Live plants are more exciting than artificial plants in aquariums. They add beauty to the aquatic waterscape and make it a better living environment for your fish. Nonetheless, maintaining a live aquarium is not easy. Growing live plants in saltwater tanks is tricky as not all plants can survive in marine environments. So, what are the best plants for saltwater tanks?
Plants that can tolerate high salt levels and survive in marine ecosystems are best suited for saltwater tanks. Such plants should be healthy and able to tolerate the water chemistry of the aquarium. They should also adjust to the temperature and light settings of the tank so that they can survive.
Let’s talk about this in more detail now.
Best Plants For Saltwater Tanks
Of the various plants that can grow in saltwater tanks, the most popular and manageable ones are listed below.
1. Dragon’s Tongue Algae
Dragon’s tongue algae is an ornamental bushy plant. It adds beautiful color to a saltwater aquarium.
It will stay rooted in the aquarium substrate and grow into a shrub quickly. The beautiful fronds make it look like an underwater tree.
This plant filters unwanted nutrients from the water and makes it clean.
It removes excess ammonia, nitrates, phosphates, and heavy metals from the water.
It will also help to eliminate microalgae. The leaves are a nutritious snack for herbivorous fish.
The dragon’s tongue algae need moderate to high lighting.
It is a low-maintenance plant and suitable for beginner marine hobbyists.
2. Red Mango Propagule
Create a dense natural forest in your marine aquarium by growing a group of red mango propagules.
These plants look like underwater trees.
Their long trunks rise above the water surface, and vivid green leaves appear at the tips, creating the illusion of height.
Although red mango propagules grow slowly, they are hardy.
They do not need much maintenance and care. The roots will grow into the aquarium substrate.
You can anchor them in place with rocks and stones.
It helps to lower nitrates in the water and needs only trace elements for proper growth.
3. Halimeda
Halimeda is a type of alga that is found in oceans all over the world.
It is characterized by long leaves with oval coin-shaped structures glued together.
This plant grows rooted in the substrate and adds texture to the base. It is very hardy and does not need much care.
Halimeda holds up well in fish tanks since fish do not like to nibble on its leaves. However, it is sensitive to high nitrate levels.
Many marine hobbyists use Halimeda as a natural indicator of calcium levels in a tank.
This alga absorbs high levels of calcium. So, the lush growth of Halimeda indicates high calcium levels in the tank.
Recommended Further Reading:
- Why Do Aquarium Plants Die? [9 Main Reasons]
- How To Stop Aquarium Plants From Dying? (11 Different Ways)
- Why Do Aquarium Plants Melt? (5 Ways To Avoid Plant Melt)
4. Sea Lettuce
Sea lettuce is a bright green plant with ruffle-edged flat leaves. It grows rooted in the substrate.
The most attractive factor about sea lettuce is that it grows very fast.
This plant doesn’t need much care and hence is suitable for beginners. You can easily propagate it from cuttings.
Sea lettuce keeps the nitrate and phosphate levels under control.
Another advantage of growing sea lettuce is that you can use it to feed your fish.
Since it reproduces and grows very quickly, it will be easy to replenish the sea lettuce in your tank.
However, sea lettuce needs bright light to thrive.
5. Green Finger Algae
As the name suggests, this plant resembles small fingers that grow from a common central area. It is a beautiful bright green plant.
The structure of the green finger algae makes a tank look fuller.
Hence, it is a good choice for tanks with sparse plant growth.
Green finger algae add a lot of texture and beauty to an aquarium.
Being a low-maintenance plant, even beginners can grow it.
Most fish ignore green finger algae because it doesn’t taste good.
Hence, it is a good choice for your saltwater tank if you have herbivorous fish.
This plant is a good natural filter, and it improves the oxygen levels of the tank. It does well in low to medium light.
Related Further Reading:
- Do Aquarium Plants Need Soil? [5 Plants That Don’t Need Soil]
- Can Aquarium Plants Carry Ich? (How To Treat Plants With Ich?)
- Do Aquarium Snails Eat Plants? (Which Snails Don’t Eat Plants?)
Can You Put Live Plants In A Saltwater Aquarium?
Although it’s challenging to maintain a planted saltwater aquarium, it’s possible.
You can create a balanced ecosystem in a saltwater tank by choosing the right mix of live plants and animals.
When choosing plants for your tank, here are some of the important factors to keep in mind.
Traits Of The Other Inhabitants Of The Saltwater Tank
A plant will be able to thrive and flourish only if the animals that live with it do not harm it.
A plant will be unable to survive or grow if the other tank inhabitants are aggressive towards it.
Fish that dig the substrate, uproot plants, or chew on leaves can pose a risk to their very existence.
Water Chemistry Levels
Different parameters such as the hardness, salinity level, amount of ammonia and nitrates, and carbon dioxide levels of water affect plants.
Some plants can adjust to higher salt and chemical levels while others will wither away.
When choosing plants for a saline environment, you should make sure that they can adjust to the chemical balance of the tank.
Related Further Reading;
- Do Aquarium Plants Need Light? (5 Plants That Survive In Low Light)
- Can Aquarium Salt Go Bad Or Expire? (How To Make It Last Long?)
- Does Aquarium Salt Kill Beneficial Bacteria? (Ideal Usage)
- How To Make Aquarium Water Soft? (4 Foolproof Ways)
Temperature
Like fish and other aquatic animals, plants are also sensitive to temperature levels.
In the confines of a tank, temperature fluctuations can significantly affect their growth and ability to survive.
Hence, you should take special care to maintain the temperature level.
Avoid significant changes in temperature as it can even kill the plant.
Lighting
Marine plants use photosynthesis to produce food. They need enough light to perform photosynthesis properly.
In the absence of proper light, they will not be able to produce enough oxygen or food.
It affects their well-being and destroys the oxygen balance of the tank.
If your aquatic plants don’t receive enough sunlight, compensate for their lighting needs with artificial lights.
Tank Maintenance
Regular and proper tank maintenance is essential for the well-being of marine plants.
Monitor the chemical levels and temperature continuously to avoid drastic changes.
Change the water regularly and get rid of any decaying matter.
Maintain proper tank hygiene with regular water changes and use a good-quality filter.
Taking care of these factors will play a big role in keeping your aquatic plants healthy and disease-free.
Interesting Further Reading:
- Why Does An Aquarium Have Blue Light? [Does It Benefit The Fish?]
- Is Aquarium Salt Safe For Plants? (Which Plants Can Tolerate Salt?)
- Do Aquarium Plants Need CO2? (Yes And No, Here’s Why…)
Benefits Of Adding Live Plants To Saltwater Tanks
Healthy and lush plant growth improves the aesthetic appeal of a saltwater tank.
However, the aesthetic aspect is only one of the several benefits of having live plants in a saltwater aquarium.
Did you know that certain plants, like macroalgae, can keep harmful microalgae growth under control?
By consuming the nutrients that harmful algae need, macroalgae cause them to starve and perish.
Thus, these plants will improve water quality and make the tank a better environment for your fish.
Some marine plants are also good sources of nutrients for fish.
Herbivorous fish will benefit from snacking on natural plants.
The presence of natural plants will also help in replicating their natural habitat to a great extent.
Additionally, many saltwater plants can eliminate toxic, unwanted chemicals like nitrates, phosphates, and heavy metals.
By getting rid of these elements, they can improve the water chemistry and improve the environmental conditions for fish and other aquatic animals.
