Subject: Types of Aquarium Plants
There are two basic types of plants for aquariums, stemmed plants and basal rosette plants.
Plants that grow upward and are leafy or along the bottom of the tank are called identified as stemmed plants.
For More Information Visit:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp24.htm
Basal rosette plants grow with the nodes close together, and the root area resembles a rosette, their leaves and roots appear to grow from one center.
Floating plants are actually another type of plants that can be either stemmed or basal rosette; however, they do not have to be attached to the ground.
Many aquarium plants started out as swamp plants, which grew in and bloomed in the air. However, they adapted to the floods that are common in the tropics so they can be cultivated underwater. These frequently grow outside of the tank and must be trimmed on a regular basis to keep them inside the aquarium.
There are around 200 plants that are useful for aquarium use; a good aquarium plant book will provide you with any information you wish to know about them. Some of the more common and most frequently used plants are:
* Mosses -- a primitive plant identified by bank-like, forked articulate (jointed) plant bodies. While some mosses are used as floating decoration, they are an excellent substrate for spawning; they can also be attached to roots, rocks or the back wall of your tank. They will soon overgrown the attachment points and appear to be growing naturally.
* Ferns -- normally have coarse leaves and are ideal for an aquarium because they are harder for fish to eat. As a matter of fact, fish seldom eat ferns. They are also very easy to grow in darker areas as they are not too particular about the amount of light they require.
Ferns multiply with little effort and should be considered for their decorative qualities. As ferns age, they have a tendency to get black spots; these leaves should be removed.
Take a look at:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp24.htm
Planting your aquarium is strictly controlled by your tastes and desires. A good book on aquarium plants can be obtained from your pet store; however, many books on aquariums also contain a section on plants.
Be Sure To Visit:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp24.htm
Thank you,
Bill Anderson
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp24.htm
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Monday, March 02, 2009
Subject: To Aerate, or Not to Aerate?
The beginner aquarist may believe that an aerator, or air pump, is an essential part of an aquarium. While this was a strongly held belief in the past, there are some who no longer abide by this belief.
The plants and fish in our aquarium create quite differing reactions to the proportions of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) in the aquarium.
For More Information Visit:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp23.htm
While plants use carbon dioxide and create oxygen, the fish use oxygen and create carbon dioxide.
This also occurs with the plants in the dark -- they no longer create oxygen, but carbon dioxide. This puts them in competition with the fish for oxygen in the dark!
When fish stand around gasping in a beautiful, plant-filled aquarium, it is not from a lack of oxygen but from an excess of carbon dioxide! Aerators are switched on to remove the carbon dioxide to enhance the exchange of the carbon dioxide with oxygen.
This situation only occurs in aquariums with an abundance of plants and ones that are overstocked with fish.
A well-balanced aquarium can be maintained without aeration, at least during the day; and fertilization with carbon dioxide should only be done during the day, when photosynthesis can be used by the plants to absorb this excess.
With an aquarium that is lacking in sufficient plants or crowded tanks, an aerator can save the lives of the fish!
However, by using a filter that creates an adequate overturn of water, we can again avoid the aerator.
Take a look at:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp23.htm
In most instances, a filter will be sufficient and preferable to an aerator.
Another positive effect of water turnover is that there are no warm areas in your tank. In some aquariums, the surface of the water is several degrees warmer than the water in the bottom. This temperature change is not healthy for either the fish or the plants.
Aerators can be best used for preparing fish to breed or when raising young. A good filter will eliminate the need for an aerator.
Be Sure To Visit:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp23.htm
Thank you,
Bill Anderson
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp23.htm
The beginner aquarist may believe that an aerator, or air pump, is an essential part of an aquarium. While this was a strongly held belief in the past, there are some who no longer abide by this belief.
The plants and fish in our aquarium create quite differing reactions to the proportions of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) in the aquarium.
For More Information Visit:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp23.htm
While plants use carbon dioxide and create oxygen, the fish use oxygen and create carbon dioxide.
This also occurs with the plants in the dark -- they no longer create oxygen, but carbon dioxide. This puts them in competition with the fish for oxygen in the dark!
When fish stand around gasping in a beautiful, plant-filled aquarium, it is not from a lack of oxygen but from an excess of carbon dioxide! Aerators are switched on to remove the carbon dioxide to enhance the exchange of the carbon dioxide with oxygen.
This situation only occurs in aquariums with an abundance of plants and ones that are overstocked with fish.
A well-balanced aquarium can be maintained without aeration, at least during the day; and fertilization with carbon dioxide should only be done during the day, when photosynthesis can be used by the plants to absorb this excess.
With an aquarium that is lacking in sufficient plants or crowded tanks, an aerator can save the lives of the fish!
However, by using a filter that creates an adequate overturn of water, we can again avoid the aerator.
Take a look at:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp23.htm
In most instances, a filter will be sufficient and preferable to an aerator.
Another positive effect of water turnover is that there are no warm areas in your tank. In some aquariums, the surface of the water is several degrees warmer than the water in the bottom. This temperature change is not healthy for either the fish or the plants.
Aerators can be best used for preparing fish to breed or when raising young. A good filter will eliminate the need for an aerator.
Be Sure To Visit:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp23.htm
Thank you,
Bill Anderson
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp23.htm
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Subject: Thinning Your Aquarium Plants
Superseding and correcting the landscaping is part of the monthly care of your aquarium.
Using a scissors or your fingernails remove any dead or brown leaves from the plants.
Shorten plants that have grown too tall by cutting them below the stipules (joints of the plant), removing the lower leaves, and replanting the new shoots that have been formed by this trimming.
For More Information Visit:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp22.htm
The less attractive lower leaf can be removed unless you wish to grow more of these plants -- in which case you should leave the stem parts in the soil, as they will usually grow new shoots.
Verify that individual groups of plants have not sent stringers into other groups of plants and become twisted.
The purpose of thinning your plants is to allow more light into the aquarium, thus allowing the plants to grow more.
Remember that each time you transplant a plant from one location to another it needs time to acclimate to that location. The thing to remember when your aquarium is well established is to transplant only when it is really necessary.
The plants that float on the surface absorb a lot of the light, and the plants in the lower layers have to fight for light. As pretty as floating plants are, they take away a lot of light from the lower plants and should be kept to a minimum.
Thin only when it is absolutely necessary, usually because you have too many plants. At the same time try to preserve the combination of the plants as you originally planted them.
Take a look at:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp22.htm
In the first few months after planting, it is important to touch the plants as little as possible. But once your aquarium has become established, you can exchange those groupings that you don't like or are not attractive with other, more decorative plants.
Be Sure To Visit:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp22.htm
Thank you,
Bill Anderson
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp22.htm
Superseding and correcting the landscaping is part of the monthly care of your aquarium.
Using a scissors or your fingernails remove any dead or brown leaves from the plants.
Shorten plants that have grown too tall by cutting them below the stipules (joints of the plant), removing the lower leaves, and replanting the new shoots that have been formed by this trimming.
For More Information Visit:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp22.htm
The less attractive lower leaf can be removed unless you wish to grow more of these plants -- in which case you should leave the stem parts in the soil, as they will usually grow new shoots.
Verify that individual groups of plants have not sent stringers into other groups of plants and become twisted.
The purpose of thinning your plants is to allow more light into the aquarium, thus allowing the plants to grow more.
Remember that each time you transplant a plant from one location to another it needs time to acclimate to that location. The thing to remember when your aquarium is well established is to transplant only when it is really necessary.
The plants that float on the surface absorb a lot of the light, and the plants in the lower layers have to fight for light. As pretty as floating plants are, they take away a lot of light from the lower plants and should be kept to a minimum.
Thin only when it is absolutely necessary, usually because you have too many plants. At the same time try to preserve the combination of the plants as you originally planted them.
Take a look at:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp22.htm
In the first few months after planting, it is important to touch the plants as little as possible. But once your aquarium has become established, you can exchange those groupings that you don't like or are not attractive with other, more decorative plants.
Be Sure To Visit:
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp22.htm
Thank you,
Bill Anderson
http://homeincomeportal.com/wiland697/fp22.htm
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
