| The short answer is don't buy the wrong plants. | | | | Vallisnerias are not quite as tall, and they do need |
| Of course it's more complicated than that, but if | | | | more light than some of the plants mentioned |
| you don't carefully consider things like growth | | | | above. Most of the rooted plants like Vals and |
| habits, light requirements, substrates and all sorts | | | | swords benefit from fertilizer tablets placed under |
| of chemistry stuff, you probably did buy the | | | | the substrate. You can also buy liquid fertilizers, |
| wrong plants. Many of the plants you buy in pet | | | | but any chemical you put in the aquarium water |
| shops, for example, do not spend their entire lives | | | | has the potential for upsetting the the balance. |
| entirely under water. They can't live very long in | | | | One plant that I never had trouble growing is |
| the typical aquarium. Other plants, while quite | | | | hornwort. It's a bushy, floating plant that uses lots |
| beautiful, require some very special lighting and/or | | | | of the nutrients provided by fish and food waste, |
| water and substrate chemistry. | | | | nutrients that would otherwise turn into toxic |
| Most aquariums are sold with single tube | | | | ammonia. A too-easy-to-grow floater is |
| fluorescent lamps. If it's a tall aquarium perfect for | | | | duckweed. It will take over an aquarium but will |
| angelfish, not much light will get to the floor of the | | | | also eat up nutrients. If anything else is to have a |
| tank. Some plants require intense lighting and | | | | growing chance, you need to regularly remove |
| plenty of fertilizer. Lucky for the rest of us, many | | | | duckweed. |
| other attractive aquarium plants do fine with single | | | | It probably has something to do with chemistry, |
| tube lighting even in a relatively deep aquarium. | | | | but most plants seem to grow better when they |
| Some examples are the Anubias and | | | | have plenty of company. For example, a single |
| Cryptocoryne(Crypts)families and good old Java | | | | sprig of hornwort in a large aquarium may just |
| fern in different variations. Most of these plants | | | | die. However, if you add a great bunch of the |
| grow slowly, so you need patience. You also need | | | | stuff, it will usually thrive. The same goes for |
| to look for them on Aquabid or Ebay, because | | | | rooted plants. |
| they are not often stocked in aquarium shops. | | | | If you really want to grow some of the more |
| As mentioned above, substrates are also | | | | demanding plants, you need to consider special |
| important. After trying for years to grow | | | | lighting, fertilizers, and a carbon dioxide system. |
| aquarium plants in Phoenix water, I listened to one | | | | You also need a good knowledge of water |
| of the ladies on the now defunct Angelfish Web | | | | chemistry issues. What ever plant you try to |
| Forum. She told me to add a clay based | | | | grow, knowing its basic requirements will help you |
| substrate supplement like Laterite or Flourite. | | | | avoid buying the wrong thing. Pet stores don't |
| Thanks, Brenda. Another posting has more about | | | | often post information about the needs of a |
| using clay based substrates; they really help, | | | | specific plant. Books do, and one of my favorites |
| especially with rooted plants like the Vallisneria | | | | is Guide to Aquarium Plants by Barry James. It's |
| family. Jungle Val grows tall and, when mature, will | | | | short, informative and fairly cheap. |
| easily cover the surface of a tall aquarium. Other | | | | |