Aquarium Plants; Proper Care, Bi Available Carbon (co2), Ferts, Substrate, Lighting, and More

For healthy plants you will need;

*Proper Lighting:

3-4 watts per gallon is a VERY basic principle, there is a lot more that goes into the equation than this. A couple is the light spectrum and temperature; Photosynthesis takes place at the blue end and even more so at the red end of the Nanometer curve (420 nm blue and 670 nm red). A bulb in the 5500- 6700 K range is generally best for plants. The Lux that reaches the plants is also important.

For MUCH more about lighting, please see my article “AQUARIUM LIGHTING, Kelvin, Nanometers and more”.

Generally around 12 hours per day is best, I recommend using a timer.

*Substrate;

This is provided by a good sandy base and careful cleaning so as to not disturb this. The roots are support symbiotic bacteria that aid in Nitrate assimilation and other processes.

For healthy plants I suggest a substrate of #00 sand mixed with Azoo Plant Grower Bed or Eco Complete about 3-5 cm deep with a layer of #3 gravel on top about 2 cm deep. This combination works well for plant roots, ease of vacuuming the top layer ONLY (where plant roots are), and for better bio filtration. You can substitute Azoo Plant Grower Bed with a sandy top soil (although usually not as good a source of iron), by preparing the soil thus; Gather sandy top soil, add water with a 10/1 bleach solution, mix for a couple of minutes, then rinse (with a de-chlorinator for first rinse) until the water runs relatively clear. The sand that is left is what you mix with your plant roots, please note that although an inexpensive route to go, this ‘homemade plant substrate is not as good as Azoo Plant Grower Bed or Eco-Complete.

Transplant is an important consideration in keeping healthy aquarium plants.

The environment (pH, GH, KH, nutrient mix, light conditions, ECT) are not going to be similar in your aquarium as where his plant was uprooted (without much care I suspect too). Extreme shock and sterile gravel are going to play havoc with the initial transplant in to the aquarium. This shock can last a long period of time (this varies by plant, water environment, and transplant method), after this period the plant will eventually start to grow new leaves and begin to grow.

*Bio Available Carbon (CO2) and a Proper gas exchange:

Reasonable surface agitation where gasses such as Oxygen and CO2 are added/ subtracted from the aquarium (although not violent of agitation) . You can add to the bio available carbon and CO2 levels through a product called , a CO2 generator, or by powdering some Ammo Carb (for carbon and Iron) into a fine powder and gently adding this with finger tips around the plants. The first two methods are more effective though.

This is where there is a lot of misunderstanding, the key is bio available. This why I find the Flourish Excel a useful product as this is bio-available organic carbon.

More About CO2 Units:

As for CO2 generators, there are many ways of going about this; a DIY, a store bought CO2 reactor, or a CO2 bottle unit such as the Sanders Floramat. For newbie’s I find the Sanders model the most foolproof.

I will also note that even though I have used CO2 generators, they are NOT essential (despite the common belief thrown around some plant forums), what they do is act as a fast forward for plant growth. I currently am not using them in my planted aquariums, what I am using are Azoo Plant Grower Bed Sea Chem Flourish Excel, and natural fish wastes.

Before I seem against these units, I am not. I am against misinformation thought both for and also against. One argument against these CO2 units is that running CO2 on planted tanks is not “natural”. This is the same arguments against UV Sterilizers (which I can boldly say I have researched VERY extensively). The aquarium is a closed environment and in this environment it sometimes necessary to use artificial means to achieve certain results such as strong plant growth with CO2 units or disease prevention, healthy Redox, and “unnaturally clear” water with UV Sterilizers. Some plants such as Rotala macrandra are nearly impossible to grow without CO2 Units. CO2 Units also help with “flattening” plant growth within the aquarium where otherwise some plants grow only to the surface with thin stem to seek out CO2 in the air (although good agitation and Sea Chem Flourish Excel will help here as well).

Of coarse there are dangers as well of diffusing too much CO2 into your aquarium, which can be dangerous to your fish, as levels over 25 ppm should be avoided!

You can calculate CO2 levels (which can only be controlled by adding or subtracting CO2 produced by your CO2 unit, not by kH or pH) using this formula:

CO2 (in ppm) = 3 times KH (as measured in degrees of carbonate hardness ONLY, not Phosphates!) times a factor of 10 deviation (+ lower/ - higher) form a PH of 7.0. Example: a KH of 1 with a pH of 6.0 would produce a CO2 level of 30 (1 * 3 * 10 = 30). A KH of 1 with a pH of 8.0 would produce a CO2 level of .3 (1 * 3 * .10 = .3)

For conversion of KH; 17.9 ppm = 1 dKH.

*Proper Nutrients 'Ferts':

Plant nutrients include nitrogen and phosphorous from fish food and waste and potassium that we add through the addition of ferts. Some trace elements and iron in very

small amounts can help. The fertilizer can be added to the substrate, water

or both. Another nutrient, carbon comes from CO2 in the atmosphere (again I prefer Sea Chem Flourish Excel ).

You will need a Nitrate level between 15-40 ppm, iron (best in the soil, which is where the laterite helps), LOW phosphate levels to help plants compete better with algae, and many other trace elements that should be present from fish waste with a proper feeding regimen.

Some other nutrients can be supplied by products such as Plant Tabs or in the case of trace elements, Wonder Shells.

*Other Factors:

-Good water circulation is important for gas exchange (CO2, Oxygen). Water circulation is also useful to avoid stagnant spots.

-I also recommend algae eating fish to control the inevitable algae. I recommend Otos for small or community tanks or Plecostomus for larger aquariums.

-A pH of between 6.5 and 7.8 works best in my opinion.

For my full article including; many useful links, aquarium plant information and care, Please read my full article here:

Aquarium Plants; Substrate, Ferts, CO2, Lighting, and other Factors. Also Aquarium Plant Information