Guides
Each guide answers one planted-tank job, with the numbers taken from the sources cited on each page.
- Hair algae in the aquarium: causes, removal and what eats it Why green hair algae grows in a planted tank, how to pull it out, which fish and shrimp eat it, and how to adjust light and fertilizer so it does not return. 3 min read
- Black beard algae: how to get rid of BBA in a planted tank What black beard algae is, why it grows, how to kill it with hydrogen peroxide or liquid carbon, which animals eat it, and how to keep it from coming back. 5 min read
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Aquarium fertilizer and root tabs: which plants need what When aquarium plants need fertilizer, liquid fertilizer vs root tabs, how to place root tabs, and deficiency signs, with the plant types that feed each way. 4 min read
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Aquarium plants turning brown or melting: causes and fixes Why aquarium plants turn brown: melting after planting, brown algae (diatoms) on the leaves, a buried rhizome, too little light or nutrients, and java fern spores. 5 min read
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Best plants for a shrimp tank: mosses and more Plants for a shrimp tank: mosses and fine-leaved plants to graze on, low light and no CO₂, plus cover for molting shrimp. What to pick and why. 4 min read
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Carpet plants without CO₂: what works in a low-tech tank Carpet plants that grow without injected CO₂: dwarf sagittaria, dwarf hairgrass, Cryptocoryne parva, Marsilea and moss on mesh, with light and planting tips. 4 min read
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Live plants for betta fish: what to choose Live plants for a betta tank: plants that grow at 24 to 28°C without CO₂, floating plants that leave room to breathe, and broad leaves to rest on. 5 min read
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How to plant aquarium plants, java fern and anubias How to plant aquarium plants by type: tie java fern and anubias to wood, bury stem plants 2 to 3 inches deep, root-feed crypts, and split tissue culture cups. 6 min read
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Plants for a goldfish tank: what survives and how to plant it Goldfish eat and uproot soft plants. Tough choices for a goldfish tank: anubias, java fern and bolbitis tied to wood or rock, plus cool-water plants. 4 min read
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Nano aquarium plants: small, slow plants for 5 and 10 gallon tanks Plants for a nano or 10 gallon tank: small anubias and bucephalandra, Cryptocoryne parva, mosses and a few floaters, sorted by height and growth rate. 4 min read