Mary Allen
The main thing is green? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that! Aquariums are sensitive ecosystems in which not only the fish need care. When choosing aquatic plants, you should keep their requirements in mind. DeinTierwelt gives tips on greening.
In the aquarium, it does not just look like that count. Beginners should therefore green with care, advises the “Industrieverband Heimtierbedarf” (IVH). And don’t overwhelm yourself at the beginning. This danger exists, especially with native plants.
“Native plants have a seasonal rhythm and are difficult to cultivate and care for,” warns Maike Wilstermann-Hildebrand, managing director of the “Zierfischfreunde Warendorf” association.
A mixture of fast and slow-growing, tropical and subtropical plants is better.
Fast-growing plants in particular supply the aquarium with oxygen and counteract algae. A few examples are Vallisneria, Echinodorus (Amazon sword plants), Cryptocoryne, and various stem plant species such as the Indian water friend, the large fat leaf, and the small ambulia.
“Fast-growing Aquatic Plants Forgive Maintenance Errors”
“Many fast-growing aquatic plants sometimes forgive one or the other care mistake that one inevitably makes as a beginner,” says the expert.
Wilstermann-Hildebrand recommends beginners to work with around eight to ten stems per plant in a 60-centimeter long aquarium. The following rule of thumb applies to the distances between each other: The planting distance should roughly correspond to the stem diameter. After the first planting, it is also advisable not to change the aquarium for three to four months.