| Nothing makes an aquarium look better then | | | | Artificial plants on the other hand are handy when |
| aquarium plants. The big question is should you | | | | your fish would eat your real plants. The fish may |
| use artificial or real aquarium plants. Both have | | | | still uproot the plants, but this can be helped by |
| their advantages and disadvantages. | | | | buying your artificial plants in mats. These mats |
| Real aquarium plants absorb fish wastes, making | | | | look natural and give a very nice look for your |
| the tank easier to keep clean. They also add | | | | aquarium. There are two types of artificial |
| extra oxygen to the water as well as cutting | | | | aquarium plants, plastic, which have improved |
| down on algae. However fish are likely to either | | | | over the years or silk. In my mind the best |
| eat or uproot them. This of course gives you | | | | choice is silk they look more natural in the way |
| more work in maintaining your fish tank. | | | | they move in the water and many times you can |
| Remember you want to enjoy your tank not | | | | not tell if the plants are real or not. To avoid |
| work on it. The most important consideration with | | | | having to clean off your artificial plants I |
| live aquarium plants is the lighting. Most experts | | | | recommend getting a few algae eating fish such |
| recommend fluorescent lighting A good rule is to | | | | as red tailed black sharks. It is always good to cut |
| multiple your tanks capacity by 1.5 and thus | | | | down the work that you must do for your tanks, |
| getting the amount of artificial lighting needed | | | | after all you wants to enjoy your fish tanks not |
| giving your proper wattage. For example 10 gallon | | | | to constantly work on them. |
| tank times 1.5 means you need a fifteen watt | | | | Which ever type of plants you choose remember |
| system. Do not overlook the advantage of | | | | that you want to able to view the tank as a |
| indirect lighting from the outside. It is best not to | | | | whole as well as seeing the fish clearly. So be |
| use an under gravel filter with live aquarium plants | | | | sure to put your taller plants at the back medium |
| as these filters can affect plant growth. | | | | plants in the middle and your short plants in front. |