plants in your aquarium
It is helpful to keep some specific and simple points in mind when you select plants for your aquarium.
Know your lighting conditions
Some plants are need lots of light to thrive while others are fine with muted lighting. Are you planning on keeping your tank lights on a lot? In general, avoid plants that will require you to install special or additional lighting. Most aquatic plants do quite well with 2 watts of lighting per gallon.
Don't unintentionally invite snails to the tank
Plants that are taken from tanks in the fishstore are frequently infested with snails. Even if you can't see the snails, there will often be snail eggs on them. If you want the snails, you need do nothing. If not, one option is to bathe the plant in a potassium permanganate solution before planting it in your tank - this will kill snails and snail eggs. If you decide to do this, remember to rinse the plant before planting it. A better option may be to buy the packaged plants that come with a "no snail' guarantee.
Will your fish attack the plants?
Some fish like to determinedly nibble at plant leaves, which can kill the plants over time. Others like to uproot them. If you have an uncontrolled snail population in the aquarium, they too will eat the leaves. Some nibbling is fine, but ensure that you aren't simply putting in a plant that will soon be decimated by the fish and snails in your tank. Plants tend to be cheap ($0.50-$6.00), so some experimentation is fine.
How prolific do you want them to be?
Some plants grow slower than others. For the fast growing varieties, be prepared to trim them from time to time.
Do you want the entire tank floor covered?
Plants such as Java Moss will expand their turf rapidly to cover much of the gravel. Some people love it and some hate it. If you have messy fish, such plants can make it difficult to vacuum the aquarium effectively. This is not a concern with good starter fish choices such as Tetras and Platies.
Be prepared to feed the plants
Many need iron and other fertilizers from time to time. Some need carbon dioxide in the water. Be careful with dosage as overdosing can be toxic to the fish.