If you’ve never looked at a planted tank before, you’d probably be surprised at just how vibrant and lively the aquarium seems to be.
That’s because the freshwater aquarium plants provide natural filtration for the water, help keep fish healthy, and can even help you breed your fish.
Aquarium plants are used by fish for any number of things, including safety, comfort, food, and reproduction, so they’re vital to any healthy aquarium environment.
You’ll find great resources in a few places online, but here’s a list of the top 10 freshwater aquarium plants that are nearly impossible to kill, and grow quickly in most every kind of water.
Before You Choose
It can be tempting to set up everything in your aquarium on the same day, but in most cases it’s not a good idea.
You’re aquarium needs to go through what’s called a cycling process, where the water quality and parameters and vary widely.
During this time, There are very few fish that can survive. This is why most experienced fish keepers will tell you to wait for a period of time before you put live fish in. Click here to read more about setting up your aquarium tank.
Useful Post: The Freshwater Aquarium Water Guide
However, plants don’t require this. You’re free to add plants as soon you get the water in the aquarium! Just be sure you have the correct plant tools to avoid harming them while you’re planting.
The 10 Best Aquarium Plants For Your Tank
There are three categories of plants for most aquariums: Foreground, Midground, and Background. Each type requires various types of light, and there are certain setups that make your plants grow much more effectively.
Take a look at the best lighting setups for beginners.
Foreground Plants
Carpeting plants like Java Moss, Willow Moss, and Water Wisteria tend to stay low to the ground and spread horizontally across the floor of your aquarium. Because of this, they make a great foreground plants.
These plants are also excellent for water quality, since they tend to grow very quickly, and thus filter lots of water.
JAVA MOSS
Java Moss, a Carpeting Plant for Freshwater Aquariums
Java Moss is one of the most common plants in a tank. It’s low-maintenance, difficult to kill, and grows quickly.
If you attach it to a rock, it’ll crawl over the surface of your tank. it has been known to float, so it’s best advised to attach it to something to prevent any float-away.
Appearance: Low, carpetlike growth pattern. Appears ‘fuzzy’.
Water Preferences: Tolerates anything between 72-90 degrees Farenheight. Growth is fastest around 73 degrees.
Lighting Preferences: Grows well in any lighting. However, growth is fastest in medium-high lighting conditions.
Uses: Decoration, substrate covering and stabilization, carpeting, protection, and breeding of certain types of fish.
Buy Now
DWARF BABY TEARS
Dwarf Baby Tears, a Carpeting Plant for Freshwater Aquariums
These are my most favorite carpeting plant. It’s tough, hard-working, and a healthy carpet of DBT looks beautiful in many of the common aquascaping styles.
As a bonus, if they’re producing oxygen, Dwarf Baby Tears have beautiful little bubbles that form on their leaves.
Appearance: Low, carpetlike growth pattern. Healthy carpets of DBT are thick and vibrant.
Water Preferences: Tolerates anything between 72-85 degrees Farenheight. Growth is fastest around 73-75 degrees.
Lighting Preferences: Grows best in bright lighting conditions, thought amount of light affects growth patterns. Brighter light means more compact growth.
Uses: Decoration, substrate covering and stabilization, carpeting, and protection.
Buy Now
PS: It has been highlighted to me by Kara Van Kirk in this post that Dwarf Baby Tears might not be suitable for beginners as it requires ideal lighting and CO2. Thanks, Kara!
DWARF HAIRGRASS
Dwarf Hairgrass, a Carpeting Plant for Freshwater Aquariums
The aquascaping possibilities are endless with this type of plant. It looks beautiful next to Stone, as well as contrasting perfectly with dark sand or soil.
It’s incredibly easy to grow. So much so that you’ll probably find yourself trimming this quite a bit!
Appearance: Small to medium sized strands of what would appear to be grass. Carpets easily in most environments.
Water Preferences: Tolerates most environments. Grows best in water that’s 72-78 degrees Farenheight.
Lighting Preferences: Grows best in bright lighting conditions
Uses:Decoration, accenting various hardscape features such as stone and wood, carpeting, and protection.
Buy Now
PS: It has been highlighted to me by Kara Van Kirk in this post that Dwarf Hairgrass might not be suitable for beginners as it requires ideal lighting and CO2. Thanks, Kara!
MARSILEA MINUTA
Marsilea Minuta, a Carpeting Plant for Freshwater Aquariums
the aqua escaping possibilities are endless with this type of plant. It looks beautiful next to Stone, as well as contrasting perfectly with dark sand or soil.
It’s incredibly easy to grow. So much so that you’ll probably find yourself trimming this quite a bit!
Appearance: Easily identified by the ‘clover’ appearance of its leaves. Carpets easily in most environments.
Water Preferences: Tolerates most environments. Grows best in water that’s 73-78 degrees Farenheight.
Lighting Preferences:Grows in most lighting conditions. Does best in medium lighting.
Uses:Decoration, accenting various hardscape features such as stone and wood, carpeting, and protection.
Buy Now
AMAZON SWORD
Amazon Sword, a Midground Plant for Freshwater Aquariums
The Amazon Sword is the staple of most aquascapes. It’s easy to maintain, fast-growing, and can be quite beautiful when arranged in the appropriate area.
Note that these can grow quite big (up to 20 inches), so they’re most often planted in the mid-background area.
Appearance: Large swordlike leaves
Water Preferences: Grows best in water that’s 72-82 degrees Farenheight.
Lighting Preferences:Growth is optimal in medium lighting.
Uses:Background decoration, hiding plumbing and hardware, and protection.
Buy Now
JAVA FERN
Java Fern, a Midground Plant for Freshwater Aquariums
Java Fern is very a very low maintenance plant, and has a unique look that appeals to most aquascapers. Its biggest benefit is its ability to be planted in nearly any area of the aquarium without distracting from the hardscape. It also looks quite good!
Appearance: Semi-striped, thick leaves. Appears in bunches.
Water Preferences: Grows best in water that’s 72-78 degrees Farenheight.
Lighting Preferences:Growth is optimal in low-medium lighting.
Uses:Decoration and protection.
Buy Now
ANUBIAS NANA
Anubias Nana, a Midground Plant for Freshwater Aquariums
Anubias Nana is one of the more appealing midground plants you’ll find in aquascaping. It tolerates nearly any water quality or environment.
With curved stems and large semi-round leaves, it’s a great match for the stone aquascaping present in most aquariums.
Appearance: Curved stems with medium-sized, semi-round leaves.
Water Preferences: Grows best in water that’s 72-78 degrees Farenheight.
Lighting Preferences:Growth is optimal in medium lighting.
Uses:Decoration and protection. Looks beautiful in any aquarium placement.
Buy Now
PYGMY CHAIN SWORD
Pygmy Chain Sword, a Midground Plant for Freshwater Aquariums
This plant isn’t often seen in aquascaping. Mostly because it’s very similar to what we see everyday of our lives—grass. It’s useful for placement around hardscapes, and is beautiful when properly trimmed.
However, it’s nearly impossible to accidentally kill it!
Appearance: Strikingly similar to most lawn grass.
Water Preferences: Grows best in water that’s 72-78 degrees Farenheight.
Lighting Preferences:Growth is optimal in medium-bright lighting.
Uses:Decoration and protection. Good for placement around hardscapes.
Buy Now
POGOSTEMON HELFERI
Pogostemon helferi, a Midground Plant for Freshwater Aquariums
Besides having an interesting name, this is one of the most unique foreground plants available to aquascapers today. It has a striking zig-zag shape in its leaves, and grows in a ‘blooming’ pattern that’s visually appealing in front of hardscapes.
Appearance: Beautiful ‘blooming’ growth pattern. Zig-zag shaped leaves.
Water Preferences: Grows best in water that’s 72-78 degrees Farenheight.
Lighting Preferences:Growth is optimal in medium lighting.
Uses:Decoration and protection. Good for placement around hardscapes.
Buy Now
DWARF SAGITTARIA
Dwarf Sagittaria, a Midground Plant for Freshwater Aquariums
Dwarf Saggitaria is an easily-maintained plant that maxes out at around 4-6 inches, making it perfect for midground aquascapes. Placing Dwarf Saggitaria around stonework or driftwood is an ideal location, giving it a perfect place to root into the wood or stone, and is an ideal complement.
Appearance: Vibrant green leaves with curved blades.
Water Preferences: Grows best in water that’s 72-78 degrees Farenheight.
Lighting Preferences:Growth is optimal in medium lighting.
Uses:Decoration and protection. Good for placement around hardscapes.
No comments:
Post a Comment