Think about how much your plant could grow and your tank size.
Remember that plants grow.
Do you want plants with many leaves or a plant which can be eaten by your fish? There are dwarf aquarium plants available that only grow up to two inches or you can obtain larger plants if you own a large tank.
Start growing your plants If you want inexpensive plants, you can purchase small plants and wait until it grows.
Or if you don't want to wait, you can purchase large plants but they cost more.
You can purchase aquarium plants at pet shops or from aquarists which can provide plants for starters.
But be careful with plants because some are infected with snails or bacteria which may cause harm to your tank environment.
Inspect the plant for unwanted species There are tiny snails that are only a couple of millimetres long which are fast breeders.
Careful checking of the plant is essential except if you have a fish that can take them off.
Keep the plants anchored Depending on the type of plant, anchor them in an appropriate way so they can be established.
For example, mosses can be anchored by tying them with a string into a rock until they become established in your aquarium.
Tie loosely, just enough for anchoring.
Provide light Like any other plant species, aquarium plants need light for photosynthesis.
Check your plant for its light requirement.
Some require high amounts of light.
Plants that only require low light can benefit from the lights coming from your window.
If not, you can light your aquarium by using full spectrum fluorescent for tanks.
Adding fish The waste of the fish nourishes the plants.
And in return, the plants will maintain the water condition which is better for the fish through carbon dioxide absorption and by releasing oxygen.
Water should be changed periodically You don't need the water to be changed as much as the fish do but it's best if you change the water for the benefit of your fish.
Do not use tubes in your plant bed when changing water, you may injure or kill them.
Instead, run the tubes on top of the soil where the plants are submerged and ensure not to damage them.
Remove existing algae These algae growing on your tank competes with your plant for light.
You can remove algae manually by scraping the walls of your tank weekly and by removing it from the leaves with the use of your fingers.
To decrease hassle on your part, you may put shrimps or catfish on your tank.
They are algae eaters.
Remember that plants grow.
Do you want plants with many leaves or a plant which can be eaten by your fish? There are dwarf aquarium plants available that only grow up to two inches or you can obtain larger plants if you own a large tank.
Start growing your plants If you want inexpensive plants, you can purchase small plants and wait until it grows.
Or if you don't want to wait, you can purchase large plants but they cost more.
You can purchase aquarium plants at pet shops or from aquarists which can provide plants for starters.
But be careful with plants because some are infected with snails or bacteria which may cause harm to your tank environment.
Inspect the plant for unwanted species There are tiny snails that are only a couple of millimetres long which are fast breeders.
Careful checking of the plant is essential except if you have a fish that can take them off.
Keep the plants anchored Depending on the type of plant, anchor them in an appropriate way so they can be established.
For example, mosses can be anchored by tying them with a string into a rock until they become established in your aquarium.
Tie loosely, just enough for anchoring.
Provide light Like any other plant species, aquarium plants need light for photosynthesis.
Check your plant for its light requirement.
Some require high amounts of light.
Plants that only require low light can benefit from the lights coming from your window.
If not, you can light your aquarium by using full spectrum fluorescent for tanks.
Adding fish The waste of the fish nourishes the plants.
And in return, the plants will maintain the water condition which is better for the fish through carbon dioxide absorption and by releasing oxygen.
Water should be changed periodically You don't need the water to be changed as much as the fish do but it's best if you change the water for the benefit of your fish.
Do not use tubes in your plant bed when changing water, you may injure or kill them.
Instead, run the tubes on top of the soil where the plants are submerged and ensure not to damage them.
Remove existing algae These algae growing on your tank competes with your plant for light.
You can remove algae manually by scraping the walls of your tank weekly and by removing it from the leaves with the use of your fingers.
To decrease hassle on your part, you may put shrimps or catfish on your tank.
They are algae eaters.
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