When I first added aquarium plants to my aquarium, I wondered what all they needed to grow properly and quickly. Now, more than two years later, I know exactly what they need!
Aquarium plants need light, nutrition and CO2 to grow properly. Not all plants are the same, for example, there is a big difference between fast and slow growing plants. Some plants get their nutrition mainly from the soil and others get it from the water.
That’s the short answer, but unfortunately not everything is so black and white. There is more to it and I will tell you in brief what you need to know. With many people, plants die easily without knowing exactly why and we need to avoid that! Let’s begin.
Plants need nutrition
Light may be more important, but nutrition is something people often forget or don’t understand. Therefore, first I want to tell you which, and if any, nutrition you should use at all. Then we will talk about light.
All plants need nutrition, but you don’t always have to “manually” add it to your aquarium. If you have fish in your aquarium, they also produce nutrition for your plants in the form of poop. If you have many fish and few plants, you may find that there is already more than enough plant food in your tank.
Still, it’s smart to add nutrition to your aquarium because fish often don’t produce enough for healthy growth. Why is that? You need to know well which plants you want to add to your aquarium, because slow-growing plants need less nutrition than fast-growing plants. Therefore, do good research on the type of plants you have. In my article “The Best Aquarium Plants For Beginners,” I already have a nice list of further (plant-specific) information.
Besides the amount of plant nutrition, you also need to figure out in what form you want to administer the nutrition. You have three options: liquid plant food, root tabs / clay balls and a nutrient medium. Let me tell you briefly about the differences.
Plants that are good at absorbing nutrients directly from the aquarium water are suitable for liquid nutrition that you dissolve in the water. If a plant has many roots and likes to absorb nutrients from the soil, you can choose between clay balls or a nutrient medium.
Choose a nutrient medium if you are going to fill the entire soil with plants and want a carpet or “rug” effect. If you only have a few plants that get their nutrition from the soil, then choose clay balls or “root tabs” that allow you to locally press some plant nutrition into the soil.
If you want liquid nutrition, choose a product such as “FloraGrow Pro” from Colombo. There is currently an XL package available on Bol.com. The package tells you how much to apply per liter. If you want clay balls or nutrient capsules, I recommend these on Bol.com. Still want a nutrient medium? Then think carefully about the amount. This is a nutrient medium from Superfish and as you can see, the price of a nutrient medium can add up quickly.
Plants need 8 to 10 hours of light per day
If you only have fish in your aquarium, the light only needs to be on when you want to see your fish better. Once you put plants in your tank, the light has another purpose: plant growth.
Aquarium plants need about 8 to 10 hours of light a day to grow properly. Many aquariums contain fluorescent bars, but more and more people are switching to LED lighting. The brightness of the light determines which plants can and cannot grow in your aquarium.
If you choose fluorescent light, then you will have to deal with either T8 or T5 lighting. These are simply the names for two different types of fluorescent beams. T8 is the oldest and the thickest (2.5 cm in diameter). T5 lighting is newer and better than T8, but also thinner (only 1.5 cm in diameter). The T5 lighting is more economical to use and also provides more light than the T8.
LED lighting is making inroads and becoming increasingly popular. It is much more economical than fluorescent lighting and also lasts much longer. Fluorescent tubes you have to replace every few years, while LED can last for years. The choice is yours, because LED lighting does cost a lot more.
Finally, the brightness of the light also has a big influence. The brighter the light, the faster your plants will want to grow. This is only possible if you also add enough nutrients. If you use bright light, the plants also want more CO2 and you have to start thinking about whether you want to add that. I will come back to that in a moment.
In my opinion, it’s better to use a little less bright light, so you’re going to find a balance more easily. Choose plants that do well with less light such as Java ferns or Anubias plants. This is easier and creates less algae.
Also read my article How Long Should the Aquarium Light Be On (Especially Not Too Long)
Do you need and want to add CO2 for better plant growth?
You can choose to inject CO2 into your aquarium to help your plants grow better. This is because all plants need CO2, and there is not that much available in your aquarium. In nature, there is much more CO2 dissolved in the water, so should we?
If you choose slow-growing plants, you don’t need to add extra CO2 because these plants don’t consume as much. This is nice, because you need quite a lot to add carbon dioxide in your water. Now if you want plants that need more light and grow faster, then you need to start thinking about a CO2 set.
To add CO2, you need a few things: CO2, a pressure regulator, a check valve, a bubble counter, CO2 hose and a diffuser. It all sounds quite difficult, but fortunately it’s not that bad. There are very nice sets available that give you everything you need to get started right away. This set from Dennerle on Bol.com is a good example.
Frequently asked questions
How can I make my aquarium plants grow faster?
How do I know if my aquarium plants are healthy?
Colorful and rich foliage. Just like the usual plants; the healthy aquarium plants have a lush green color and would be visibly thriving. Also, if the plant is growing healthily and has evenly grown; then, it is a sign of good health and the plant’s wellbeing.
Does fish waste help aquarium plants grow?
While it may sound a bit yucky, just like manure, this waste is full of biological activity and well-balanced, essential plant nutrients and many other micronutrients. This means feeding plants with fish waste gives them the nutrients they need, plus adds plenty of beneficial biological life into the soil
Can aquarium plants grow without soil?
Anubias barteri ‘nana’ has been a long staple in the aquarium trade. It is hardy, and often sold attached to driftwood wood which allows easy placement in fish-only tanks as it doesn’t require soil to grow
I’m Benjamin, an aquarium, and fish hobbyist for more than three decades now.
My passion for aquarium fish never wavered after so many years. I keep consuming everything about fish tank, aquariums and alike.
As a result of my experience with aquariums and fish, I have decided to build this blog.
My goal is to answer all your questions – and even those you haven’t asked yourself yet – so you can take care of your fish and aquariums. From one passionate to another passionate!
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