Table of Contents
What do aquatic plants need to grow in the aquarium?
Basically, you have to divide the requirements into different groups. This is the only way for the plants to grow appropriately.
Factor 1: The right light in the aquarium
Without light, there is no photosynthesis and therefore no growth. Therefore it is enormously important for the appropriate Lighting in an aquarium to care. It is not only crucial to have the appropriate light intensity in LUX and lumen, but also the lighting duration and the light color must be right. We have put together a detailed guide on this:
Everything about the right aquarium lighting
Factor 2: The right soil in the aquarium
Most aquarium plants (regardless of whether java moss or waterweed) increasingly absorb their nutrients from the soil. Although aquatic plants have the peculiarity of absorbing nutrients throughout the plant, the nutrient medium is extremely important in order to achieve magnificent growth. You can find out which structure we prefer here and everything that needs to be considered in the following guide on the subject aquarium bottom.
Everything about the right aquarium floor
Factor 3: Good water parameters
Of course, the water must also be appropriate in order to allow plants to grow accordingly. It all starts with the right temperature for the respective plant. Here you should pay close attention to the respective conditions of the plants. But that's not all. The PH value and the hardness of the water are also extremely important. Not only the Ornamental fish have special requirements here.
Factor 4: Plant nutrients
The most important point is the supply of the plants with the necessary nutrients. This essentially means fertilization. There is a wide variety of nutrients, and light and soil are also included. Nevertheless, we would like to go into other nutrients here. These include, for example carbon CO2, Nitrogen N, Phosphorus/Phosphate P, Potassium K, Calcium Ca, Magnesium Mg, Sulfur S and many other micronutrients such as Iron Fe, copper Cu, manganese Mn, nickel Ni and chlorine CI. Not all of these nutrients are needed in the same concentrations.
The nutrients are divided into macro and micronutrients. But one thing should not go unmentioned here. This overview article is not about describing the individual micro and macro nutrients in detail, but rather about getting first aid in case of problems. In further articles we will then also talk about the individual requirements and chemical processes of the individual substances.
How do I fertilize properly with CO2
Macronutrients for plant growth
The macronutrients are consumed in greater amounts than the micronutrients. These include, above all, the dissolved gases such as CO2 or also hydrogen H or oxygen O. Magnesium Mg and calcium Ca are also increasingly required. Many of these nutrients are already contained in the aquarium water. For some, however, you have to help for a beautiful and magnificent plant growth. These include, above all, CO2 fertilization and also the supply of magnesium. But the proportion of phosphate is also extremely important.
Micronutrients for plant growth
Unfortunately, the macronutrients are not enough. Plants also need micronutrients. These include above all the enrichments with iron Fe, chlorine CI, manganese Mn, copper Cu, silicon Si and also zinc Zn. Although these components are required in significantly smaller quantities, they must still be present. Supplying only the macro substances would lead to an imbalance and thus not allow beautiful plant growth. But now we come to how these substances get into our aquarium.
nutrients from the water pipe
Our drinking water can already contain some of the nutrients. Unfortunately, one often has the problem there that certain substances are simply not present in the appropriate proportions. Be it, for example, that the copper content is too high and could therefore harm the fish, or that the proportion of CO2 is too low. That's why we have to help here and either that Prepare the water accordingly, or else take care of the necessary nutrients later.
Everything about the right water treatment in the aquarium
The fertilization of aquatic plants with CO2
Certainly the main nutrient for good growth of aquarium plants is CO2. That is why more and more aquarists are resorting to supplying them with CO2. The possibilities here are very diverse and range from fully automatic CO2 fertilization to a BIO CO2 system. We have summarized all the possibilities, the structure of the systems and everything else there is to know about Co2 here.
How much do you have to fertilize?
The question of how much fertilizer my aquarium needs cannot be answered with a fixed value. There are many factors that influence fertilization. These are listed as follows:
- How much light is available to the plants?
- How is the supply of nutrients through the tap water?
- How often is a water change done?
- Is additional CO2 supplied?
- What types of aquatic plants can be found in the aquarium?
- How many aquatic plants are there?
All these questions influence the uptake and the need for additional fertilization. Therefore we cannot give a general recommendation regarding the quantity. However, with certain values, you can also measure the water values and thus quickly determine whether the plants have everything they need.
So do regular water tests on the following values:
- CO2 carbon dioxide
- Nitrate NO3
- phosphate PO4
- iron Fe
- Potassium K
- magnesium mg
You should always keep an eye on these values and add fertilizer if there is a corresponding deficiency.
Of course, the manufacturers also give recommendations on how often and how much you should fertilize, but the parameters listed above also apply here. Nevertheless, these manufacturer specifications must be observed. The composition of the respective preparations is so diverse and almost unmanageable.
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How often do I have to fertilize my plants?
This question is also closely related to the one above and can only be answered to a limited extent. We want to at least publish some guide values of substances here that beginners can refer to. Professionals will certainly quickly find their own parameters, because they usually also look at the plants which substances they are missing.
Guide values
- CO2: There are many different opinions here, but the majority of aquarists are here for a value between 20 - 30 mg/l. With a strongly lit aquarium, it can be a little more.
- Nitrate NO3: When the toxic nitrite is converted, nitrate is formed, which is then absorbed by the plants. See also the nitrogen cycle. The recommended value for Nitra is around 10 to 25 mg per liter of aquarium water. Oh, this value can be proven and measured with a droplet test.
- Potassium K should be approximately in the range of 10 – 30 mg/l
- Iron Fe: The iron value is also particularly important for aquatic plants to thrive. This value should never be zero. Here it is important to achieve values of up to 0,5 mg/l. If it is zero, you should top up.
- magnesium mg: The magnesium in the water should never be at zero. Values of up to 10 mg/l are sufficient here.
- Phosphate PO4: Certainly one of the most important values is the phosphate dissolved in the water. Here you should make sure that there are up to 1,5 mg/l in the water.
Of course there are other values, but they are very dependent on the plants. For example, you should pay close attention to the temperature that the respective plants need. The amount and intensity of the light is also very different. Here, too, it is important to be careful and read the respective profiles carefully.
What is wrong with my aquatic plants?
This question is also read very often and it is not always easy to determine this precisely. Leaves have holes or are brown. leaves fall off. Fine hairs tamper with the plants. A layer of algae forms on the plants. Slight discolouration can already be seen. Plants do not grow properly or even die completely. Stems die and rot. And many, many more questions always present aquarists with new challenges. Here it is important to look closely to determine what the deficiency of the respective plant really is. Unfortunately, even that cannot always help, because very often there are many things that make plants grow poorly or not at all.
At this point we want to refer to our forum, because there you could Pictures publish accordingly, so that other aquarists can also help here. In addition, our Facebook group is also asking.
What types of fertilization are there?
Today you can buy a separate product from the various manufacturers for almost every defect. be it with JBL, Tetra, Aqua Rebell, Easylife, Dennerle or many smaller manufacturers. The dosage form is also very different, with most being supplied in liquid form today. Yet there is also Fertilizer for the ground or the gaseous possibility of Fertilization with Co2.