Freshwater Aquarium Plants - What's Wrong With Artificial Plants?

Artificial plants are often castigated by experienced aquarium keepers. However for the absolute beginner they could be an excellent choice. There is plenty enough to concern a beginner aquarist looking after the fish without bringing live plants into the equation. An aquarium filled with artificial plants can look almost as stunning as a well-kept planted aquarium. A lot of work is involved in keeping live plants healthy and vigorous. So any beginner aquarists out there should not dismiss them out of hand. In any case there is nothing to prevent anyone from starting out with artificial plants and then later re-populating with live plants once the aquarium is up and running smoothly.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Artificial Plants

Of course the biggest advantage of using artificial plants is that they require very little care and maintenance. They might need an occasional scrub to remove dirt and algae but apart from that they do not require any nurturing. Artificial plants can be placed anywhere in the tank and they look good from the start. They used to be made only from plastic but they are now available in silk which enables them to move very realistically with the water flow in the aquarium. They are reasonably priced and last a long long time. Plant mats are available now containing several plant varieties in an arrangement which can be anchored in the gravel and will not be uprooted by the fish. Particularly good choices are Ludwigia, Anarcharis, Hygrophila and Cabomba.

The only real disadvantage compared with live plants is that they do not take part in the nitrogen cycle of the aquarium. Live plants play their part in absorbing fish waste (nutrients) and removing some of the nitrates. In the absence of this, algae has a tendency to form more quickly. This is countered by the fact that less light is needed in the aquarium which tends to reduce algae growth.women handbags price in pakistan

Advantages and Disadvantages of Live Plants

There is no doubt that a planted aquarium with healthy vigorous plants and fish looks absolutely stunning and this is their biggest advantage. Live plants also take part in the cycling of the tank and contribute to the removal of nitrates and nutrients, the absorption of carbon dioxide and the release of oxygen. They offer a habitat for the good bacteria which convert ammonia and nitrites into nitrates. They also provide food for some vegetarian fish.

As I mentioned before, live plants require lots of care and attention, they are yet another challenge to the keen aquarist. Some would call this a disadvantage but I know many aquarist's who look upon this as an advantage!

They also require a certain level and quality of light, higher than the light levels that fish require. This has the disadvantage of tending to promote the growth of algae. Live plants also decay and die.

Conclusion

So there you have it. Live plants are certainly well worth the extra effort that they inevitably require but for the absolute beginner artificial plants might well be a good compromise.