| Plant Life As you become more experienced, add live plants to aid in feeding fish and removing waste products. An aquarium with live plants will have a simple food chain, with plants as the primary producers, snails or herbivorous fish as primary consumers, and beneficial bacteria serving as decomposers. Live plants will assist in removing decaying fish waste. A very important cycle in tanks with or without live plants is the nitrogen cycle, a process by which toxins such as ammonia and nitrites (from fish waste and decaying plants) are converted by beneficial bacteria into less toxic nitrates. Plants and animals use the converted nitrogen to grow, thereby completing the cycle. Aquarium Accessory Decorations Called the "aquascape," designing the scenery in the tank an interesting setting up your aquarium and helps you to learn about the habitat needs and preferences of different fish. Generally, fish need places to hide and several objects or structures in the tank that help them divide the space into homes and territories. Fish placed in a brightly lit, mostly empty tank are more prone to stress and disease than fish living in a tank with plenty of structures and hiding places. A favorable habitat also promotes more natural behavior, and hence provides opportunities to observe natural interactions in the aquarium community. Caves, rocks, plastic plants, and driftwood are all good aquarium additions. Aquatic plants are beautiful and beneficial additions to an aquarium, but be sure to check the specific care requirements of any plants you are considering. Two aquatic plants which are hardy and can tolerate low light are Java moss (Vesicularia dubyana) and Java fern (Microsorium pteropus). Both plants can do well if you anchor them to a piece of driftwood. Be sure that the driftwood, plants and other scenery you add are not toxic to fish. Many types of rocks, corals, and seashells are not appropriate for freshwater aquariums because they slowly dissolve, releasing minerals that negatively affect the water chemistry. Granite, slate, and sandstone are generally safe for aquarium use. Aquarium decorations can be anchored in the substrate, which may be gravel or sand, one to two inches (two to five centimeters) deep. Avoid painted substrates, as the paint often flakes off over time; and avoid very large diameter gravel, as fish can become trapped in the spaces between the gravel pieces. If using sand as a substrate, purchase it from an aquarium shop and ensure that is intended for freshwater use (many shops sell sand for saltwater tanks that contains salts and minerals that will negatively affect water chemistry in a freshwater tank). Sand from a beach is not suitable since it will contain too much salt and organic material. |
| Aquarium Scenery |
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