12/06/2007

Recommendations of Plants in Aquarius

Something important and that it should be mentioned, it is that the plants can contribute benefits and also numerous problems if they are not provided the necessary cares. It is in and of itself that appropriate varieties should be selected for the aquarium, in such a way that these they are not nibbled and broken by our pretty pececitos. When this ends up happening, sheet pieces and shaft can be inserted to the filter, being able to affect the filtration system. Now, this doesn't mean that it is impossible to maintain natural plants in the aquarium. They can be had with success. provided they are the sufficiently resistant ones to resist the attacks of Goldfish. Certain varieties of plants that fulfill this vital requirement for their survival exist and which are mentioned later on.

Should they disinfect you the plants before inserting them in the aquarium?

One should be careful to wash the plants very well, since most often of the one that one believes, they are responsible for inserting bacteria and acarids to the aquarium, which can even deposit their huevecillos in the sheets and shafts. Also it is recommended to snip the roots a little and to delete the dead sheets.
The form of disinfecting the plants is very plain. In 5 liters of water they are added 15 DC of vinegar and they submerge the plants with everything and root during 15 minutes, later you enjuaguan very well with non chlorinated water before inserting them to the aquarium. Another method consists on to use bleach (sodium hypochlorite in a very dilute composition) to proportion of 1:20 and to submerge the plant and roots during 3 minutes. Other disinfectants employees can be: the bleach, copper sulfate and the potassic permanganate. Not of debit side to use methylene blue since this he/she harms them; the same thing happens to the chlorine.


Why does my goldfish eat up the plants that I insert in the aquarium?
The answer is plain: the goldfish is an omnivorous fish, that which means that he/she feeds of animal protein and vegetable. The fed fish with paps and spirulina are less prone to eat up the plants, for what is recommended to incorporate these two foods to their diet.
The goldfish also likes to eat up the roots of the plants, reason why it is recommended the to bury them well and to arrange petty river stones around the shaft, in such a way that is not they possible desenraizarlas.


What benefits do they contribute the natural plants to the aquarium?

The aquatic plants are very important for the biologic good balance in the aquarium. They generate oxygen through the photosynthesis and they help to diminish the levels of azotates in the water.
The aquatic plants need for their different nutritious increment, one of them is the azotate. This it is generated during the disintegrator of the noxious (excrement of the fish, non consumed energy, etc) substances by the bacteria of the filter and the microorganisms.

Too much azotate however can be obnoxious. In high concentrations it impacts in the health of the fish and it is the base for the increment of the annoying algae. The plants consume a part of the azotate in the water for their increment and they help this way to diminish the azotate concentration.

But the capacity of the aquatic plants to consume azotate is not limitless. If the azotate concentration in the water is too high, also the plants to arrive to it turns affected. With the partial periodic turnover of the water they can stay the azotate levels in a reasonable border.

Another benefit that you/they contribute the plants is that they help to reduce the quantity of the alga in the aquarium, since they "steal" him/her part of the nutrients that help to its proliferation. And speaking of the alga, it is important not to allow that this he/she adheres to the sheets, since it impedes to the plant to capture the nutrients of the water causing that the sheets wither and die. They can clean the sheets periodically only using the yolks of the fingers, being careful not to rasp and to damage the surface of the sheet. The clean-up is made without desenraizar to the plant for not mistreating the roots.


On what does it consist the fertilization of the plants?
Alone the healthy and very developed plants can complete their feature optimally in the aquarium. For they need it water of good quality, appropriate light and a punctual fertilization since not all the nutrients that the plants need for their perfect increment are in enough quantities in the aquarium.
The aquatic plants absorb the nutrients through the roots and sheets, in and of itself fertilizers are marketed in two presentations: in chips (substrate) and in liquid form, which is added with each partial turnover of the water. The fertilizers contain iron - a vital nutrient for the increment of the plant -, as well as other oligoelementos, which vary from a commercial trademark to the other one.


What importance does it save the illumination?
The illumination is even more important than the fertilization. With a poor illumination difficultly will be able to stay plants in the aquarium, unless varieties of low injunction are selected. Later on a list of recommended plants is included for aquariums, which describe if they require low / he/she mediates / or high illumination.
In the following one remote one can read more envelope the illumination in the planted aquarium.


What types of plants do they exist?
They are three the types of plants: with roots, in clusters and floating. The plants with roots usually grow withdrawn some of the other ones. The clusters are plants that reproduce with easiness when they intersect the shafts and these they are buried. The floating plants have petty roots and these they hang up discovered in the water.

What do you plant they are recommended for the aquarium of Goldfish?

The following one is a list of the most recommended varieties for aquariums of Goldfish. All the plants that are shown have common features: they are of shafts and resistant sheets and they are compatible with the parameters of the water you enter in the aquarium of the goldfish (hardness, pH and temperature). Now, this doesn't mean that all these plants will survive the conditions of a goldfish aquarium. The success is not guaranteed. There are people that has Elodea and Ceratophyllym Demersum in their aquariums - I include myself in that group -, while other people assure that their fish devour these two varieties, only leaving the shafts. The best thing is to buy some few ones and to sample with diverse varieties until finding those that are not of the taste of the fish... because the fish the same as people have gastronomic different likes :-)
Plants with roots:


Saggitaria Platyphylla

Vallisnea Spiralis Tiger

American Vallisneria Biwaensis

Echinodorus Tenellus (Amazon Sword)

Echinodorus Uruguayensis (Amazon Sword)

Ceratopteris Cornuta

Crinum Thaianum (also known as "Onion")

Microsorum Pteropus (Java Fern)

Bolbitis Heudelotii

Anubias Barteri var. Angustifolia (Afzelii)

Anubias Barteri var. Grandma

Plants in clusters:


Ceratophyllym Demersum

Dense Egeria (Elodea)

You plant floating:


Lemma Minor (Duckweed)

Limnobium Laevigatum

Salvinia Cucullata

Riccia Fluitans

Eichhornia Crassipes (Water Hyacinth)

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