Aquarium farm for growing plants without fish. Growing and selling aquarium plants

The aquarium is a place in the office where balance and tranquility prevail. Really beautiful exotic aquarium fish against the background of tropical underwater plants, very soothes the nerves at work and at home. But when you find out the cost of such a therapeutic pleasure, you do not freely think about the aquarium as a business idea. After all, these are fish. They produce dozens of offspring with the help of hundreds of eggs. And each fish costs at least a dollar. In addition, different species of fish, different prices. The cheapest aquarium fish is the Guppy. The price of one such fish is $ 1 per item. A dozen female Guppies produce 300 fry per month. When selling, you can get a good income. But in this type of business, the concept should be built in a different way. When you start selling Guppies, you are faced with finding clients for big retail sales. Despite the high profitability, it is difficult to generate large profits. It's all about product sales. It is quite difficult to find sales markets for large volumes of sales of aquarium fish and plants. And caring for aquarium fish and plants is not an easy task, which complicates the safe keeping in large quantities. Here, from the point of view of a business concept, it is better to work not for quantity, but for quality. It is better to breed a wide variety of aquarium fish than to increase their number. In addition, you can do cultivation exotic plants for aquariums, so the range will be even wider.

Prices for aquarium fish and plants

Tropical, exotic aquarium fish can be very expensive. For example, the Peckoltia sp. L260 breed has a price of $ 140 per fish. Pekoltia fish is a beauty. In an aquarium, it reaches a size of up to 15 cm. She is calm and peaceful, she gets along with all kinds of fish. But it will be quite difficult to find clients for the sale of such a fish. The category of clients must be sufficiently solvent. This is not a problem, the aquarium fish species is the greatest. For example, everyone's favorite clownfish Clown Ocellaris (three-ribbon) S (Amphiprion ocellaris), price $ 15. Its subspecies is also very beautiful Chocolate Clarke Clown S (Amphiprion clarkii), has a price of $ 20. Very beautiful and not expensive predatory aquarium fish. The legendary Predatory Piranha 5-6cm (Serrasalmus gibbus) costs only $ 8. The predatory beauty of the diamond Cichlasoma (Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum) measuring 20 cm in length will cost $ 40. In the aquarium business, the assortment should be expanded not only with beautiful fish, but also with exotic underwater plants. The sale of aquarium plants is most often carried out in parallel with the sale of fish. Plants require less maintenance than fish. They do not need to be watered :) Plants will cost significantly less than fish. For example, the beautiful Ambulia aquatic, Limnophila aquatic will cost your client less than $ 2. But expensive algae can beat. Echinodorus major (Echinodorus major) has a high price of $ 17 due to its uniqueness, survivability and ease of care (it does not grow above the water level). Prices for aquarium fish and plants depend not only on the beauty and uniqueness of the species, but also on the conditions and requirements for maintenance. Therefore, at first glance, the prices may not be clear. The owner of an aquarium business needs to understand all the intricacies in order to attract more buyers.

Preparation for the cultivation and sale of aquarium plants and fish

Growing aquarium plants and tropical fish for sale in offices is relatively new business an idea that is gaining momentum with the active emergence and expansion of office infrastructure. When growing aquarium plants and tropical fish for sale in offices, it is extremely important nuance remains proper care... These types of plants, and even more so tropical fish, are very vulnerable, sometimes capricious. Therefore, here it is necessary to study in detail all their types, habits, climatic conditions of detention. And when selling, you should develop important recommendations for new owners so that your work will be rewarded more than once. The aquarium business is responsible. The first rule is not to buy plants from cold water tanks. Look at the color of the plant you are buying. Having previously studied on the Internet or special books, what should be the color of your plant. This also applies, of course, to the purchase of algae for the cultivation of aquarium plants and tropical fish for sale in offices. All aquarium plants are bright green in color, without spots and rotten color. In this case, the plant for the aquarium must have integrity. Do not catch a plant or fish on your own - plants and fish that are unsuitable for the aquarium-office lifestyle live in our reservoirs.

Care of aquarium plants when grown for sale

In order to plant an aquarium plant, it is necessary to rinse it with warm water at room temperature (always clean!). If any other microorganisms, other algae or plants have adhered to it. It is not necessary to immediately flood the aquarium plants with water. All that is needed is moisture and warmth on the surface of the plant. It is better to give preference only to young plants. It is not a fact that a large plant will take root and will not wither, or it will not disappear at all. There is a known method of disinfection of aquarium plants: dilute a 2% manganese solution in a liter of water and hold the plant in it for no more than 10 minutes. Then rinse the plant under a tap with running water. If the roots are long enough for the layer of soil where you plant them, then you need to trim them. This treatment stimulates the growth of algae. After these simple procedures, you can plant the plant in the aquarium. It should be remembered that tight crowding is harmful to aquarium plants. Observe the distance between the seedlings. After all, all marine plants grow very quickly and can grow many times over in size. In no case should the soil for aquarium plants restrict the roots, press, but on the contrary, there should be a constant comfortable flow of water. By the way, some types of fish loosen the soil (Tsikhlazoma brilliant). The roots of the algae should be covered with soil, and the growth bud at the foot of the plant should be on the surface. A lack of iron is very bad for aquarium plants. The first thing that happens to them is they lose saturated color... Use special fertilizers to avoid the pallor of the algae.

Moving from growing aquarium plants to breeding tropical fish for sale in offices, you should outline the main guidelines for their maintenance. This is, first of all, intensified light, without lengthening the daylight hours, sometimes darkening the aquarium with curtains for the time the light is on. The light regime should correspond to the natural living conditions of tropical fish. The aquarium should contain those aquatic plants that are familiar and necessary for this particular species. The same can be said for coexistence different types tropical fish in one body of water (aquarium). A carbon dioxide dispenser is also required. In addition to constant food, it is necessary to regularly feed tropical fish with various special vitamin or mineral supplements, if the fish need them. As for the water, it is important to adhere to a stable temperature, because, unlike ordinary fish, tropical fish need a slightly different climate. In case of non-compliance temperature regime tropical fish will simply die. It is not necessary to saturate the aquarium with plants densely - this is too inconvenient and will create discomfort for the fish.

Nano Aquarism Will Help Increase Sales

You can also consider the production and sale of aquariums. But this will require materials and the ability to use tools. It is better to make the first aquarium according to the model. Pre-buy a ready-made sample and make another one based on it with your own additions. You can start small. Nowadays “nano-aquaristics” is gaining popularity - these are small aquarium blocks with a volume of 20 liters. They are suitable for decorating not only offices, but also desktops. Aquarium blocks include: the small aquarium itself with lighting, compressor, music, and all this is designed in hi-tech style... Dry aquariums also find their customers and are suitable for the initial experience in the craft. You can also engage in the production of dry food for fish. Here you need a desire, additional knowledge of zoology and an industrial shredder. In conclusion, once again, let's remember what the aquarium business gives:

Has a high profitability.
It can be expanded with a wide assortment: aquariums, fish, food, algae, shrimp, turtles and more.
You will receive a stable income, and your clients will enjoy joy, tranquility, comfort and beauty.

It is not necessary to immediately cover all the possibilities of this business, you can use one of them at first. And it's never too late to expand the range.

If you bought a stock form, then it can only be immersed in the water of the aquarium at the place of your choice. It is unlikely that the aquarist will want to carry out the process of surfacing a purchased plant. Although for many plants there is such an opportunity. And it is advisable to do this, for example, if you have anubias overgrown with algae "on your hands". The algae on land will die and the plant will be saved.

If the plant grew above water, then options are possible. In this article, we'll show you what to do with all of this.
If the plant interests you only as a decoration for the aquarium, then decisively plant it under water. Sometimes there is advice to let the plant float on the surface for a while. According to our observations, this is completely unnecessary. Regardless of whether a given particular plant forms an underwater form or not, it does not seek to voluntarily part with its above-water way of life.

Above-water form of Amazonian Echinodorus raised young leaves so that they were in the air

Once on the surface of the water without connection with the ground, it will inhibit the growth of shoots, give new roots, and will wait until the current carries it to a shallow place where it can take root, leaving leaves above the surface of the water.

Cuttings of red hygrophila. Left - freshly cut. Right - after two weeks of "swimming" on the surface of the water in the aquarium

If the plant is immersed in water "headlong", then it "understands" that it has no choice. And he will begin, without wasting time, to adapt to the new way of life. Successful or unsuccessful "introduction" depends on the type of plant and on the prevailing conditions in a particular aquarium. The photo under the title of the article shows Echinodorus quadricostatus. His emerging seedlings were placed in an aquarium. Dark emergent leaves along the edges and lighter young underwater leaves in the center of the rosette are clearly visible. Obviously, the plant has not only mastered well under water, but also began to multiply. An arrow with young underwater bushes spreads along the ground in the foreground.
If you like the plant itself and want to preserve it, take advantage of emergent plants: they can continue to be grown outside the water. Anyone familiar with indoor floriculture, rooting cuttings and transplanting plants will easily cope with this task. It is necessary to take into account only one circumstance: the moisture-loving nature of such plants. Most of them do not tolerate overdrying of an earthen coma, dry air and cold drafts. The best place residence for them is a paludarium or a wet greenhouse. The soil should be chosen light, moisture-absorbing and not alkaline. Swamp soils, in which such plants usually grow, have an acidic reaction (pH less than 7). Ready-made peat soil or a mixture of it with sand is suitable. As a greenhouse for a small plant, you can use glass jar suitable size... Or just put the pot in transparent plastic bag... By opening or closing the neck of the bag, you can adjust the air humidity. If the plant withers, then a tray of water should be placed under the pot and this entire structure should be placed in a bag or jar. Don't forget about adequate lighting.

Of course, the package doesn't look very nice. But it will help preserve the plant and give you time to select a more decorative home for it or to gradually "accustom" the plant to dry air. living quarters... Most long-stemmed plants grow quickly in this culture. Rosette plants such as Echinodorus are more likely to produce a flower arrow. And on it - children - young seedlings. Cryptocorynes in above-water culture are not susceptible to "cryptocoryne disease". Just like Lagenanders, they bloom and can produce seeds.
You can now cut the cuttings or separate the babies and plant them in the aquarium. The "insurance fund" will remain in the greenhouse - mother plant... You will not irrevocably lose an interesting specimen, even if the conditions in the aquarium are not suitable and the aquarium settlers die.

Sergey Ermolaev

The basics and subtleties of growing aquarium plants

As you can read from the title, the lecture is general on the one hand, but on the other hand it covers some nuances, subtleties of growing plants in the aquarium that you will not find in books and articles on the basics of aquarism. I tried to prepare material that will be useful not only for beginners in this field of aquarium hobby, but also for professionals. Therefore, for some of you, some of the above will seem corny simple, while for some, something will seem difficult for perception. This is fine. If you do not understand something, or you want to know about something in more detail, feel free to ask questions.
During the lecture, I will talk about the most pressing issues of creating plant aquarium and propose solutions. Among these solutions will be those that were developed personally by me and eventually resulted in commercial products under the AQUAYER trademark. And I will also mention them in the lecture.

Why is the lecture about aquarium plants? The point is that the topic aquarium plants v recent times is actively developing. If you trace the development of freshwater aquaristics in Russia, Ukraine and other CIS countries over the past 5-10 years, you can see how much interest in aquarium plants... Design contests are now organized every year plant aquariums, and not one. Both within the country and at the regional level. 10 years ago, we did not have these contests at all.

Where does this interest in plant-based aquarism come from?

Why is there such an interest in plant aquarium? Let's remember a typical question for a novice aquarist who has just bought his first aquarium or is about to buy: What question? How many fish can I put in my aquarium? Why is he interested in this? Yes, in order to understand how much he can diversify the picture that he sees in the aquarium, adding more and more new species of fish. This is the nature of man. A person gets bored with the same picture. He wants to see something new, to see an update of the look of his aquarium. But constantly changing fish is hard. I feel sorry for them. You can't throw out boring fish.

But with plants differently. When an aquarumist picks up a tool such as , he has an almost unlimited resource for creating a constantly updated picture in the aquarium, even with a small number of fish. Replace boring plants simply. Plus, even the same set plants in the aquarium constantly changing. Plants grow, some turn red, some change their shade. And it is fascinating.

Caring for aquarium plants

What needs to be done so that the picture really changes, so that the plants grow and the aquarium does not become overgrown with algae? What is needed ? Content success plant aquarium rests on four pillars. These are lighting, filtration or, more precisely, circulation, CO2 and fertilizers.

Lighting is pretty simple. Main characteristic The one to watch out for is intensity. For most aquarium plants the number of fluorescent lamps from half a watt to one watt per liter will be sufficient. Of course, it is more correct to talk about lumens, but when buying lamps, few people will tell you what luminous flux in lumens (!) The lamps you are interested in provide. Regarding the spectrum of lamps, one should not expect any special effect on plant growth in aquarium from lamps of a certain spectrum. Therefore, the spectrum of lamps should be selected only taking into account your personal preferences as to which shade should prevail in the lighting of the aquarium, which one is most pleasing to the eye.

Carbon dioxide and fertilizers - power source aquarium plants, in other words, plant food. Everyone will agree that the fish need to be fed, so the plants also need to be fed. Moreover, in plant aquariums the biomass of plants is an order of magnitude higher than that of fish. Therefore, the issue of plant nutrition in such aquariums is especially important. I will tell you more about fertilizers, but for now a few words about the supply of carbon dioxide.

Carbon dioxide - CO2 - must be supplied in moderation. An overdose of CO2 euthanizes fish and shrimp, which can lead to their death. An overdose of CO2 can occur when its concentration exceeds 30 mg / l. Some fish species can withstand CO2 concentrations up to 40 mg / l - these are mostly characin. For aquarium plants the minimum CO2 concentration varies from 5 to 25 mg / l, depending on the species. For many plants, at least some CO2 supply will have a significant effect on their growth. If in natural reservoirs the content of carbon dioxide is constant, then in an aquarium, in a closed system, plants very quickly consume all carbon dioxide dissolved in water and its concentration tends to zero. There is nowhere for him to enter the aquarium. Therefore, to recreate natural conditions for aquarium plants you need to supply carbon dioxide artificially.

The next thing is filtering. By itself, filtration in an aquarium with plants is not as important as the circulation of water in it. You can even internal filter use as long as it provides good circulation. Moreover, the higher the level of lighting in aquarium with plants, the more important is the role of water circulation in it. Why? It's all about the rate of photosynthesis. Imagine that at each moment of time on the surface of the leaf, under the action of light energy, a portion of nutrients - CO2 and fertilizers are absorbed for the life of the plant, and in order for this process to be stable, it is necessary to quickly supply the next portion of nutrients to the surface of the leaf of the plant. With one watt of light per liter of aquarium water, I recommend circulating 10 aquarium volumes per hour. If there is less light, the circulation of water can also be reduced.

Fertilizers for aquarium plants

Now I would like to stop at fertilizers for aquarium plants... Many people believe that fertilizers are just a certain composition of components, whether dissolved or not. Perhaps in some cases this is true. But the fertilizers that I have developed are not just a balanced composition. It is also a system. Supply system aquarium plants... Why is it so important? Not all fertilizers different manufacturers draw under one line, based only on their composition. It is also important to use the dosage system that accompanies the fertilization. Not many manufacturers offer any systems though. Often, they just offer fertilizer and do whatever you want with it. This is the wrong approach. Why? I would now like to turn to a very complex scheme.

You don't have to fully understand it. It will help me illustrate the idea that I want to convey to you. This is Mulder's diagram showing the relationship of nutrients. Its essence is that some elements affect the consumption of other elements. aquarium plants... I will not dwell on the explanation of this scheme for a long time, this is a complex material. If you have any questions about it, I will answer at the end of the lecture. I just want to give one example of interaction and what it might lead to. For example, let's take nitrogen. The green arrow is incentive. This means that an increase in nitrogen concentration leads to a stimulation of magnesium intake. This means that the plant in such conditions will require more magnesium. And, as you can see, there are a lot of such interactions.

The main conclusion to be drawn from this is the following. You can give plants more of some elements, for example, the same nitrogen, or maybe phosphorus. In this case, you will need to give more and other elements, because they are all interconnected. But! The most important thing is speed growth of aquarium plants does not necessarily increase in proportion to the increase in nutrient concentration. It may even remain the same. That is, if your concentration, for example, of phosphates in water is 0.5 mg / l, and in another aquarium it is twice as much - 1 mg / l, this does not mean that in the second aquarium the plants will grow twice as fast. It may even be that in an aquarium in which phosphates are not found at all, or at the minimum of the test scale and in such an aquarium, plants grow well and at a decent rate. This is because all nutrients are interconnected. And therefore, I do not advise you to go in cycles in the concentrations of certain elements in aquarium water, but to approach the dosage of fertilizers systematically. First, it's easier - you don't have to dry your brains out with all these interactions and nutrient concentrations. Secondly, it is effective. If this is a system, then it should work.

Now let's figure out what the system is. AQUAYER. These are four fertilizers: Micro, Macro, Iron and Potassium. For different types aquariums and at different stages of the maturation of the aquarium, you need to use different combinations of fertilizers.

Micro is a basic fertilizer, without which it is impossible to maintain plant aquarium any type. For many aquariums, this fertilizer is generally the only fertilizer that needs to be applied regularly. These are aquariums with few plants. On the slide you can see an illustration of what can be called a small number of plants. In such aquariums, no additional carbon dioxide is supplied. As a rule, there are quite a lot of fish in these aquariums. If you imagine a lot of fish in this aquarium, it would be a perfect illustration of this type of aquarium. Fish provide plants with enough MACROelements for that small set of plants. Accordingly, there is no need to enter Macro here.

But if there are few fish in such an aquarium. Just like in this photo, then you need to add Micro together with Macro. In standard dosages, 1 ml per 70 liters per day.

Here I would like to deviate a little more from the fertilizer dosage system and give one helpful advice concerning this type of aquarium. Advice on the level of lighting in these aquariums.

Which plant aquariums require little light?

It often happens that novice aquarists in order to improve the growth of your plants increase the lighting level. But only. Without changing anything, only more light was added up to 1 watt per 1 liter of water in the aquarium. For this type of aquarium, without the supply of carbon dioxide, this usually does not result in acceleration of plant growth, but to problems with algae and even worsening appearance plants. Why? Because at least a little light, at least a lot of light, but if there is no additional supply of carbon dioxide, the growth rate of plants will not increase. In such aquariums, it is the amount of carbon dioxide that has accumulated overnight in the aquarium that limits growth of aquarium plants.

The ideal is when carbon dioxide, dissolved in water, is gradually consumed during the daytime and by the evening it is at a minimum. This can be achieved with low light levels, up to half a watt per liter of water in the aquarium. If you make strong lighting in such aquariums, then the dissolved carbon dioxide in the aquarium water will quickly run out, in a few hours. What will happen during the rest of the day? Plants definitely won't grow without carbon dioxide. Algae will grow.

A short conclusion - if CO2 is not supplied, then the light should not be strong, up to half a watt per liter, or even a third of a watt per liter.

Of course, not all plants will grow well in these tanks. Therefore, I would recommend not to get carried away with long-stemmed fast-growing species, but to focus on ferns, Cryptocorynes, Echinodorus, Anubias, the variety of which is great and you can also make a beautiful aquarium with them.

Fertilizers for plant aquariums with CO2

Back to the description of the system fertilizer for aquarium plants... I talked about two types of aquariums. In one, you need to use only micro, in the other - micro together with macro. But there are also aquariums that supply CO2 to accelerate plant growth. And if the plants grow quickly, they consume more. Accordingly, in such aquariums, the fertilizer dosage should be higher. Typically, depending on the planting density, this is 2 or 3 ml per 70 liters per day.

In aquariums with long-stemmed plants, high light levels and abundant CO2 supply, the fertilizer dosage can be even higher, up to 5 ml per 70 liters.
But, to be honest, I have stopped liking such aquariums lately. In such conditions, plants grow very quickly and they require a haircut once a week or more often, which is tiresome. It is more pleasant to deal with type 4 aquariums.

That is, there is no such uniform dosage for all types of aquariums, as manufacturers usually practice. aquarium fertilizers... And I think this is the only correct approach. Well, you cannot give the same dose of nutrients for 5-6 bushes and for thousands of fast-growing stems in the same volume of water. After all the same way we feed the fish. Few fish - we give little food, there are more fish - we give them more food. This of course complicates the system itself. Questions often arise regarding the selection of the correct dosage. Therefore, specifically, as an additional help to aquarists, I created a support forum where I give advice on choosing a dosage for a specific aquarium, and in general, on creating plant aquarium.

Adaptive feeding of aquarium plants

A kind of fertilizer system adjusters are AQUAYER Potassium and Iron. These are adaptive fertilizers, the systematic use of which is not always necessary. Although they are used often. What are they needed for? All aquariums are different and it is impossible to develop such a feeding system. aquarium plants suitable for everyone aquariums with plants... Water is very different in different regions and for different tap water, plants have different requirements for the potassium content in the water. In some aquariums, you need to add potassium additionally, in some not. But it is very easy to define it. The symptom of a lack of potassium is very characteristic feature- these are small holes on mature and old leaves.
Some plants also require more potassium than other types. These are hygrophilous and related staurogyns. Riccia is high in potassium and may reduce its availability to other plants.

A similar situation with iron. There is a list of plants that are especially fond of iron. These are glossostigma, eleocharises, many long-stemmed fast-growing species. Moreover, the issue of iron content in water is especially acute in the case of fast herbalists. These are those in which CO2 is supplied abundantly and high level lighting. In such aquariums, additional iron must be added.

I think we have already paid enough attention to the fertilizer system. Moreover, not everything is tied to fertilizers. Often a situation arises for aquarists when, no matter what fertilizers they use, whether they supply carbon dioxide or not, anyway, some plants in the aquarium grow slowly, look bad, turn yellow or even die. And now I would like to explain to you why this is happening.

Effect of pH on the growth of aquarium plants

Just a colossal role is played by the acidity of the water in the aquarium, pH. And for different types of plants, the optimal pH value is different. The ideal is when the pH in the aquarium is optimal for each plant. But of course this is impossible to achieve, so I advise you to keep a certain average pH, which is optimal for most species. aquarium plants... I think the pH range is between 6 and 7. With some stretch, you can stretch this range to 7.5. Why is it important? The availability of nutrients in fertilizers for plants depends on pH. If your aquarium pH is lower or higher than normal, then plant nutrition will, simply put, "break into a closed door." They will not be fully consumed, some will accumulate, some will precipitate. But in the end although you are pouring fertilizer, they will show signs of nutrient deficiency. If the pH is in the optimal range. The door is open. Plants get their nourishment and look healthy.

Now there is also a very interesting point concerning the role of pH, but a little more complicated. Each nutrient, depending on the pH of the water in the aquarium, has a different availability for aquarium plants... We look at the slide. What I was talking about. Between 6 and 7, the availability of all nutrients is highest. Therefore, this interval is optimal. And another very important point. Let's say you are using a certain brand of fertilizer and a certain composition. Do you know that this composition will be perceived by plants through the prism of the availability of nutrients? What does it mean? This means that for different meanings The pH of plants will perceive this fertilizer as a completely different fertilizer. You change the pH, let's say it was 7, and now it is 6, but for your plants it is actually the same as if you changed the fertilizer. I do not want to say that you need to stabilize the pH at any one value and hold it sacredly. There will always be fluctuations in pH during the day. But at least you need to know about this and take into account if any problems arise in an aquarium with plants and not run to look for some additional fertilizers. You just need to deal with the pH of the water in the aquarium. It may have dropped or grown imperceptibly.

How to adjust pH in an aquarium

How can the pH be adjusted? There are two main tools that can be used to adjust the pH of the water. These are carbon dioxide and carbonate hardness of water. The more carbon dioxide you put in the aquarium, the more the pH drops. The higher the carbonate hardness of the water, the higher the pH. It is convenient to use a special table of dependence of pH, carbonate hardness and CO2 concentration here. It is easy to understand from it what values of carbonate hardness and CO2 concentration ensure falling into the interval optimal values NS.

This plate is included with every AQUAYER test pH + KH test. I believe that this test can be safely attributed to aquarium products in the "must have" category for lovers of plant aquariums, in fact, for whom it was designed.

Calcium and aquarium plants

There is one very important nutrient in tap water that is not added to fertilizers. So tap water can be safely called a fertilizer. It's about calcium. Calcium content can be estimated by the total water hardness - GH. The higher the hardness of the water, the more calcium it contains. In no case should a zero value of the total hardness be allowed, for an obvious reason - the plants will not receive calcium. I recommend maintaining the overall hardness of at least 4 degrees. Better even more - 6-7 degrees. It is possible and more up to 10 or 15 degrees, but as a rule, water with a high total hardness also has a high carbonate hardness. And as I said earlier, the higher the carbonate hardness, the higher the pH of the water. Aquarium plants do not like high pH.
Test for determining the GH of water in an aquarium.

Copper in an aquarium with plants and shrimps

In conclusion, on the water. There is another interesting point regarding the composition of the water. It is known that pipes in our water supply system are not only steel, but also copper. Therefore, in some cases tap water can contain quite a lot of copper. If there are shrimp lovers among you, then you will confirm that shrimp are especially sensitive to copper. Copper levels may or may not be very high, but sufficient for shrimp to reproduce less well.

Why did I bring this up in a lecture on growing plants? The fact is that among shrimp lovers there is a widespread opinion that micronutrient fertilizers in shrimp should be used with extreme caution, because they contain copper. And many therefore even try to choose whether to make a shrimp, or to grow plants, or to make a herbalist. There is a grain of reason in this. But! The danger of fertilizer for shrimp can only be if, for some reason poorly consume trace elements, including copper. Or if an overdose of micronutrient fertilizers was allowed and copper accumulated over time. Because single dosages of copper with fertilizers are simply negligible and far from the concentration toxic for shrimp. This means that there can be problems only if copper has accumulated for some reason. However, this problem can be circumvented. AQUAYER Anti-Toxin + K, which has its main function of binding chlorine, also precipitates heavy metals, including copper. Moreover, this agent can replace the AQUAYER Potassium fertilizer, since AntiToxin + K contains the same amount of potassium. That is, if you need to do plant aquarium with fastidious shrimps, then in the AQUAYER fertilization system you just need to replace AQUAYER Potassium with Antitoxin + K. This will completely protect your shrimp from copper poisoning wherever it comes from - from the water supply or due to an overdose of fertilizers.

Catalogs

Aquarium plants. Maintenance and care

Aquarium plants are worth keeping in an aquarium. In a good herbalist, the fish becomes more beautiful and bright colours and the aquarium lives more natural life and animals feel more comfortable. Although living plants need more care than plastic, living plants can survive for quite a long time even with some problems, provided there is enough light and there are no herbivorous fish that can destroy them.

Priming

You can read here how to choose the right soil for a herbalist. In most cases, plants require finer gravel for planting.

Lighting

One of the most important parameters good lighting is essential for successful breeding of aquarium plants. Typically 0.75-1 watt per liter is sufficient for good plant growth. Illumination is often measured in Lux (lux). The following table shows the approximate lux requirements for different plants growing at different levels in the aquarium.

Fluorescent lamps have proven to be the most practical for lighting aquariums. However, when lighting aquariums over 50 cm in height, there is not enough light, so mercury lamps can be used to fully illuminate the container. Mercury lamps are used at the rate of 6.25 watts per 2.5 cm of the length of the aquarium.

Remember that the light intensity of fluorescent lamps diminishes over time, so the tubes need to be replaced every 6 months.

Water

Most aquarium plants can survive with water hardness in the range 4-12 dH and PH 6.5-7.2. For specific types of plants, you need to look at the requirements for them. The water should be as clean and transparent as possible, because turbid water reduces the light intensity, and debris will settle on the leaves of plants. Few aquatic plants can exist in salt water.

Nutrients

For plant growth, macro- and microelements are required. Macronutrients such as nitrates, phosphates and sulfates are required in relatively large quantities... These substances usually end up in the aquarium. naturally, with water and feces of fish and other aquarium inhabitants. If the level of these substances significantly exceeds the norm, a violent "bloom" of algae can begin. If there are a lot of fish in the aquarium, then additional nitrates are not required in the water.

Trace elements are needed in very small quantities, only traces of them, although they are just as important to plants as macronutrients. Trace minerals include copper, zinc, iron, manganese, boron, and calcium. In the aquarium, they should be present in small quantities, and their excess can harm the plants.

Below are the nutrients that plants need and their functions.

Hydrocarbon- the main nutrient that plants use for energy;
Oxygen- essential for plant respiration at night;
Hydrogen(in the form of water) - necessary for the transport of nutrients;
Nitrogen(usually in the form of ammonium or nitrates) - required for protein synthesis;
Phosphorus- promotes flower development;
Sulfur- used in protein synthesis;
Iron- used for the formation of chlorophyll (the structure in which photosynthesis takes place).

The lack of any element can lead to problems with plant growth and disease. For example, if plant leaves turn yellow faster than usual, this may indicate a lack of nitrogen or sulfur. If the tips of the leaves turn yellow, or the leaves become brittle, there may be a lack of iron. An excess of iron, manganese or phosphorus, or a deficiency of potassium, may be indicated by yellow spots on the leaves.

Fertilizing plants in an aquarium

Fertilizers with macro- and micronutrients can now be found in any pet store. Since macronutrients most often enter aquariums naturally, the need for them is quite low, especially if there are few plants. If there are a lot of fish in the aquarium, nitrogen fertilization is not necessary. If you decide to add nitrogen and phosphorus in the form of fertilizers, be very careful - their excess can lead to excessive growth of algae. If there is a lack of potassium in the water in your area, you can add it. It is necessary to carefully add trace elements, their excess can harm not only plants, but also fish. Fertilizers are usually sold in liquid or tablet form.

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Carbon dioxide is used by plants for photosynthesis and is one of the most important ingredients for the successful breeding of aquarium plants. Carbon dioxide appears in the aquarium as a result of fish respiration and nitrification, as well as dissolution in water from the air. The level of carbon dioxide should be in the range of 5-15 mg / liter, if the level exceeds 20 mg / liter, this can affect the fish and worsen its well-being. When using aeration, the level of carbon dioxide in the water drops sharply. If the aquarium is poorly populated with fish, or the water is too hard, additional introduction of carbon is necessary. But more often than not, there is enough carbon in the aquarium, and additional nutrition is not required.

Carbon can be supplied to the aquarium using a dedicated CO2 supply system. Nowadays the introduction of CO2 has become quite popular.

Filtration

In any aquarium, the use of a filtration system is mandatory and often an aquarium filter is sold with an aquarium. Basic filtration requirements due to the keeping of live plants in the aquarium:

the filter should not create unnecessary movement of water and aeration, and therefore precious carbon can be lost;
the filter must remove excess particles in the water that can interfere with lighting or settle on plant leaves;
the filter must create a flow, due to which the nutrients will be evenly distributed throughout the entire container.

Due to all of the above, bottom filters are not the best choice.

Planting aquarium plants

Before you start planting aquarium plants, make a simple sketch of the future type of aquarium. Include the rocks and driftwood that you intend to use, as well as the plants.

Plants are divided into different categories for height and shape.

Foreground. In the foreground of the container, small, stunted plants are planted. Often carpet plants are planted in front - small species which form a dense soil cover. Such plants grow in a chain from one planted bush. Small foreground plants can be very demanding on bright light. Foreground plants are planted in front or in the middle of the aquarium.

Medium shot. The middle part of the container is occupied by medium-sized plants, which could be used for the foreground, but above your foreground plants. You should not plant tall plants in the middle, in which bare stems are clearly visible, they will spoil the view.

Background (background). Tall plants are planted in the background, such that they can cover filters, heaters, tubes and wires. Background plants are generally fast growing species that require less light than foreground and midground plants.

- plants of this type are usually planted in the middle or on the background... They look good in groups of several plants. Such plants are often propagated by cuttings.

Typically planted one at a time, in the middle or in the background. Such plants are often used to mark the center of an aquarium species and can be highlighted by lighting as a focal point.

Various species can be used to contrast with other plants in the container. Plants with red leaves can be used to contrast with plants with green leaves, and plants with needle-like leaves can be used to contrast with plants with large round parts. Plant a group of plants that are similar in color, size and shape, I am next to a contrasting group, similar in opposite signs.

Floating plants need good lighting, but must be protected from burns, so the distance between the lamp and the plant must be sufficient. Floating plants multiply quite quickly, by division, and it is only a matter of time before they block the entire aquarium from light. Therefore, you need to make sure that they do not block the plants that grow below from the light.

Reproduction of aquarium plants

Aquarium plants can reproduce in several ways. Some species multiply very quickly, so much so that they fill the entire container in just a few weeks, while others do not seem to grow at all.

Propagation by cuttings Is the easiest way to distribute aquarium plants. A cut of the cutting 15-20 cm long is made from the plant and planted directly into the ground. If the cut is about 3 cm, you need to put it completely in the ground, after removing the leaves. Most plants growing in a bunch reproduce by cuttings (limnophila, bacopa, kabomba).

Many aquarium plants, especially foreground plants, propagate by shoots, or, as they are also called, shoots. This is a new shoot formed from the main plant, which usually grows under the ground and forms a new bush. Plants that reproduce in this way are often very fertile (glossostigma, echinodorus tender, and others).

In some plants, the roots produce side shoots ... Such plants can be propagated by cutting the root into several bushes. But be sure to leave a few leaves on the rhizome. These cuts of the plant root should be planted along the surface of the soil, over time they should take root. In this way, for example, anubias and ferns reproduce.

Another type of breeding is adventitious plants from the mother plant, or it is also called the mother bush. The mother plant produces innumerable plants, ready to plant with a formed root system, and ready to independent life... The accessory plant must be separated from the mother bush when a bush with independent leaves is formed. This process is also called division. (An example is Cryptocoryne).

Cutting aquarium plants

Like terrestrial plants, aquarium plants need regular trimming and pruning. Many of the long-stemmed, high-growing plants grow straight out of the water without being clipped. Others, growing up, begin to creep along the surface, covering the container from light. Pruned plants can be planted back in the ground if they are propagated by cuttings. In plants with large leaves, like Echinodorus, old leaves must be removed to allow new ones to grow. The number of floating plants (nymphea) must be reduced so that they do not obscure the illumination of the plants in the lower layers.

Although the most common method of propagation for aquarium plants is vegetative, some can also be grown from seed.

Pre-sowing treatment

Germination

Planting

Growing seeds in soil

Aquarium is a very popular hobby. Its essence is to simulate an eco-system in a closed artificial reservoir. Using his knowledge and capabilities, the aquarist creates wonderful world... Despite the variety of aquariums, they are organized according to the same principle: first, put priming, then the algae are planted and then the fish are launched. Therefore, the first thing after you have purchased an aquarium, prepare priming a.

Instructions

Main function priming a - it is a substrate for plant strengthening. Some aquarists do not use sand or pebbles at all to make cleaning easier, but if you want the aquarium to serve as a decorative function too, priming still use. It contains organisms that process dead organic matter into useful substances and cleanse the aquarium. In addition, in priming e reserves of carbon dioxide are stored, which affect the buffering capacity of water.

When choosing priming Please note that it should not release soluble substances into the water, should not have sharp edges so as not to injure fish and should be water-permeable. Usually as priming they use sand or pebbles. To make sure that priming it suits you, it is enough to splash with table vinegar on it. If no bubbles or foam appear on the surface afterwards, this priming can be used.

If you decide not to buy priming in the store, and prepare it yourself, go to the nearest stream or river for coarse river sand. Be sure to clean priming from impurities - sticks, algae particles, pieces of paper.

Take a sieve and sift the sand through it. All that goes into the sieve, ruthlessly throw away, it is still unusable in use and will only pollute the water. Repeat the procedure several times, then start flushing priming a.

Sources:

If you want your aquarium inhabitants to be healthy, choose for it correct soil in a specialty store or prepare it yourself, guided by certain rules.

Instructions

Purchase priming in the shop. It is better that it is dark in color and, accordingly, does not reflect light and warms up well. If you buy too light priming, then the fish will behave restlessly, and some of them may fade in color. In addition, the roots of plants will be stunted, as they need warmth.

If you decide to prepare priming for aquarium on your own, choose dark gravel or gray alluvial sand from transparent rivers and streams. Basalt crushed stone and gravel of volcanic rocks are also suitable, which gradually release microelements useful for plant growth into the water.

Please note: the size of the grains also plays an important role. priming a. Since fish waste gets into the space between them, priming will have to provide free circulation of water between its particles (their diameter is from 2 to 5 mm).

Rinse the gray river sand (the grain should be 2-4 mm in diameter) so that the water eventually becomes clear. Lay them the bottom aquarium a layer of at least 5 cm. If possible, place pieces of peat and clay near the roots of plants to nourish them.

For aquarium wash the sand with soft water at 30-40% hydrochloric acid, preheating it. Stir this composition until gas bubbles temporarily cease. Then rinse lightly with water. Lay out the resulting priming to the aquarium.

Rinse river sand (1.5-2 mm in diameter) or gravel (3-4 mm in diameter). Wait for the water to turn clear. After that, boil the mixture for 15 minutes, stirring continuously. Then rinse again in warm water. Layer thickness priming but in this case it will depend on the types of plants and sizes aquarium, but usually no more than 3-7 cm.

Since gradually in the aquarium priming fishes waste accumulates and the roots of plants can gradually rot, it should be renewed every 2-5 years. The frequency of replacement depends on the volume of plants, the number of fish and its composition.

Plants in the aquarium are needed not only for decoration, as decorative element... They play the role of a kind of filter for purifying water, saturating it with oxygen. In their thickets, small species of fish and fry can hide from danger. That's why correct selection plants for aquarium very important.

Instructions

For aquarium soil, quartz, granite, and basalt are most suitable. Optimal size fractions 1-5mm. When using fine sand, the roots of the plants are compressed and rotted. Lay the soil with a slope - at the front glass 4cm, at 7cm.

The soil gives the aquarium the appearance of a natural reservoir. It creates a color background for fish and plants, emphasizing their unique characteristics. In addition to decorative qualities, the soil performs the function of maintaining the biological balance in the aquarium, determines the properties and composition of the water. Important processes for the processing of waste take place in it: fish excrement, uneaten food residues, dead plant leaves. The soil contains bacteria that provide biological treatment and decomposition of organic matter.

Instructions

Artificial (glass and plastic) soil is completely harmless. It does not release substances into the water that are harmful to fish. However, it can only be used in artificial aquariums or in case of live plants in pots. In addition, it must be remembered that such soil is not suitable for keeping burrowing fish.

It is believed that the soil for the aquarium should certainly be dark in color, in no way colored. Of course, against the background of dark soil, the fish will look brighter, and the greenery of the plants will look more impressive. But, if it is equipped in the form of a pseudo-riff? In this case, the appearance of dark soil against the background of corals will become completely inappropriate. If you like colored or light ground - feel free to buy.

The optimum size of soil particles is 2-8 mm. It can be slightly larger, the main thing is that all the particles are of approximately the same size and generally round in shape. Also, the soil must be porous. The ingress of small particles between large ones will lead to the impeded circulation of water in the soil, stagnant processes will begin in it, which can cause decay of plant roots, as well as damage to water.

Regardless of whether you purchase soil or extract it yourself, it needs to be processed. If sand is used as soil, it should be sieved through a sieve to remove finer particles. It is undesirable to use sand of a reddish hue, as it contains a lot of iron, which is harmful to some fish. The pebbles also need to be sorted out so that its particles are approximately the same size.

Now the soil must be thoroughly rinsed. To do this, place it in a container and fill it with water, then stir and drain the water. Repeat this procedure until the drained water is completely clear. After rinsing, disinfect the soil by boiling it for 15-20 minutes or baking it on a baking sheet in the oven.

Pre-sowing treatment

Before planting seeds, they must be treated with drugs that stimulate root formation. To do this, it is enough to keep them for 7 hours in a heteroauxin solution prepared at the rate of 1 tablet (100 mg of heteroauxin) per 2 liters of water.

Germination

After soaking in heteroauxin, the seeds are transferred to a small jar with drinking water, cover and put in a warm place. The water temperature in the jar should be 23-25 ° C. Higher temperatures will reduce the oxygen content of the water and the seeds may rot.

Planting

As soon as the seeds germinate, they are planted in another jar of water, at the bottom of which soil is poured. River sand, fine gravel, vermiculite with the addition of peat chips, etc. are suitable for use as a soil. Sprouted seeds should not be planted too close to each other - they need free space for normal growth.

Growing seeds in soil

Some aquarists prefer to sow seeds directly into the soil without germinating them. To do this, shallow grooves are made in it and seeds are embedded there. Large seeds can be embedded deeper, but small ones are not recommended to be embedded deeply - a hatched seed may not have enough time and supply of nutrients to come to the surface.

In the container where the germinating seeds are located, it is necessary to maintain high humidity air and protect young plants from their eternal enemies - algae.

One of the modern alternatives to conventional aquarium plants are new photosynthetic creatures of nature, which, majestically drifting around the aquarium, are able to do without rooting in a certain place.

Plants without soil: or fantasy?

If the owner of the aquarium is not particularly inclined to constantly cleaning the habitat of his wards, then usually he buys a house without a primer, which means that almost everything will be in a floating state. Consequently, even the snails that are used to cleanse the walls of the aquarium will crawl lazily along the walls ... and plants, as there are species that can easily survive even in the absence of earth to strengthen! Particularly striking of these "water travelers" are the common pinnate, African elodea, hornwort and Riccia. The latter, by the way, tends to grow to the size of a lawn with moss without proper care and weekly thinning, so this plant will need an eye and scissors for a haircut.

How it happens without soil

There are two ways to propagate plants in an aquarium without soil:
1. With the help of the appearance of a daughter process on the body of a plant, formed by budding, the emergence of new shoots, the branching of "whiskers" - the so-called vegetative. At this way after the formation of daughter plants, the resulting "child" is transplanted to another part of the aquarium, so that the overgrown plant does not occupy the entire upper water column, blocking oxygen and light for the fish.

2. Leaf propagation. In this case, new shoots with a rhizome are formed on the leaves, which are subsequently separated from the parent, going on an independent drift around the aquarium. It is only necessary to cut the top so that the plant, gradually increasing in size, does not fall under the destructive effect of the direct rays of the sun.

It is curious that not every aquarium plant is able to reproduce often enough - it all depends solely on the intensity of the nutrient medium. If, for example, you feed the hornwort with a multivitamin solution, then it will accelerate the flowering period and the daughter formations will be almost twice as large as during normal flowering! However, such radical methods can only be used if the aquarium was recently purchased and it is urgent to create a layer of plants.

Floating plants can serve more than great alternative ordinary soil, but also allow the fish to lay eggs directly in such a drifting “island of greenery” - due to the fact that the plants are constantly in motion, other fish rarely tend to destroy the eggs of their neighbors.