo it with the feed, constant fluctuations in the pH value have a bad effect on the occupants, so the CO2 supply is stable and good in the right amount. Carbon dioxide is easily dissolved in water, but it also disappears quickly, you should not create extra currents on the surface of the water. And again, it is worth thinking about water saturation with carbon dioxide in case you have enough light, fertilizers for plants (nutrients are consumed much faster when CO2 is supplied) and, of course, there should be a lot of plants themselves, and not a bush of vallisnery with a sprig FISH AND PLANTS: think carefully about what kind of aquarium you want to see at home, you should not try to settle a lot of fish and many plants in one aquarium, fertilizers and CO2 can negatively affect the fish, and most of the fish in St. st place incompatible with the plant, so you should consider before you buy fish in herbalist if she spoils him. Therefore, you need to decide what you want more on that and focus on. The above could have been written in much more detail, but I didn’t have such a task, this is an article for those who have just started to grow something in their aquarium, you need to understand that if you want to see in your “pond” something that will please the eye you will have to make at least some effort for this. In conclusion, I want to say that if you strive for the correct ratio of all elements - light, fertilizer, CO2, you will eventually get a good result that will delight you with a beautiful underwater garden. I found this article on the forum aquarists and, I hope, someone will definitely come in handy!

Tags: (a), Aquarium, Interesting, Master Class, Lighting in the aquarium, Plants, CO2

purga-tao.livejournal.com

I will write in simple language so that it is clear to those who have just bought an aquarium and wants to see growing plants in it, and not quietly withering shoots of a seemingly healthy bush, so I will not get into the endless terminology and description of the substances required for plants.

Very often I see a post: “Tell me, what kind of kelp did I buy at the store?” I should immediately remember that the kelp is what the aquarist is trying to get rid of without tired, all the algae belong to lower plants, for example, blue-green algae, brown algae, green algae, etc.

This is all that grows on the glass of the aquarium, stones and grottoes, green threads throughout the aquarium and the most unpleasant - fouling on plants, the plant loses its appearance, withers and can die.

Consider the standard case of a beginner, fish are bought, grottoes, stones and finally plants (well, or plants are already bought), several bushes are brought home, planted in an aquarium, after a few days of observation the question arises, why not grow ?? Unfortunately, after several attempts, many in this attempt to dwell on living plants and do not try to understand the problem more deeply, and it’s not so difficult to create a garden of various plants in an aquarium (I do not mean Takashi Amano's aquarium is an art requiring deeper knowledge)

So, you need to immediately understand that aquatic plants as well as plants that live outside the water, let's say in a pot on the windowsill, need food and light, and not just water and stones or clean sand. In addition, water temperature, soil, chemical composition - the amount of dissolved mineral and organic substances, pH (pH) and many others matter. Most plants prefer soft water or medium hardness with a neutral pH (7). Here in order:

SHINE: Without light in the aquarium nothing happens! If you buy an aquarium with a cap, lamps are already built in there, but, alas, often this light is not enough for growing plants. For plants, the power of light for standard aquariums should be approximately 0.5-1.0 W / L for fluorescent lamps (I take fluorescent lamps as an example, because the most common), then 0.5 W / L should be understood - for those who are not very demanding plant light, 1 W / L - for more capricious and light-loving plants. It must be remembered that passing through the water column, there is a large loss of light, therefore, the higher the aquarium, the more difficult it is to enlighten. To ensure the normal functioning of plants, we need the entire visible light spectrum, in the aquarium this is difficult to achieve. The most important role is played by two relatively narrow spectral ranges - blue-green and red, and this is the reason to make a start when choosing lighting. Now a huge selection of various lamps. For freshwater aquariums, special lamps are expensive, but they were specially created with a spectrum for plants - there is even a full solar spectrum. You can light up the usual fluorescent inexpensive lamps, you can combine the usual with special lamps, say one lamp Grolux, for the red spectrum of plants (if this spectrum is not enough red plants will not be saturated red, but most likely, will be either green or pale orange) and one ordinary is permissible with marking 865 (marking “865” indicates a color rendering index of 80 Ra, and a color temperature of 6500 K indicates the color temperature of the lamp, the smaller the yellow light, say 3000K will yellow, like incandescent bulbs, 10000K will be tinged with a blue tint in saltwater aquariums).

If you install reflectors you can significantly enhance the lighting in the aquarium. In general, you can write more than one page about the light, but I promised briefly, the main thing is to understand that it is important for plants and you should pay attention to how it is with you.

NUTRITION: Do not underestimate the role of nutrition for aquarium plants, their lack leads to stunting, death and yellowing of leaves, curvature of plants, etc.

Plants are able to actively extract the substances they need from the external environment. Aquatic plants are more dependent on the environment than land plants that receive most of the nutrition from the soil, since, unlike them, they absorb nutrients with their entire surface. Plants need macronutrients (nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine, silicon, potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium) and trace elements (boron, zinc, copper, manganese, iron, molybdenum, cobalt, etc.). Some of them accumulate in the aquarium as a result of the vital activity of fish and other inhabitants, some comes with fresh water during the substitution. But this is far from exhausting the entire list of necessary connections. In such a situation, fertilizer fertilizers in stores too will have an impressive amount to solve the shortage problem. It’s possible to make a fertilizer yourself, but it’s already necessary to study this topic in more detail and it will not be very small. It should be noted that the use of fertilizers is advisable if you have a sufficient number of plants in the aquarium, and not 3 bushes. Too much nutrients can cause algae to overgrow the aquarium.

PRIMING: Soil is not only a decorative element, but also serves to root the plants and the habitat of bacteria, which in turn maintain biological balance in the aquarium, as do plants that process the products of fish life. The soil should not be too small, but not large, approximately 2-5 mm. Since most plants like soft water, it is desirable that the soil does not contain rocks such as marble, coral chips, limestone - these stones enrich the water with dissolved calcium and magnesium salts and make it hard, and the ever-growing GH and KH index of the plant is not much appreciated. The stores now have a large selection of primers of all colors and shapes, but the painted primer will discolour over time and the paint will come off. I like the natural color of the soil, I don’t really like colored (blue, red ...) soils - not natural, and the design closer to a natural aquarium looks better. There is also a nourishing soil, just for a herbalist, if there is a possibility and it is planned to plant most of the aquarium with plants, it will be good to use it.

I also want to say about the use of CO2 in the aquarium - carbon dioxide, this is the most important food for plants. Breathing fish sometimes is not enough to saturate a lot of CO2 plants, so you have to start it up additionally, they do this mainly by putting a CO2 balloon system and dissolving it in water through various diffusers, this is a rather expensive method, but a stable supply of CO2 for several months. More budget is to get CO2 by fermentation (yeast + water + sugar) or by chemical reaction (soda + citric acid), knead it in a bottle and bring it to an aquarium, where with the help of a so-called bell (an inverted cup in which carbon dioxide is collected ) gradually dissolves in water CO2. This method has drawbacks - it is a short fermentation reaction of 1.5-2 weeks, the reaction is unstable, at first there is a rapid release of gas, but with every day it will be less. You need to be careful when using CO2, because if during the day the plants absorb it and release oxygen, then at night everything is exactly the opposite, and this may lead to the fact that the fish may not have enough oxygen before the morning, so you should take care of additional aeration of the aquarium at night . Also, CO2 lowers the pH in the aquarium, which is good if you have a high one, but you should not overdo it with the feed, constant fluctuations in the pH value have a bad effect on the occupants, so the CO2 supply is stable and good in the right amount. Carbon dioxide is easily dissolved in water, but it also disappears quickly, you should not create extra currents on the surface of the water. And again, it is worth thinking about water saturation with carbon dioxide in case you have enough light, fertilizers for plants (nutrients are consumed much faster when CO2 is supplied) and, of course, there should be a lot of plants themselves, and not a bush of vallisnery with a sprig cabomba, otherwise you can only make it worse.
FISH AND PLANTS: think carefully about what kind of aquarium you want to see at home, you should not try to settle a lot of fish and a lot of plants in one aquarium, fertilizers and CO2 can negatively affect the fish, and most of the fish are in turn incompatible with the plant, so it’s worth think before you buy a fish in herbalist whether it does not spoil it. Therefore, you need to decide what you want more on that and focus.

The above could be described in much more detail, but I didn’t have such a task, this is an article for those who have just started to grow something in their aquarium, you need to understand that if you want to see in your “pond” what will be please the eye will have to make any effort for this.
In conclusion, I want to say that if you strive for the right balance of all the elements - light, fertilizer, CO2, you will eventually get a good result that will delight you with a beautiful underwater garden.

I found this article on the forum aquarists and, I hope, it will definitely be useful to someone!

Best wishes in your work!

Plants in the aquarium perform several important functions. First, they saturate water with oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. And secondly, underwater vegetation "takes" nitrates harmful to fish for its own nutrition. And, of course, a landscaped aquarium looks very impressive and can become a real decoration of the interior.

Selection of the most appropriate varieties

Of course, many newcomers would like to learn how to plant the plants in the aquarium correctly. But before embarking on such a procedure, of course, one should take care of the choice, in fact, of the representatives of the underwater flora themselves.

There are many types of aquarium plants. Some of them are distinguished by unpretentiousness, others need careful and constant care. In any case, when choosing plants for your home decorative underwater corner, you must take into account the following factors:

hardness of water;
liter of aquarium;
water temperature.

Before you go to the store for plants, of course, you need to decide what will be the design of the aquarium. There are many ways to design tanks with fish. But in most cases, aquariums are decorated with the following rules:

high plants are planted near the back wall;
in the center of the aquarium distribute representatives of the flora of medium length;
very small plants are allowed to be planted over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe aquarium, including in the foreground.

Landing time

Many novice fish lovers are often interested, of course, and when plants can be planted after starting an aquarium. There are no special rules for this. Unlike fish, underwater plants are not afraid of ammonia, nitrites or nitrates. So they can be planted even at the same time with the launch. No harm to the green underwater "residents" will not do it.

There are no restrictions on when to plant plants in a new aquarium, therefore, does not exist. The only thing - the water before planting representatives of the flora must definitely be defended day. Bleaching and other reagents used in cities for its disinfection can still harm the plants.

Water characteristics

Most suitable for most species of aquarium plants is soft water. Unfortunately, representatives of the flora do not develop very well in all kinds of hard. Therefore, the owner of such an aquarium will have to choose the greenery with the utmost responsibility.

The answer to the question of which plants can be planted in an aquarium with hard water are, for example:

anubiasas;
cryptocoryne;
dwarf saggitar;
lemongrass.

In soft water, however, you can successfully grow almost any type of underwater plants.

Selection depending on the volume of the aquarium

Sizes may have different. Therefore, choosing them, among other things, should be based on the depth of the aquarium. For large tanks, of course, almost any representatives of the underwater flora will do. For an aquarium of 15-50 liters, it is worth picking up not particularly tall, slowly developing plants. These may be, for example:

dwarf barter;
caroline Bacopa;
cryptocoryne beckett, etc.

Growing temperature

Most aquarium plants prefer, of course, warm water. In a tropical heated aquarium, for example, almost any representatives of the flora will feel good. For cold water plants should be selected individually.

In such conditions, will develop well, for example:

commino;
kladofora;
moss fontinalis;
vallisneria.

Such plants are able to withstand a decrease in water temperature to 16-18 ° C.

Where to start: disinfection

How to plant correctly, consider a little lower. Beforehand, let's look at how to prepare green products purchased at the pet store. Planted in the aquarium just bought plants immediately in no case. This can lead to the spread of infection among the fish. Before planting, purchased plants must:

clean snail eggs, if any;
thoroughly sanitized.

Also from the acquired representatives of the flora should remove all damaged and rotten parts. Processing plants before landing in an aquarium can be made:

by soaking for 20 min. in a weak (pink) solution of potassium permanganate;
by washing the stems, leaves and roots with a solution of hydrogen peroxide (1 tsp. per glass of water).

Growth stimulation

Plants treated with potassium permanganate or peroxide should be rinsed thoroughly with warm clean water. Further, the acquired representatives of the underwater flora should be slightly shortened roots. This will be the next incentive for their active development. At the final stage of preparation, the plants are lowered into some container with water and transferred closer to the aquarium.

What should be the ground

Actually, the very planting of aquarium plants in the aquarium is made by simple technology. But to grow the underwater flora of the house, of course, you need on the "right" ground. The quality of the substrate in this case is simply of great importance. In order to further get a beautiful aquarium, the choice of soil should be approached with all responsibility. Acquired substrate should contain all the trace elements necessary for the plants purchased. In any case, the ground should be mandatory:

calcium;
magnesium;
iron;
phosphorus.

The thickness of the soil layer for the successful cultivation of plants should ideally be 10 cm. But in a small aquarium it is possible, of course, to lay down and not too much substrate. In any case, the depth of the soil even in a small container should not be less than 3 cm.

Most of all for aquarium plants is suitable, of course, a special purchased substrate. However, such soil can be purchased, unfortunately, in pet stores by no means all cities. In the event that the substrate saturated with microelements cannot be bought, the usual steamed and washed river pebbles can be laid at the bottom of the aquarium. This soil is very inexpensive and is sold in almost any pet store.

When using such a substrate, however, it is better to plant the plants in plastic cups or special pots filled with ordinary garden soil. Such containers in the future for masking just dropping to the pebbles.

How to plant plants in the aquarium: lighting

Any underwater representatives of the flora have one feature: they develop very poorly in the dark. Therefore, the owner of the aquarium will have to purchase, among other things, also sufficiently powerful lamps to illuminate it. The most suitable for growing plants a variety of such equipment are phytolamps T5 blue and red.

We plant plants in an aquarium in pots

After the green plantings are prepared and disinfected, you can proceed, in fact, to transfer them to a permanent place. Of course, this procedure must be performed correctly. So let's see how to plant plants in an aquarium. When using cups or pots, this operation will look something like this:

the landing tank is rinsed with warm water;
a little garden ground is piled on the bottom of the pot;
the roots of the plant are placed in a cup and smoothed out;
capacity is filled with garden soil by about a third;
a layer of river pebbles is laid over the ground and compacted.

At the final stage, the pot is installed in the aquarium in the right place and buried in the ground. Pebbles laid on top will prevent leaching of garden soil and water pollution in the aquarium.

How to plant in the ground

Using cups allows you to grow healthy and beautiful plants in an aquarium. But the best result can be achieved, of course, by applying a special soil for green spaces. In this case, a substrate of a special composition is usually poured at the bottom of the aquarium. Next, in order to avoid erosion, it is covered on top with a layer of pebbles or sand. After that, a little water is poured into the aquarium and, in fact, they start planting.

Perform this procedure in accordance with the following recommendations:

for plants with vertical roots, they dig a deep hole, with horizontal ones - a long groove;
plants capable of obtaining nutrients from the water are planted without roots, after removing the lower leaves.

Of course, it’s also necessary to have the plants in the aquarium. The density of planting of such representatives of flora depends primarily on their species. Between lush plants, experienced aquarists are advised to leave more space. Small representatives of the flora are allowed to post more often. Creeping plants are planted in several pieces in one hole. Simply put, when planting, an aquarist should, among other things, try to make sure that plants do not overshadow each other in the development process.

Than to fertilize

How to plant aquarium plants in an aquarium? The answer to this question, therefore, is not too complicated. But is it necessary to fertilize green spaces immediately after they are in the tank?

Like any other plants, underwater, of course, should be fed from time to time. It is best to use commercially available pet shop formulations for this. But if you wish, you can fertilize plants and, for example, clay - the usual red or blue. The use of such feeding in most cases leads to the rapid growth of underwater flora. The fact is that the clay contains almost all the trace elements necessary for plants. In addition, such dressing also in no way harms most species of fish.

When planting plants in cups or substrate, clay, as well as purchased fertilizers, at first, you can not use. It is worth feeding the representatives of the underwater flora immediately after they are in the aquarium, only if they are planted directly into the pebbles.

Clay before using as a fertilizer, you just need to crumble into powder. Next, it should be moistened with a small amount of water and roll small balls out of it. The dressing obtained in this way can be stored in any convenient place and used as needed. In order to fertilize plants, clay balls are placed under their roots. Purchased feedings are used according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Plant care: do you need CO2?

So, we figured out how to plant the plants in the aquarium. But what can be done to ensure that representatives of the underwater flora subsequently develop as best as possible? As you know, any plants in the process of photosynthesis absorb oxygen and emit carbon dioxide. Underwater flora in this regard is no exception.

In most cases, aquariums are purchased, of course, for the maintenance of fish. Plants in this case perform only the role of a pleasant addition. But sometimes in the apartments you can see the so-called herbalists. In such aquariums, the focus is on the underwater flora. The owners of such containers grow original, difficult to care for plants, carefully select the power of lighting and monitor the parameters of water. In aquariums of this type, among other things, can be supplied and carbon dioxide. This technique allows you to get unusually lush, brightly colored, completely healthy plants.

CO 2 is usually supplied, of course, mostly only in herbalists. But if you wish, you can try to use this gas when growing plants in a regular aquarium. However, in this case it is worth being, of course, still be very careful. After all, fish, unlike plants, do not need carbon dioxide, but oxygen.

Plants are one of the most important components of the aquarium environment. In addition to the decorative function, they play the role of a natural biofilter, purifying water from harmful substances and saturating it with oxygen. As a result, maintain the balance of the ecosystem within a closed environment.

Preparation for landing

What plants to plant in an aquarium? Before you plant greens, you need to clear it from the snail eggs, as well as algae, mud and dregs. Do not forget to prune dead plants (rotten, dry and sluggish). Next, the plant must be disinfected. What manipulations should be carried out for processing:

Place the seedling for 20 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate (preferably a light pink color, so as not to burn it).
You can make an alum bath, in which the plant should be lowered for 5-10 minutes. 1 tsp alum must be diluted in 1 liter of water.
Another recipe for a disinfectant solution: 1 tsp. peroxide dissolve in 1 liter of water. Dip the seedling for 5 minutes.
When disinfection is complete, the plant should be rinsed under clean water.

To accelerate the growth of seedlings, it is desirable to use the method of cutting the roots. A few minutes before planting it in the tank, it should be laid out in a capacity of 10 cm of washed soil, and fill it with water of the same height. Planted aquatic plants need, starting with the background of the aquarium. To plant tall species behind, in front of them - low, or lush bushes, forming in one row vegetative cover. From the front, the aquascape looks like an observation deck, to which attention will immediately be paid.

See how to plant plants in the aquarium.

You need to have roots in accordance with their natural growth. If such plants as aponogeton and the echinodorus root system are horizontal, go down a couple of centimeters downwards, then for cryptocoryne and vallisneria the root system is directed downwards vertically. The characteristic error when planting is the bending of the roots, and not their direct location in the soil substrate. When you are going to plant cryptocoryne and other species in the reservoir with a similar root system, make a hollow in the ground deep and place a seedling in it below the root neck, then flatten the root. Soil should be pinched, and the plant to pull up to the neck spine was above the surface of the soil. This procedure helps to place small branches of the roots directly in the ground.

When planting plants with a creeping rhizome, you need to take a group of seedlings of 4-6 pieces, and plant them together to form a decorative look in an aquarium with fish. When planting creeping plants, each of them properly positioned at a distance of 1-2 cm from each other. In a similar way it is necessary to plant those species that grow slowly.

Floating plant species feed on what is produced from the aquatic environment. Before planting the plants in the ground, the lower leaves from the 2 lower nodes are cut off, and the seedling is placed in the ground without roots, and the cuttings in the soil substrate itself. In order to avoid its ascent after disembarkation, use flat roots.

Hard-leaved species of plants that receive water from the soil at the expense of the roots can be planted in pots. They should be filled with soil in which there is clay or peat for aquariums. It is important to consider when preparing or buying such a soil mixture that it was intended for aquarium plants, and not for pot flowers. If fish live in the tank, they love to dig the soil and uproot the roots of seedlings, then the pots will provide plants with safety. The pots are still convenient because they can be easily and quickly removed from the container during its cleaning without damaging the roots themselves. To aquascape was not spoiled, it is better to decorate pots with stones.

See how to plant aquarium plants in pots.

When studying the issue of planting greenery density in a glass aquarium, it is correct to consider that the planting is individual for each species, and depends on the size of the seedling and its length. When planting Beckett's cryptocorynes, ciliate-cryptocorynes, or Griffith's cryptocorynes, it is necessary to lay the roots in the ground, removing them from each other by 15-20 cm. This is necessary so that large plants will not get caught when they grow rapidly.

Echinodorus and aponogetony planted at a distance of 8-10 cm from each other. When plant species are very large, then the distance should be 20-30 cm. If aponogeton has 20-40 leaves of large size, then you need to provide enough seedling around it, otherwise it will be crowded.

During gardening of a house reservoir, it is not recommended to place saplings close to each other. There should be enough free space for their development and growth in the future. In a month, the plants will grow, become more lush, and for fast-growing species (vallisneria, sagittarii, eregii) this is extremely important.

Properly planted aquarium plants in the spring. Young seedlings are recommended to take from the greenhouse, because in those conditions they adapted to the correct change of seasons. In the spring, they start up child sprouts, and at the end of autumn and at the beginning of winter they are at rest.

Plants create not only the unique and original appearance of your aquarium, but also play an important role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. Therefore, it is important to know and carry out some basic techniques in the selection and planting of plants, which would then enjoy the creation of their hands.

Eyhorniya excellent, water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

So, how to plant the plants in an aquarium?
First of all, it is necessary to clean each plant from the filamentous algae attached to it, the eggs of snails. Remove damaged areas. Then it must be sanitized for about 20 minutes in a pink (to red) solution of potassium permanganate. It is also recommended bath (5 - 10 minutes) with a solution of alum (1 tsp / 1 liter of water) or washing with a solution of hydrogen peroxide (1 tsp / 1 liter of water). After which the plants must be rinsed. To accelerate the growth of the roots can be slightly trimmed. Then it is necessary to fill the aquarium with washed soil up to a height of no more than 10 cm and fill it with water (5 - 10 cm).

Nymphaea (aquarium water lily)

Place plants in the aquarium is necessary from the back wall. The highest plants are planted in the background. The viewing side, as a rule, is left free or distributed along it by those plant species that remain small or form a continuous vegetation cover.

When planting the roots must be placed in the direction of their natural growth. So, in cryptocoryne and vallisnerium, roots grow vertically downwards, while in aponogetons and echinodorus roots go down only a few centimeters and spread, as a rule, horizontally.

In order to place the roots in the ground vertically downwards, it is necessary to make a hole a little deeper and place the plant in it so that it sinks just below the root neck, but the root has been straightened. Then, having applied the soil slightly, very carefully pull the plant upward so that the root neck appears. Thus, even the thinnest branching roots will be located directly in the ground.

A typical mistake of many aquarists when planting plants in an aquarium: the roots should not be bent (a), but completely, with all their processes, directly located in the ground (b). The easiest way to do this is to make a hole deeper, plant a plant there, and then slightly pull it up.

When planting plants with horizontally growing roots, it is necessary to cut an oblong and not too deep hole, place the roots in it “fan” and then sprinkle them with soil.

Creeping plants should be planted in groups of 4-6 pieces, like bushes, otherwise they have an unpresentable appearance. But at the same time the distance between each of them should be about 1-2 cm (this is especially important for cabomb).

Cabomba

Plants that do not grow in size during growth are also usually planted in groups.

Plants with a horizontally branching rhizome, such as calamus, should be planted under a slope so that the areas that allow shoots protrude from the ground.

Aquatic plants, floating in the water column and receiving food directly from the water through special organs on their leaves, are planted in the ground by cuttings, without roots. Before planting, it is necessary to remove the leaves from the two lower nodes of the stem. Flat stones will help keep the plants from ascending until they take root.

Crinum Thai

Plants that receive food from the soil exclusively with the help of roots, as well as plants that, although they hardly “work” with the roots, still need nutrients (for example, aponogeton, echinodorus, cryptocoryne), should be placed in the ground in pots or pots . These bowls can be filled with an earthy mixture consisting of two-thirds of the clay and aquarium peat. Nowadays, specially prepared mixes for aquariums are on sale. It is strictly not recommended to use earth mixtures for flowers in an aquarium. In order not to spoil the design of an aquarium with a view of high plosek and pots protruding from the ground, they are usually decorated with stones.

In addition, the maintenance of plants in pots has the advantage that when cleaning the bottom of the soil vessels can simply be removed from the aquarium and then put back without damaging the roots.

Cryptocoryne Beckett

Landing density The plants in the aquarium are individual for different plants and depend on the size of each individual specimen and on its intended growth. For example, plants such as Cryptocoryne Griffith (S. griffithi), Cryptocoryn ciliate (C. ciliata) or Cryptocoryne Beckett (S. beckettii) grow large and the distance between them, respectively, must be at least 15 cm. And at aponoheton and Echinodorus, the distance between small specimens should be from 8 to 10 cm, and between larger plants from 15 to 30 cm. In some plant species, many leaves grow over time (for example, in certain species of aponogeton there are 20-40 leaves), and they need more free space from all (!) parties.

Cryptocoryne ciliate or cryptocoryne ciliary

The best time to plant the plants is spring. Young specimens are supplied, as a rule, from greenhouses, where plants are accustomed to the correct change of seasons. At this time, they have a rest period (November - January) and they begin to release new shoots.

Cryptocoryne Griffith

Plants in the aquarium breedAs a rule, in a vegetative way: cuttings, processes, offspring, as well as plant division. The processes must be separated from the parent plant only when they have formed a sufficient amount of roots. Cuttings can be obtained by separating the branches or shortening the main stem. Some plant species form roots without planting in the ground. They can be fixed on the ground and wait until they take root. Plant division is also recommended in spring. Most aquarists use these simple vegetative breeding methods, as they are applicable to almost all aquatic plants and do not present any particular difficulties.

There are two types of plant propagation: seed and vegetative. Vegetative reproduction can occur by different methods, as can be seen in the figure:
a) in plants with an erect stem, in order to obtain a cutting, one can simply cut a part between two nodes;
b) the plant has sprouts with daughter plants. After some time, you can cut the "umbilical cord" that binds them to the mother plant, and get a completely independent sample;
c) on the leaf plate of some floating plants, in the figure of the Fern, pterygoid, or Water cabbage (Ceratopteris pteridoides), especially at their edges, daughter plants are formed. After a while they will separate from the mother plant and begin an independent life on the surface of the water.

Often aquarists do not dare to plant beautiful and large plants. As a rule, the cause is the experience of past failures. But, installing a new aquarium, how can you not try to plant plants until the aquarium without fish. At the same time, it is at the beginning, in the first weeks after landing in the aquarium, that the plants endure particularly poorly and do not grow. Usually they either lack nutrients, or the water parameters do not fit (it is possible that they are not yet suitable). It is necessary to check and try everything. Only if the plants do not develop at the normal for them water parameters, the required level of illumination, a sufficient amount of CO2, can we assume that they are sick.

Amazonian Echinodorus

Most aquatic plants get food through the leaves, but not all. Therefore, it should be borne in mind that not every plant has roots only in order to harden in the ground. For example, plants with a well-developed root system (Amazonian Echinodorus (Echinodorus amazonicus), Thai Crinum (Crinum thaianum), different types of Aponogeton (Aponogeton) and lily (Nymphaea)) will grow better if you add soil additives to the soil. Such supplements are sold in specialized stores. Earth mixtures for flowers should not be used, as they are saturated with fertilizer. An oversupply of fertilizer to plants in an aquarium is also harmful, as is their lack. If a large number of fish live in an aquarium, the content of the end products of decomposition — nitrates — formed as a result of the nitrogen cycle — becomes so large that the plants can no longer absorb them completely. That is why it is necessary to systematically replace water, as this reduces the level of fertilizer dissolved in water. Before changing the water in the aquarium, it is necessary for some time to stop feeding plants with fertilizers.

Water Lily (Nymphaea)

Pond in the highlands of Sri Lanka. Thick thickets of Limnophila indica can be recognized on the surface of the water, and Alocasia macrorrhiza is large in the foreground.

When the content of the so-called "tuberous plants" should pay attention to one feature, in contrast to other green inhabitants of the aquarium, they need a period of rest. The natural life conditions of these plants are not as constant as it is commonly believed. Dryness and floods replace each other, cool nights come after hot days. During the rainy season, the water parameters vary greatly. Therefore, such plants do not tolerate the constant heat of water in the aquarium. From time to time they require rest. Plants themselves report this, when such a period comes, their greenery wilts. In order for the vital activity of such plants (different types of aponoheton) to correspond to natural cycles, it is necessary from the very beginning to plant them in pots. During their stay in the aquarium, these pots with plants are placed in the bottom of the soil, and with the beginning of the rest period they are removed. At this time, the culture pots are placed in a flat bowl so that the tubers are only a few centimeters covered with water. The temperature of the water while reducing to about 15 ° C. The stalks of the plant die off for this period. In this state, outside the aquarium, the tubers should be from 2 to 4 months. Then the culture pot should be placed again in the aquarium soil.

Atonogeton stiklolistny (Aponogeton rigidifolius)

Long get an article. In the next I will tell you how to feed the plants in the aquarium. Yes, it is to feed! No one is surprised by the need to feed the fish. And the plants also need food, which they may not always get to the full in an ordinary aquarium. Therefore, those aquarists who are particularly interested in plant growth should do something more than just plant a plant in an aquarium and wait for it to become a wonderful decoration of their underwater garden.