INDEX:
1.- TIPS FOR AQUARIUM PLANTS.
2.- SPECIES OF AQUARIUM PLANTS FOR BEGINNERS.
2.1.- ANUBIAS BARTERI VAR. BARTERI.
2.2.- CERATOPHYLLUM DEMERSUM.
2.3.- DUBYANA VESICULARIA.
2.4.- MICROSORUM PTEROPUS.
2.5.- ECHINODORUS PARVIFLORUS.
2.6.- EGERIA DENSA OR ELODEA DENSA.
2.7.- VALLISNERIA SPIRALIS.
2.8.- CRYPTOCORYNES.
2.9.- ECHINODORUS.
2.10.- AMBULIA OR LIMNOPHILA SESSILIFLORA.
2.11.- HYGROPHILA POLYSPERMA.
2.12.- CLADOPHORA MOSS.
1.- TIPS FOR AQUARIUM PLANTS:
Natural plants assume a great role in our aquariums, providing us with great benefits, but we must know very well what type of plants we are introducing into our aquariums.
To help you get off to the best possible start, here are the most suitable beginner aquarium plants.
The maintenance of these living beings also entails a learning process and, in order not to overcomplicate ourselves and that we can maintain a positive rate of evolution, the ideal is to start with simple aquarium plants that do not generate great headaches.
Within the plant kingdom, we have aquarium plants that need more or less attention.
Aquarium plants for beginners fall into the second group, the one that requires the least attention to look perfect.
Thus, aquarium plants for beginners must meet a number of requirements:
- Survive with normal aquarium lighting.
- Easily adapt to all types of water parameters.
- No need for additional Co2.
- Be easy to compost, or require no compost at all.
- Be resistant, both to the conditions of the aquarium, and to the attacks of the fish.
- You do not need a specific aquarium substrate.
Including natural plants in the aquarium increases the difficulty of its maintenance for a beginner.
Getting your fish to live happy and healthy is a challenge when starting out, adding plants can be very stressful.
Aware of the need to properly choose which aquarium plants may be suitable for beginners, at Glu Glu Pet we recommend the best ones to be useful to them.
If we are looking for simple aquarium plants, we must choose among those that have low requirements.
That they do not have very specific care and their maintenance is as comfortable as possible without the appearance of major problems.
In this way, we find ourselves before plants that are characterized by:
- They do not need a fertilization routine, you will only have to add potassium and make small adjustments if any plant requires it.
- A low or medium lighting level will suffice.
- It is not necessary to add CO2.
With a simple substrate will be more than enough.
For the correct maintenance of the plants, a medium granulometry is recommended that allows an optimal rooting.
Low-requirement plants are perfect to start off on the right foot and is the best way to get into the planted aquarium.
There are species of aquarium plants that are easy to care for, hardy and perfectly suitable for beginners in the aquarium hobby.
True works of art and contest aquascapes can be set up with low-requirement aquarium plants.
The plants in this ranking should suit most aquariums:
- They do not necessarily require a complex subscriber.
- Basic fluorescent lighting is enough for them.
- They can live in almost all conditions of water parameters, even in hard water, with high gH.
- They can grow without CO2, although it is always advisable to include it.
2.- SPECIES OF AQUARIUM PLANTS FOR BEGINNERS.
2.1.- ANUBIAS BARTERI VAR. BARTERI.
Common name: Broadleaf Anubias.
Origin: West Africa.
Description: Plant with robust and resistant leaves, like all those of the Anubias genus. Capable of adapting to numerous lighting conditions, temperature and water parameters. It is not essential to pay.
It has a main root that must NOT be buried in the substrate, but must be fixed to a rock or trunk using thread, rope or similar. If you bury the rhizome it may break and the plant will die.
The leaves are thick and robust, making them a beginner aquarium plant that is very compatible with herbivorous fish.
The brighter the lighting, the faster the leaves will grow and the narrower their shape. In low light conditions the leaves are broad and have a slow growth rate.
Growth rate: Slow.
Optimal parameters: pH from 5.5 to 8.5. gH from 6 to 12.
Maximum height: 30 cm.
Reproduction: From the rhizome (main root) or from the lateral shoots of Anubias barteri.
Aquarium area: Back or middle of the aquarium.
Lighting: It grows in almost any lighting condition. The more light it has, the faster it will grow, but it is not essential.
Temperature: 22 to 28ºC.
Anubias are undoubtedly one of the best options for beginners.
Anywhere you ask about easy plants for your aquarium, anubias will be one of the first answers you get.
They are plants native to the rivers of West Africa, also belonging to the Araceae genus, which stand out from the rest of the types of plants due to the hardness and texture of their leaves.
As in the rest of the alternatives, we also find a large number of different varieties, differentiated mainly by the size of the leaves and their shape.
They are rhizome plants and should never be buried in the substrate, but must be tied to various materials such as logs and stones.
When they are in perfect condition, they can enter the flowering phase in our aquarium, surprising us with a beautiful and striking flower like the one in the previous image.
Of all the existing varieties, the most widespread are: barteri, nana and bonsai. Recently, pinto anubias have become fashionable, presenting a very striking variation: the leaves alternate shades of white and green.
In addition, of those mentioned you can find multiple options such as Coffeefolia, Gracilis, Guilletti or Angustifolia among many others.
Its reproduction is asexual, that is, we can make rhizome divisions (as long as each new rhizome has at least 3-4 leaves).
Pruning will depend on the shape you want to emphasize that they should not receive direct lighting as they are very prone to green dot algae.
2.2.- CERATOPHYLLUM DEMERSUM.
Common name: Foxtail.
Origin: Distributed all over the world.
Description: It is one of the hardiest beginner aquarium plants. It can be used as a plant with a vertical stem and anchored to the substrate or as a floating plant.
It does not have roots, but it develops small rhizomes that help it stick to the ground. Pieces of the plant break off very easily, which will become new individuals of Ceratophyllum demersum.
It is recommended to bury the stem in thick layers of substrate, so that they are not constantly dug up.
They generate dense areas of vegetation, ideal for juveniles and small fish.
Growth rate: Fast.
Optimum parameters: Soft water (low gH), and neutral or slightly acidic pH (6.5 to 7).
Maximum height: 50 cm.
Reproduction: From the stem pieces that break off and from lateral shoots.
Aquarium zone: Bottom of the aquarium, middle zone or floating.
Lighting: Moderate.
Temperature: 18 to 28ºC. It can be used in cold water aquariums.
2.3.- DUBYANA VESICULARIA:
Common name: Java moss.
Origin: Southeast Asia. Java, Sumatra, Borneo...
Description: One of the easiest aquatic plants to maintain. Perfect for beginners and used by the most pro aquascapists. It does not have roots, so you will have to anchor it to a trunk, stone or decorative element using a string or thread.
Once fixed and adapted, the Java Moss will spread throughout the aquarium upholstering anything it finds, forming a dense network of stems.
Gives any fish tank a jungle or woodland look. It provides a perfect micro-habitat for shrimp, minnows and fry.
They are resistant to any attack: they do not need a substrate, lighting, or any type of fertilizer to grow. They adapt to wide ranges of water hardness and pH.
All these characteristics make Java moss one of the most valued and widespread aquarium plants for beginners on the market.
Growth rate: Fast.
Optimum parameters: pH from 5 to 8, preferring acidic waters with a pH below 7. gH up to 30, although softer waters are preferable.
Maximum height: It grows expanding to the sides, upholstering the decoration. The stems can measure up to 2 cm.
Reproduction: By division. Separating a filament and placing it in another place.
Aquarium zone: Front, middle or floating. On logs or rocks.
Lighting: Not very high. Excessive lighting can be detrimental to Java moss by promoting algae growth on its filaments. It goes well with fluorescents.
Temperature: 15 to 28ºC.
2.4.- MICROSORUM PTEROPUS:
Common name: Java fern.
Origin: Southeast Asia.
Description: An aquarium plant that is easy to maintain and very versatile in terms of conditions. Its roots are prepared to be tied to rocks and trunks, where we must tie the plant using thread, string or something similar. It is an incredibly beautiful plant as well as resistant.
It gives a leafy effect to the aquarium, and well used it can be an exceptional decorative element. It can adapt to a wide variety of conditions and does not require much light.
In addition, it is a herbivorous fish-proof plant, since it has chemical substances that repel them.
Growth rate: Slow. Older leaves will take on a whitish hue. At that time they will have to be removed.
Optimum parameters: pH between 5.5 and 8. gH between 4 and 20ºd.
Maximum height: 25 cm.
Reproduction: Adventitious seedlings.
Aquarium zone: Bottom of the aquarium or middle zone.
Lighting: Does not require high or moderate lighting. In fact, it must be protected against too bright light.
Temperature: 18 to 28ºC.
The Microsorum, or ferns, are a classic in planted aquariums. The flexibility that they allow when decorating the aquarium together with how undemanding they are, make them one of the best options if you are starting with plants and do not want big messes.
They are rhizome plants that you must fix or tie to a trunk or stone (never bury the rhizome or the plant will die).
The leaves are light green, but as they get older they darken and some black dots appear that will cover the entire leaf.
When we observe the latter, the most advisable thing is to do a sanitation pruning by cutting the oldest leaves.
There are different varieties and almost all of them require the same care, so you can choose between different varieties such as Microsorum Pteropus var. Trident, Pteropus or Crisped.
They appreciate shaded areas, as they do not like direct light and reproduce by means of small shoots at the end of the leaves, from which new small plants are born. Also, they are recommended for cold water aquariums due to the wide temperature range they accept.
The Java fern is a classic in any selection of aquarium plants for beginners.
They are plants native to Southeast Asia that are very simple to care for and maintain, but above all they adapt very well to almost all types of conditions.
If we have an aquarium with a high density of fish, we will be able to observe how our fern grows much more and has a better color, that is because they are great allies with the waste that comes from the fish.
Main characteristics of the Java fern:
- Water quality: pH between 5 and 8, gH between 4º and 20º.
- Height: They have a slow growth, which can reach 35 cm.
- Reproduction: They have a creeping rhizome, which can be divided when new leaves sprout.
- Location in the aquarium: Central or rear.
- Lighting: Prefers medium lighting. Does not like too high lighting.
- Temperature: Between 18ºC and 30ºC.
Be careful, not all aquarium ferns are Microsorum, there are also Ceratopteris, which are a little more delicate than the ones we have just presented.
2.5.- ECHINODORUS PARVIFLORUS:
Common name: Black Echinodorus.
Origin: South America.
Description: One of the most common and popular plant species. It is perfect for small aquariums, since it only reaches 25 cm in length. In addition, it is a highly resistant plant and capable of adapting to a wide range of conditions (like all the aquarium plants for beginners in this ranking).
It does not require a complex subscriber, although it does require a fine substrate enriched with iron (don't worry, such substrates are marketed). If you do not have a substrate like this and you have already set up the aquarium, you can provide them with a simple fertilizer in tablets.
Old dead leaves should be removed to prevent algae from growing on them.
Growth rate: Medium.
Optimum parameters: pH from 5.5 to 8. gH from 2 to 10ºd.
Maximum height: 25 cm.
Reproduction: Seedlings that are born at the base of the plant. They can be transplanted.
Aquarium area: Bottom or middle plane of the aquarium.
Lighting: Adapts to all types of luminosity. Although the ideal is to provide high lighting.
Temperature: 22 to 28ºC.
2.6.- EGERIA DENSA OR ELODEA DENSA:
Common name: Elodea.
Origin: USA Currently spread worldwide. In fact, it is an invasive species that should not be introduced into the wild under any circumstances.
Description: Highly adaptable, easy to maintain and fast growing. Small and numerous leaves, which give the plant a leafy appearance. It can inhabit aquariums with high temperatures and high luminosity.
It is not widely used in aquascaping, because it is a useful plant (quickly absorbs excess nutrients in the water, preventing algae, and oxygenates the water) and beautiful, but it does not have the desired look for the most famous aquascapes.
Growth rate: Fast.
Optimal parameters: Prefers hard water, and a pH of 5 to 8.
Maximum height: 50 cm.
Reproduction: Pieces of detached stem.
Aquarium zone: Bottom of the aquarium and middle zone.
Lighting: Moderate.
Temperature: 18 to 26ºC.
2.7.- VALLISNERIA SPIRALIS:
Common name: Valisneria Estrecha.
Origin: Tropical and subtropical regions, Southeast Asia, southern Europe and North Africa.
Description: One of the most popular species of the Vallisneria genus, due to its resistance to a wide range of conditions and its leafy appearance, which can create a curtain of vegetation in the back of the aquarium.
Its leaves are shaped like fine ribbons, which reach great height and grow rapidly. The ends stain brown when exposed to high lighting.
It can be perfectly maintained without the addition of CO2, although the plant greatly appreciates that extra contribution.
Growth rate: Fast.
Optimum parameters: Preferably slightly acidic waters, but it adapts to pH between 6 and 7.5 and gH between 2 and 30ºd.
Maximum height: 60 cm.
Reproduction: It reproduces through stolons that spread through the substrate at the base of the mother plant. Very poor lighting can cause these stolons to die and the daughter plants to fail to develop.
Aquarium zone: Background exclusively, due to the height of the leaves.
Lighting: Moderate. It grows best in high lighting.
Temperature: 15 to 29ºC. It can be introduced in cold water aquariums.
Vallisnerias are also another genus of plant genera with the greatest presence in aquariums.
Both its resistance and its great proliferation make it one of the most suitable to start with plants in aquariums.
It belongs to those commonly known as cosmopolitan plants due to its great geographical expansion across the different continents.
It presents a formation of leaves in the shape of perfect ribbons to make a curtain of plants at the bottom of the aquariums that give a natural appearance with the movement produced by the current.
They reproduce by means of stolons and with amazing speed, so if you do not want your entire aquarium to be invaded in a matter of months, you will have to carry out continuous pruning.
The latter is very simple, you simply have to cut the stolons through which it reproduces and replace the older ones or pass them on to a partner.
There are different varieties, among which the Vallisneria Gigantea, Spirales and Nana stand out.
When pruning aquariums, never flush them down the drain or release them into the wild.
You will be contributing to the destruction of the balance of an ecosystem by introducing new species that can make native living beings disappear from the place where you live, thus creating serious problems for the development of nature.
2.8.- CRYPTOCORYNES:
Rosette plants from Southeast Asia and belonging to the Araceae genus that will give an incredible natural look to your aquarium.
They are ideal for the most shaded areas, mainly the sides of the urn where, as a general rule, the light from the screen does not directly affect the plants.
It reproduces through stolons and in good conditions it will create a massif like the one you can see in the image.
If anything characterizes the cryptocorines, it is the large number of different varieties that exist, being able to find from small sizes such as the cryptocorine parva to the largest with the wendtii, which exceed 25 cm in height.
Regarding the shape, most of the species, although with minor modifications, have lance-shaped leaves.
In summary, they are very resistant plants that will give a great naturalness to any setting.
Although they can withstand a wide range of parameters, you should know that every time they are transplanted to another place in the aquarium or there is a change in its conditions, they tend to suffer and lose a few leaves during the adaptation period.
2.9.- ECHINODORUS:
We find the famous Amazonian sword.
The echinodorus is a very widespread genus of plants in the aquarium hobby due to its ease of maintenance and its large size. They are great consumers of nitrogenous compounds, so they will help to maintain the water parameters properly.
They are plants from South America and there are more than 50 different varieties, which differ mainly by the shape of the leaf and some small variation in the color and pigmentation of the leaves. They are one of the best options for large aquariums, because due to their large size, you will be able to fill a considerable part of your aquarium with just one plant.
They are also rosette plants but in this case larger than the one previously seen.
Depending on the variety, we can find echinodorus with a height and width that ranges from 20 to more than 50 cm. In addition, the vast majority of varieties have sword- or spear-shaped leaves.
As for its maintenance, it is advisable to prune those leaves that could present a worse appearance.
Due to its great consumption of nutrients, periodic water changes must be carried out and, over time when you learn about fertilization in aquariums, an extra supply of nutrients is necessary.
Its reproduction is through shoots that we must plant and separate from the mother plant.
2.10.- AMBULIA OR LIMNOPHILA SESSILIFLORA:
The ambulia is one of the plants that every novice aquarist in the subject of plants must have.
It is fast growing and consumes a large amount of nutrients, among which ammonia and nitrates stand out, so it will purify the water so that it is perfect for our fish.
Although it is true that it will not work in any aquarium with any characteristic, its rapid growth will allow us to carry out continuous pruning to replant and clean up those stems that may be affected by low light in most cases.
In this way, in aquariums with low lighting it will have a "spiky" growth in which there will be a large separation between the nodes that make up the stem of the plant.
On the contrary, in aquariums with medium lighting, the growth will be more compact and will create a spectacular background with a very lively and striking green.
The shape of the ambulia and the large number of infusoria that originate from it, makes it one of the most recommended plants for fry or ovoviviparous aquariums where the little ones need continuous food sustenance and also a shelter that allow you to hide from the bigger ones.
Before moving on to the next plant and to finish with the limnophila sessiliflora, we want to comment on something very common about this plant in low-requirement aquariums, and that is that it is very common to observe that the plant grows at an exorbitant rate and suddenly stops and begins to show deficiencies.
If this happens to you, it is best to perform a sanitation pruning, pruning is very simple, you will only have to cut the stem to the height you want but always trying to ensure that the new plant has some aerial root and at least 3 nodes to guarantee rapid rooting and begin to make a regular supply of macronutrients.
2.11.- HYGROPHILA POLYSPERMA:
Hygrophila Polysperma is a very resistant stem plant with great adaptability to different conditions, which is why it is highly recommended for beginner aquarists.
Although it is true that to get the most out of this plant we will need medium lighting, it usually has a fast growth and will develop perfectly.
In the same way as the Ambulia, with low lighting it will grow with a lot of separation between the nodes because it will look for the light source. However, with a good contribution in terms of lighting, it will grow compact and create a beautiful forest in the back of the aquarium.
As in the rest of the genera, there are different varieties of hygrophilas but the most recommended for beginners are Polysperma and Corymbosa.
In addition, within the Polysperma you can find different varieties (they are a little more delicate) like the one you can see in the following image, Hygrophila Polysperma Rosanervig.
2.12.- CLADOPHORA MOSS:
Cladophora moss balls are becoming very popular, because they require virtually no care, do not need substrate to grow, and help improve ammonia levels.
It must be said that in reality the Cladophora moss is not exactly a plant, it is rather a ball of green algae, which has a point of mud in the center.
You do not need to do anything, you place them on the substrate and you give life to your aquarium in seconds.
Characteristics:
- Water quality: pH between 6 and 8.5. GH between 9º and 30º, tolerates well the concentrations of calcium and magnesium in hard water.
- Height: It can reach up to 22 cm in diameter.
- Reproduction: By division. You divide the balls and little by little they take on the aspect of a ball again.
- Situation in the aquarium: Especially in the foreground when they are small.
- Lighting: Tolerates all types of lighting, although they will grow faster in strong lighting.
- Temperature: 5ºC to 28ºC.
- Extremely dense and guaranteed to be healthy.
- One of the easiest aquatic plants to care for; does not require special lighting.
- It can be kept in any freshwater aquarium, or even a vase, jar, terrarium, or fish tank.
- These Nano marimo balls are 1 inch or more in size, while other brands sell them as 0.5 inches.
Pruning is very simple, in the same way as ambulia and practically all stem plants, cut with scissors in the area you want, making the cut as close as possible to the node of the leaves.
In the event that you want to replant, you will have to leave at least 4 nodes.
In summary, a very grateful plant that will stand out a lot in the aquarium and that, thanks to its rapid growth, will help create a perfect balance in the consumption of nutrients together with the rest of its green companions.
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