Presented by Jackie O’Neil Pictures by Jackie

Planting ~ where to start? You might find it helpful to draw your plant design on paper first, considering placement and taking into consideration the mature height of each plant. Look at different types of plants that will suit your needs and likes and how they will interact with your lighting and the time you have to take care of them. Use glass bowls or clay pots to plant in. Sterilize pots in boiling water for 5 minutes. Shop the thrift stores for great shapes, sizes and heights, or just plant in your substrate. Use a fortified substrate such as Eco-complete and/or fertilizer root tabs to provide essential nutrients. Consider using a liquid fertilizer once a week and organic carbon liquid every other day. Alternatively you could set up a carbon dioxide fertilization system if you like. Different plants have different lighting requirements. Do your homework.

Get rid of hitch-hikers Below are suggested types of ways to disinfect plants. I would strongly suggest the use of some type of “dip” to rid your new plants of snails and other intruders that could be harmful to your aquarium and it’s inhabitants. Better to be safe than sorry! Please research these plants dips and choose wisely to what suits your needs and follow directions.  Potassium Permanganate. Sold at Walmart by Jungle Laboratories, called Clear Water.  Chlorine bleach.  Alum which is aluminum sulfate and can be found in grocery stores in the spice aisle.

Aponogeton Crispus  Aponogetons are grown from bulbs. They are graceful in a tank.  Likes nutrient rich substrate. Medium lite.  Only plant the roots not the stem of the plant.

Sword plant Echinodorus  There are many different species, some are very tall with different coloration others are much smaller, depending on where you wish to plant them – take your pick.  Angels love to spawn on the leaves of Echinodorus. Good alternative to a spawning slate. I have at least one in each tank for my angels.  Plant only the roots. Low to medium light.

Ancharis, Egeria densa  One of the easiest aquatic plants to keep.  Medium light. Fast grower and is a great oxygenating plant. Good background plant and can be easily trimmed.  Makes great food for crayfish and plant eating fish.

Anubias This plant has a rhizome root system which means the root grows horizontally. Never plant the rhizome as this would result in root rot. Plant only the air roots. Requires low light. I have tied this Anubias with thread to driftwood.

Water wisteria Hygrophila difformis  The rapid growth of this feathery plant may help prevent algae as it absorbs a great number of nutrients from the water competing with algae.  Water wisteria is a fast grower. When trimming, allow the trimmed part of the plant to float until it produces roots. Then plant.  Needs bright light to be at it’s best.

African Fern, Bolbitis heudelotii. This African Fern has a rhizome root system. It is tied to the driftwood with button & carpet thread. Growth is very slow at first, be patience. This one is about three years old. It likes to be in a soft current, slightly acidic water but mine does fine in alkaline water. Grows very nicely in low to medium light.