Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
A slider turtle adapts to almost any type of enclosure as long as it is large enough and holds water; but an aquarium is ideal because it lets you watch your turtle from several angles. Red-eared and yellow-bellied sliders are commonly kept as pets. Although they differ in appearance, their needs are similar. Slider turtles are a long-term commitment -- with proper care, they can live 40 years or more.
Guppies require very little maintenance, making them a popular pet choice. They can survive a wide range of pH, salinity, and other water conditions. They do well in a variety of tank sizes and unless they are very crowded, do not mind sharing the tank. Although guppies are very easy to care for, keeping them healthy does require some thought, and a little aquarium salt goes a long way toward that goal.
Corydoras catfish are valued by aquarium enthusiasts because of their unusual appearance, which includes a flat body and sloped, almost trapezoidal head, and because they are scavengers that feed on unwanted organisms that breed in aquarium gravel. These bottom-feeding fish are also unusual in that they lay eggs in the aquarium rather than giving birth to live young. Adult corydoras catfish are also prone to eating their own eggs. Therefore, you need to separate the eggs and the adult fish and prepare a separate aquarium where you can watch the eggs as they safely hatch.
Aquariums are delicate ecosystems which lack the natural minerals of a natural habitat. Raising thriving plants in an aquarium requires providing the proper nutrients. Fertilizers come in three forms: granular fertilizer that is mixed into the substrate, tablets which release over time, and liquid fertilizer that is added into the water; most of these contain iron and manganese. It's important to monitor the pH levels and water hardness levels to keep your plants healthy and to determine whether a sickly plant's problem is overfeeding or water quality.
Crabs function as a "cleaner crew" in saltwater aquariums, eating leftover food and algae within an aquarium. Hermit crabs, arrow crabs and emerald crabs live well in most saltwater and reef aquariums, as long as certain care and feeding requirements are met.
Making a water bottle aquarium with kids can be a fun and educational activity. This is a simple craft that turns a water bottle into an aquarium. Aquariums are simple for children to maintain and can teach responsibility and recycling at the same time. This project can be a way for teachers to introduce students to the concept of recycling.
Keeping tropical fish in an aquarium with live plants is one of the best things you can do for your fish. Live plants provide safe places for fish to hide, they replicate their natural habitat but, best of all, they help remove toxins from the water.
Keeping live plants in your aquarium has a number of important benefits, including better oxygen content in the water and a more natural look and feel for the tank. Unfortunately, many new hobbyists give up on live plants after a few failed attempts. While some species of aquarium plants are quite challenging to grow, others are very easy. Choosing easy-to-grow plants that tolerate high pH levels can make all the difference.
The addition of live aquarium plants to a tropical fish tank helps fish-keepers create a far more natural environment for their freshwater fish. Live plants add valuable oxygen to the water column while helping to absorb dangerous chemicals such as ammonia and nitrite. Caring for freshwater aquarium plants requires careful preparation if the tank is to be properly managed, but with some basic outlines in mind, your aquarium can be converted into a little slice of tropical paradise in no time.
Aquatic plants, just like other aquatic life, require proper nutrition in order to thrive. Aquatic plants' nutritional requirements are different from those of plants that grow on land, and this is what allows them to thrive in an underwater environment. When creating a planted aquarium or installing plants in a freshwater or marine aquarium, adequate nutrition is an important consideration.
Live aquarium plants use the carbon dioxide that fish expel to produce oxygen. In return, the fish use the oxygen created by the plants, for respiration. The propagation of aquarium plants occurs in a number of ways. Propagation through cuttings, runners and tubers are most common. Some aquatic plants, such as Lotus and Aponogetons, grow from bulbs. Much like bulbs that grow in soil, aquarium bulbs require burial in a planting medium.
Quality artificial plants in an aquarium sub for the real thing quite nicely, but many aquarium owners take pride in a tank filled with healthy live plants. They contribute nutrients to the ecosystem, and they help keep the tank clean. Keeping healthy plants requires what's called "dosing," which is simply adding nutrients to the water that are good for the plants and not bad for the fish. PMDD (Poor Man's Dosing Drops) is an inexpensive mix of nutrient compounds that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of any tank.
Live plants create a relaxing, natural aquarium environment for non-plant-eating fish. Nutrients in the water and the flora's ability to photosynthesize determine the feeding and health of aquarium plants. Plant production of food and energy requires carbon, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and sulfur. These elements should be in the aquarium substrate. Fish play an important role in feeding aquarium plants. Fish produce carbon dioxide gas, which is essential for photosynthesis.
LED lighting is a fairly new development in the world of fishkeeping, but its affordability, energy efficiency and ideal light spectrum make it a perfect choice for aquaculturists. LED light fixtures give aquariums a marine-like, blue-violet ambiance similar to moonlight; in fact, these fixtures are commonly used as night-lights for saltwater aquariums. Unlike fluorescent and metal halide bulbs, LED bulbs are subtle and relatively dim. However, because of their high-wavelength light spectrum, LED bulbs are surprisingly useful for growing plants of all kinds, including notoriously temperamental species like red African hygro.
The best way to grow lily pads in an aquarium is to start with the bulbs of dwarf water lilies. Dwarf water lilies are small hardy pond plants that will do well in a cold water tank with goldfish as well as a freshwater tropical tank. They make a great addition to a goldfish tank where the goldfish produce plenty of waste for the lily to use as fertilizer. Dwarf water lilies can produce beautiful pads and help remove toxins, which will help you maintain a clean tank.
Plant leaves turning brown or transparent indicate that the leaves are dying, and may lead to the eventual death of the plant in question. Dying plants can also be an indication of overall aquarium health.
Aquatic plants are plants that must grow in water or fully saturated soil. The plants have thin stems, which allow for easy water transport. The structure of aquatic plants is less rigid that of other plants because the water pressure in their environment supports them. Aquatic plants survive through carbon dioxide and photosynthesis. Without light, the plants cannot produce food. Aquatic plants can often suffer from deficiencies.
Giant Baby Tears (Micranthemum umbrosum) is a creeping aquatic plant that can be used as a groundcover in aquariums. It should be planted in the foreground of the tank, so the other plants do not hide it. A large tank is better for Giant Baby Tears, because it grows rapidly. Giant Baby Tears is one of the Micranthemum species native to the Southeastern United States. It grows in ditches, small pools and slow-moving streams. The plant stems and leaves grow above water in the summer, but grow under water in the winter.
Aquarium plants do poorly and even die in fish tanks for many reasons. Tanks must have a balance of light, carbon dioxide, appropriate substrate and nutrients for the plants to thrive. The plants will prosper by correcting a few of these conditions.
Aquatic plants for the most part are hardy. They are not susceptible to disease as fish are. Most of the time plant disease will occur because of a larger problem. Poor lighting conditions and lack of nutrients and trace elements can all lead to poor plant health in your aquarium. Making adjustments to your tanks conditions or inhabitants will help improve the health of your plants.
Aquarium plant fertilizer can help to encourage fast cycling and plant growth, while minimizing plant die-off, nitrate buildup and algae blooms. Homemade fertilizers for aquarium plants are simple and inexpensive to create; they can help to maintain the vitality of a complete aquatic ecosystem.
Live plants can add an aesthetically pleasing look to any freshwater fish tank. They are functional as well. Plants turn the carbon dioxide that is emitted by the fish into oxygen, which the fish again absorb. While plastic plants may look real and require less maintenance, live plants in a freshwater tank yield healthier and more vibrant-colored fish.
Reproducing aquarium plants at home can be done using one of three techniques. The first is tissue culture, which requires an expensive, sterile environment and is likely not practical for the home aquarist. The second is sexual propagation---cultivation from seed---which may also be a bit more challenge than you are looking for. The third is vegetative or asexual propagation, which is the simplest way to propagate aquarium plants. Vegetative or asexual propagation just means that you take a piece of a plant and use it to start a new one. In this example, we will use an easy-to-grow plant called…
Growing aquarium plants requires using daylight bulbs in a special lighting unit, introducing CO2 into the aquarium and adding iron every once in a while. Create a small ecosystem in an aquarium using live plants with instructions from a koi breeder and aquarium specialist in this free video on fish care.
Freshwater aquarium plants need as much care and maintenance as the fish that are in the tank. The growth and well-being of your aquatic plants will depend on your attention to their nutrition and environmental needs. Here's how to care for them.
