Saltwater
Aquarium
Care – How to Maintain the Health of Your Saltwater
Aquarium Plants
Good saltwater
aquarium care means taking care of
the fish and water quality in your tank but it also means taking
care of your
aquarium
plants. Not only do your
aquarium plants create an
interesting home and shelter for your fish, they are also
essential for the health of your fish, water quality and the tank
as a whole. Proper, saltwater
aquarium care, therefore, must
always take into account the health of your marine plants.
Some marine plants are hardy and easy to care for while others
need quite a bit of practice and experience. If you are a novice
aquarist it is a good idea to start with hardy plants, as these
are easier to care for. Once you have a bit more practice in
correct saltwater
aquarium care you can move on to
fussier varieties.
The first thing to do is to decide what you want to achieve with
your marine plants. You should do this even before you buy your
tank. If you want big, healthy plants make sure you know what
equipment you need, what sort of saltwater
aquarium care is required and how
much time it will take you to achieve these results.
If you are more concerned with the fish in your tank than plant
life then it might be a good idea to invest in one or two plastic
plants instead. Responsible saltwater
aquarium care means knowing what
you want and getting the balance right.
While most marine plants do grow into lush, healthy plants they
all need good lighting. This is so that they have enough energy
for making their own food by means of photosynthesis. Without
sufficient light for photosynthetic activity your plants will
remain stunted or die. So part of correct saltwater
aquarium care involves making sure
that your
aquarium
provides sufficient lighting for plant growth.
To make sure that your plants are getting enough light keep the
following rule of thumb in mind: For each gallon of water in a
tank you will require 3 to 5 watts of light. Most
aquarium lighting systems are
below that level, however so you may need to shop around to find
adequate lighting to make sure you are providing the proper
saltwater
aquarium
care for your plants.
In the natural
aquarium the fish and plant
populations are perfectly balanced and compliment each other.
Marine plants create shelter, shade, and even food for your fish!
Plants that are well lit will give off oxygen and this creates a
good environment for your fish. So proper saltwater
aquarium care makes your tank
healthy and provides optimum conditions for plants and fish
alike.
The fish will, in turn, feed off the carbon dioxide released by
the fish. Plants also feed off the waste that fish produce. This
helps to absorb some of the waste that might become toxic to your
fish. So as you can see proper saltwater
aquarium care means maintaining a
healthy balance for all the life in your tank.
To provide proper saltwater
aquarium care for your plants and
fish you need to make sure that conditions in your tank are
optimal. Plant growth needs water which is at the correct ph
levels. It also needs the water to be at the correct temperature
for growth and survival.
Unfortunately this might not fit in with the temperature
requirements of the fish species you want to keep. So you might
have to decide between plants and fish in some cases. Again, good
saltwater
aquarium
care is always about finding the happy medium.
Fish also eat or tear away sections of plants and this might
actually ruin the aesthetic appeal of your tank. Plants may be
uprooted by the foraging activity of your fish. So plant care can
be a bit tricky and does require some patience. One of the most
frustrating aspects of saltwater
aquarium care is the occurrence of
marine algae.
Algae can really be a problem for the marine aquarist. Sometimes
despite the best saltwater
aquarium care – lights, substrate
additives, fertilizers and CO2 systems – instead of lush plant
growth you are confronted with algal growth. Algae can be very
difficult to get rid of once it has taken root and it can really
limit the growth of other plants.
Usually the aquarist employs various methods of saltwater
aquarium care for
combating this scourge. These might include using algicides,
bleach dips, antibiotics (for cyanobacteria), manual removal or
fish or invertebrates that feed on algae.
During an algal attack the amount of food and light is decreased
and different amounts of fertilizer are tried – sometimes with
success. Correct saltwater
aquarium care results in some sort
of balance being reached.
The best form of saltwater
aquarium care and algae treatment
is to provide the tank with a water change. In fact if you could
change the tank water daily it would be ideal but this is
obviously not very practical. You should change 25% of the water
at least twice weekly, however. If you can stick to this schedule
the amount of algae in the tank will be reduced and your fish and
plants will be healthier. A water change should form a part of
routine saltwater
aquarium care whether you have an
algal problem or not.
So what kinds of plants can you grow in a saltwater
aquarium? A variety of plants are
suitable for a saltwater
aquarium. Choose from grape algae
(Caulerpa racemosa), Halimeda Halimeda sp, shaving brush algae
(Penicillus capitus), fan algae (Udotea flabellum), corralline
bush algae (Galaxaura sp.), sea grass, red gracilaria (which your
fish can eat) and many others. Proper saltwater
aquarium care means making sure
that your plants and fish co-exist in perfect harmony.
Proper saltwater
aquarium care means really getting
to know your marine tank. Do as much research as possible to
ensure that your marine plants and fish have everything they need
to grow, stay healthy and be happy. If you get it right, your
aquarium will provide
you with many hours of entertainment, fun and pleasure. Good luck
and enjoy your
aquarium!
See:
Aquarium Maintenance San Antonio TX
Oceanic Fish Tanks San Antonio TX