Plant, or not to Plant, For that is the Question!
So we have everything we think we need so far, and now we are ready to decorate the tank.
The questions lie herein. How complicated do we make it? How true to life do we want it? What is healthiest for the occupants?
All are good questions. For the beginner I like to recommend plastic or silk plants, caves, rockeries and other decorations. You can find a wide and varied supply at your local Pet Store. The cost of these decorations are very minimal. These are also the easiest decorations to maintain ( a big plus, they can never die on you! ) and really don't look all that bad. Plastic plants and decorations will not directly harm your fish, however they will not contribute to the health of them either, with the exception of giving some of your occupants a good place to hide.
Also some conditions do not allow the proper growth of live plants in the aquarium, and thus dictates the use of plastics. I have used plastics for years with great success in a majority of my aquariums.
Real plants are recommended for some of the more experienced fish keepers. The use of live plants can really make your aquarium look alive, as well as provide some much-needed chemical balances and nutrients ( yes, there are vegetarian fish too!).
There are three basic groups of plants; the tall broad leaf plants, and small bushy type, and the floating plants.
Tall broad leaf plants:
These are best used in the sides and rear of the tank. Providing a good backdrop that will really help show off the color and variety of your fish, not to mention hiding ugly tubing and other cords.
Small or bunchy types of plants:
These look great scattered here and there, especially in the front portion of the tank, even attached to a rockery or log will give that true lived in look.
Floating Plants:
Not a particular favorite of mine, but they are great when you are breeding your fish, this allowing a great hiding place for your fry ( baby fishes ). Also some of these like Duckweed can really help keep the nitrites down in a tank.
Rocks, Caves, Wood and other things:
First of all, please don't take seashells or corals and put them into your freshwater tank! It is a certain and slow death for your fish. The calcium released by shells and coral can do real damage. If you really want shells in your tank, buy some special or plastic shells made for freshwater tanks from your local Pet Shop.
Caves and rockeries are a must for most tanks. Certain fish are more nocturnal than others and some just need the protection, Besides it really adds realism to your tank environment. Here again, pick some up at the fish store and not out of the front yard. It may be a bit more expensive at first but will save you money in NOT having to replace dead fish all the time.
Substrate:
There are many different kinds of materials you can place on the bottom of the tank for ground cover, these are commonly referred to as your "substrate". On the DIY page I will list an excellent article by a fellow club member for setting up an inexpensive three layered substrate blend for those of you who wish to have success with live plants ( this is the one I have had the best success with ).
One caution when out buying store bought gravel for your tank, many Home and Garden Shops sell the smaller pea gravel for half what many Pet shops sell it for, so check around. Also a very common problem with some pet store bought gravel is that it is epoxy covered ( Has a plastic coating on it ). This covered gravel can attribute to wide pH fluctuations and even killing some fish over time, not to mention driving you the keeper nuts over why your pH keeps moving around. I highly recommend before you buy ANY gravel that you scratch it with the edge of a knife or your fingernail to see if a coating comes off, if it does save yourself some grief and pass it by.
PLANT SPECIES AND EASY TO KEEP PLANTS ARE COMING SOON!