You should buy live aquarium plants from a dealer, either in your town or online. You can get these aquarium plants in a few ways: from the wild, from local stores, or online. If you have a computer, it’s best to buy them online because the plants are usually better quality.
If you live in a place where pet shops sell lots of different live plants, you should also learn how to bring them home without harming them.
Getting Live Aquarium Plants from The Wild
If you want to collect plants from small water bodies like ponds for your aquarium, follow these simple tips:
- Ensure the plants you collect can survive in your aquarium’s water conditions.
- Clean the plants thoroughly in clear, cool water using a toothbrush. This helps to prevent diseases and aquatic pests such as snails and parasites from entering your aquarium.
- Before pulling out any plants from a stream, make sure it won’t harm the natural environment.
- Always check with local authorities to ensure that you are not violating any laws. For example, you could inadvertently collect an endangered species, which could land you in jail.
Buying Live Aquarium Plants from A Dealer
Before you buy live plants for your aquarium, think about what kinds and sizes are right for your setup.
Make a list of how many plants you need for your desired look. You might not find all the plants you want at your local fish shop. So, also list down some backup options in case they can’t get the ones you want.
Start by buying just a few plants. Remember, plants grow fast. If you buy a lot at the start, your aquarium might get overcrowded quickly. You might even have to trim them back often.
To figure out how many plants you need, there’s a simple formula. Calculate one plant for every 6 square inches of gravel area. Just multiply the length and width of the aquarium in inches, then divide by six.
When you’re buying, use your common sense. Some plants are naturally bigger and take up more space.
As you get to know different plant species, you’ll understand how much space they need when they’re fully grown.
Tip: Some people like to fill up to 60% of their tank with plants, but as a beginner, it’s better to start with less. Try starting with plants covering around 30% of your tank. Then, see how you like it and adjust accordingly.
Buying Live Aquarium Plants Online
If you’re new to gardening and want good plants at a fair price, you should consider buying them online.
Online sellers offer a wide range of quality plants. Their websites usually provide information about how to take care of each plant species and suggestions for pairing them with other plants.
They also ensure plants are well-packaged and delivered quickly. And usually, plants ordered online always arrive in good condition.
The internet is a vast resource where you can find a diverse range of plants, like a virtual forest.
Many well-known companies sell plants online that are unbeatable in terms of price and quality. Here are two websites to begin your search:
If you don’t own a computer, you can borrow one from your neighbour or use one at the library.
Bringing Live Aquarium Plants Home Safely
When you buy plants, it’s important to keep them hydrated during the trip home.
Ask the shopkeeper to place your plants in water or wrap each one in moist newspaper.
If it’s chilly outside, carry your plants in a cooler to keep the water warm. This helps keep your plants healthy.
Acclimating Live Aquarium Plants
When you get home, use special aquarium scissors to cut off any leaves from your plants that are torn or turning brown.
Then, put your plants in a water pan with a solution that’s made up of 10% potassium permanganate. This is a chemical that eliminates germs and cleans the surface of plants.
If you can’t find this solution at your local pet store, you can clean the plants with water that’s room temperature. Use a soft toothbrush to gently brush the plants.
Make sure to cut down any parts of the plants to the right size for your tank and cut off any dead or wilted leaves with sharp scissors.
You should never rip off dead parts of the plants with your hands because you could hurt the sensitive parts of the plant.
Remember, plants need some time to get used to their new home. They might not grow a lot at first. Some plants might even lose leaves and have a hard time before they start to grow properly in their new environment. So, give them about a month to settle in.
