It is not essential that everyone get an aquarium out of a hobby. Some keep it in their home to give an aesthetic look to their interior. Aquariums make a great object to intensity the décor and make the place look artistic. It is the reason why most of the hotels, offices and other corporate places also have an aquarium.
If the aquarium in your place is just for decoration purpose, you must be trying different ways to enhance its look. Isn’t it? Do you think only having beautiful fish can do the needful? Well, other than pretty fish it is the plants in the aquarium which can give it an exotic look.
Planted aquariums have their own oomph. The one which has a balanced natural look grabs the most attention. The perfect use and placement of foreground and background plants enhance the overall look of the aquarium and bring lavishness to it.
Foreground plants: Those planted in the frontage of the aquarium are called the foreground plants. Generally, they are small and comprise beautiful foliage to maximize the overall beauty of the tank.
Background plants: Those planted in the backspace and create green ambiance in the backdrop of the aquarium are called background plants. They are generally tall and more extravagant in look. The foliage size may vary, but the basic function is to enhance the natural look.
So in this article, we will take a look at some of the most beautiful yet easy to grow aquarium plants. Beginners can take utmost advantage of the content and get the idea as for how to beautify the aquarium with easy aquarium plants.
Rotala rotundifolia: This is a beautiful stem plant that comprises small leaves. The USP of this plant is its leaves which vary in color especially when light with different intensities fall on it. It is one of the most adored plants among the hobbyists and is used by them the most.
When the plant is kept in medium or low light intensity, pale orange and green color appear on the leaves. However, as soon the intensity of the light rises, the leaves start shining in a lovely reddish pink tint. It brings an exotic look to the aquarium making it look extremely beautiful.
Rotala rotundifolia is a least demanding plant, grows very quickly and looks adorable. All that you need to concern is to prune the ever-growing branches to make it look pleasant regularly. The best thing about the pruned stems is they can be replanted. They take the roots soon and give a bushy look to the tank.
Amazon sword (Echinodorus): If you have a large size aquarium, this could become your ultimate choice. As per the name Amazon sword plants have sword-like leaves and covers larger areas of the tank. They grow very tall, become the focal point of the tank, give a dense forest like appearance to the aquarium and make a perfect background plant. Producing runners, they do not take much time to cover the areas.
This plant is undemanding and perfect for the beginners to explore. They do not require much carbon dioxide and may flourish under medium or low lighting conditions. To make the plant flourish introduce few root tabs and your Amazon sword will become hale and hearty.
Vallisneria: If the Vallisneria plant is kept healthy it creates a dense forest and takes over the entire tank quickly. Vallisneria genes comprise different species which comes in varied heights and are extremely easy to grow. It implies that no matter what is the size of your aquarium, you can definitely have one Vallisneria plant in it.
Vallisneria spiralis is perfect for the tanks with small size. Vallisneria tortifolia that have twisted leaves also makes a great background plant for small sized aquariums. For large tanks, there is Vallisneria gigantean which is just like its name.
Although the plant is undemanding, you need to take extra care to keep apt water quality. This gene does not appreciate soft and acidic water. If the tank gets high lighting and injection of carbon dioxide, the plant will flourish. If you think the plant is getting excess in the tank, you may remove and discard some of the leaves.
Ludwigia repens: This is another easy stem plant that loves to grow under high light intensity. When the apt light conditions are provided the foliage turns bright red showcasing the hidden beauty of the plant. It is easy to propagate and grows quickly. The plant requires regular pruning which can be done by trimming the multiple side shoots. You may replant the pruned stems as they take the roots within a few days.
There are different varieties of Ludwigia repens like dark red ‘Rubin’ which is loved by the aquarists the most.
Cryptocoryne: The different species in Cryptocoryne genes come under those plants which require low light intensity to show their true colors. The plants under the genes are perfect for small sized or low maintenance aquariums. Beginners who don’t have much experience in planting aquatic plants can prefer it as their first plant.
All that you need to keep in mind is not disturbing the plant much after planting as it is susceptible to melting. If you see your plant dying off, do not worry as it will return soon. Although the plant is slow in growth, they eventually grow very large and form dense bushes after few months.
Crinum calamistratum: This is a bulbous plant that looks very exotic with its narrow crinkled leaves. The plant looks unusual and grows tall therefore could be used as a great background plant. It is beautiful and grabs the attention of the viewers immediately. However, one needs to take little care of this plant to maintain its lavishness.
It is a slow grower and does not require high light intensity. However, a high dose of carbon dioxide will do the needful and make it healthy and vigorous. It is advised to think where to place the plant in prior as once uprooted and moved it might wither and die off. It requires good space, enough CO2 and some time to acclimatize inside the tank.
The best thing about the plant is it not only grows well but is also overlooked by most of the herbivorous fish. It can flourish well in a low-end brackish aquarium and make it look beautiful.
Cabomba: Also known as fanwort, Cabomba is a gorgeous stem plant. The fluffy appearance of the plant gives an exotic look to the aquarium. It is perfect to grow in cold water aquariums where the temperature is around 18 °C. Although easy, this, being a stem plant requires a good amount of light to flourish.
It proliferates under high intensity of light. It is a perfect background plant for aquascape, however; it can also be grown free floating.
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