If you are setting up an aquarium and you don't yet have any decorations or plants, you may notice that your tank looks incomplete. In fact, plants aren't just decorative, but a necessary addition to your aquarium. Aquarium plants provide hiding spots for your fish, making them more comfortable in the tank.
There are two main choices for aquarium plants: real and fake. Keeping real plants alive requires specialized care, above and beyond keeping your fish alive. Plastic plants, on the other hand, are easy to care for, even if it's your first aquarium.
Plastic plants can withstand anything, even poor water quality. They do need occasional cleaning, which can be done with a brush in the sink. There are neon colored plastic plants in styles that simply aren't achievable with real aquatic plants. However, neon plants can stress out your fish, because they are used to a more natural setting. Plus, some fish will actually adjust their colors so that they are less vibrant against the neon plants; a more realistic setting can bring out their naturally bright colors.
Another kind of fake plant that you can buy is the silk plant. They are more realistic but admittedly, more expensive than plastic plants. Just be sure to buy those designed for aquarium use and not the ordinary craft store variety, which might be unsafe to put in aquariums.
Fresh plants are of course, the most natural looking. Like some kinds of fish, though, they can be very hard to maintain. Some of them will thrive only under specific water temperatures or pH levels. Find the fresh plants whose specific needs are compatible with the water requirements of your fish.
Fresh plants also have the advantage of being natural food to some fish. They could even be the preferred breeding grounds for some varieties of fish. They also help in maintaining balance in the nitrogen cycle of your aquarium.
All these advantages are sometimes overshadowed by the extra effort you have to put in to take care of fresh plants. Fresh plants require light for photosynthesis, the same way that your ordinary garden plants do. The amount of light will depend on what type of plants you have. You also need to take care of the fertilizer needs of some of them. They do not grow on just your ordinary plant fertilizer but with special aquarium type of fertilizer. Do not attempt to put ordinary fertilizer on them for they might kill not just the plants but the fish as well.
Unlike fake plants, cleaning fresh plants must be done in the aquarium where they are planted. Over time, dead and decaying leaves will accumulate on the bottom of your tank and will reduce water quality. You can prevent this by pruning the dying parts of your plant and by using a special product like EcoBio-Block. This product can provide the beneficial bacteria needed to convert the organic wastes, such as decaying plants, into safer by-products that will keep your water clean and healthy. With proper care and maintenance, real live plants will really give your aquarium the ideal natural habitat that your fish need.
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