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Sunken Gardens

This document is a comprehensive guide by Karen A. Randall on planting freshwater aquariums, published by Timber Press in 2016. It covers essential topics such as aquatic plant biology, aquarium water chemistry, equipment, maintenance, and troubleshooting, providing practical advice for both novice and experienced aquarists. The guide emphasizes the importance of using suitable plant species for specific water conditions and offers insights into the ecological impact of invasive aquatic plants.

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30 views215 pages

Sunken Gardens

This document is a comprehensive guide by Karen A. Randall on planting freshwater aquariums, published by Timber Press in 2016. It covers essential topics such as aquatic plant biology, aquarium water chemistry, equipment, maintenance, and troubleshooting, providing practical advice for both novice and experienced aquarists. The guide emphasizes the importance of using suitable plant species for specific water conditions and offers insights into the ecological impact of invasive aquatic plants.

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A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO | KAREN Planting Freshwater Aquariums | RANDALL A Step-by-Step Guide to Planting Freshwater Aquariums Karen A. Randall TIMBER PRESS Portland, Oregon Copyright © 2016 by Karen A. Randall, Al rights reserved. Photo credits appear on page 248. Pages 2-3: A concave aquascape by Pedro Rosa. Page s: Microsorum pteropus "Trident Published in 2016 by Timber Press, Inc. ‘The Haseltine Building 133 SW. Second Avenue, Suite 450 Portland, Oregon 97204-3527 timberpress.com Printed in China Text design by Will Brown ‘cover design by Kristi Pferer lustrations by Kate Francis Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Randall, Karen A., author Tile: Sunken gardens: a step-by-step gulde to planting freshwater aquariums / Karen A. Randall Other titles: step by step guide to planting freshwater aquariums Description: Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, 2016 | Includes. bibliographical references and inde Identifiers: LCCN 2or6o21286 | ISBN 9781604695922 (pbk.) Subjects: LCSH: Aquarium plants | Aquarium animals. | Aquariums, | Water gardens. Classification: Lcc sF4s7.7 (print | DDC 639.8—de23 Lc record available at https//cen.loc gov/2016021286 catalog record fr this book also available from the British Library Mention of trademark, proprietary product, or venclor does not constitute a _uarantee or warranty ofthe product by the publisher or author and does not imply its approval tothe exclusion of other products or vendors. CONTENTS Preface 8 1 Biology of Aquatic Plants in the Wild 2 Basic Aquarium Water Chemistry 24 3 Essential Equipment e 4 w_—rv—mu- Substrates n 5 Fertilizers 80 6 Tank Maintenance a6 Plant Profiles Plant Care 12 9 Animal Choices 10 Aqua- scaping Styles 186 1 Putting It All Together 208 12 Trouble- shooting Resources 244 Metric Conversions 246 ‘Acknowledgments 247 Photo Credits 248 Index 249 image not available image not available image not available o ne “ee ) c < Aa & & Ee = tte my) | s = =f ( , : | 2 - uo 2 . — image not available image not available image not available Seon, Cryptocoryneeispatula sends up ts distinctive lower spikes, While the Mekong form ofthe species shown here is nota sultable aquarium plant because ofthis growth habit there are other varieties of crspatula that make exemplary aquarium plants. What you will not find in the wild are plants growing for long periods in very deep or ‘muddy water. Such water does not allow enough light to pass through f ‘Some plants do grow in areas where the water is deep and turbid for parts ofthe year, but these plants typically lose their leaves when water conditions rob them of light, and then regrow their leaves and start co flower when water levels drop, the current slows, and the water becomes clearer. While adaptive in the wild, this behavior is obviously undesirable in an aquarium plant. image not available image not available image not available Few aquarium plants are found along the Amazon Riverand itslanger tributaries due to huge depth and olor, which anges from the colorof teato “white water” areas the color of café au Inti most areas With the exception cofafow clear-waterrivers, ie ight is available for plant growth except atthe surface ofthe water, where plants lke these enormous ‘Victoria amazonicalilis Actuate are found. WHAT PEOPLE CAN DO TO SUPPORT NATURAL SPACES Native plants and animals often suffer from habitat degradation and competition for resources due to the introduction of nonnative species. Unfortunately, especially in the warmer parts of the United States as well as other parts of the world, invasive nonnative aquatic plants are playing havoc with waterways, crowding out native plant species, destroy~ ing areas where animals reproduce, and in some eases, causing dangerous conditions for water fowl which become trapped in floating plants. Our responsibility to our natural spaces is to prevent the spread of invasive species. Invasive species aren'ta problem only in the United States, Myriophyllum aguaticum, South American native, is commonly found in tropical areas in Asia where it becomes invasive. In the United States, two of most problematic invasive aguatic plants are Eurasian \watermilfoil, Myriophyllum spicatum, which can now be found over most of the country, and Hydrilla verticillata. This second plant, once thought to be mostly a warm water invader, has proven much more cold tolerant than expected, and can now be found as far north as, Connecticut and the Finger Lakes in New York. image not available image not available image not available ‘Most aquarium plants sold today come from commer- cal nurseries inthe United ‘States, Europe, and Southeast ‘Asia, Here Claus Christensen, former director of Topica Aquarium Plants in Denmark, and Brad MeLean, cowmer of Florida Aquatic Nurseries share fens at Brad's nursery in 2010, Do not collect in state or federal parks, where this activity is almost universally prohib: ited. When on private land, make sure you have the land owner's permission. Thatis often easy to obtain by simply asking, but do people that courtesy, ‘And remember that if plants going to do well in an aquarium, you do not need alot of ito start with. Many plants that are going to grow in your aquarium will typically do so quickly, and you will soon be weeding them out of your tank to share with friends. Other species may require a more experienced aquaristto get them established. You will become ‘more successful with finicky plants over time if working with native plants interests you. Please avoid purchasing wild-collected plants, as they are a drain on the environment. Most plants that are worthy of aquarium use become available commercially. image not available image not available image not available Don'tbe discouraged if your ‘ap water falls outside the ideal range for planted tanks. This lovely tankby Tony Gomes, which i planted mostly with Cryptocoryne sp, isinanareaofthe country with extremely bard ‘water. The aquaristhas cho sen tous species that will dowel in the water be has rather than fight to change the water chemistry. The resultisatank that’s not only pretty, but ensyto maintain, ‘The first thing to do if you want to avoid problems wich your planced tank is to get a printout of your tap water chemistry from your local water department. My town sends these out automatically, twice a year, but if yours doesn’, itis still required, by federal law, to provide you with a copy upon request. Ifyou have a private well, you will need to hire someone to do a chemical analysis of your water, but you have to do that periodically to ensure the safety of your drinking water anyway. This basic information helps you determine what, ifanything, you need to add to your water to make it suitable fora planted tank, and may affect how much fertilizer you use In general, itis best to learn to garden with the water you have rather than try to make drastic changes, Long experience has taught me that people who work too hard to change their basic, out-of-the-tap water chemistry often cause themselves greater headaches than f they left it alone. They also rarely continue with this level of work in the long term. Fortunately, in most, ifnot all, areas of the country you can grow beautiful plants in water from the tapas longas you chose the right species and don't et hung up on the plants that don’t like local water conditions. image not available image not available image not available (One of the easiest ways to increase water hardness isto add a small filter bag of aragonite or erushed coral (sub- strates marketed for marine aquariums) to your filter. The substrate will slowly dissolve, adding a steady source of both hardness and carbonate hardness (discussed later) to your water: You can also add these substances to your substrate, but hardness is harder to control that way. Ifthe substances are ated to the filter, you can always remove them or reduce the amount if you find that the water is «getting too hard. This method is best used in aquariums not receiving carbon dioxide (CO) enrichment. ‘The acidification of the water by CO. and the rapid water flow through the filter may eause the aragonite to dissolve too quickly, increasing the hardness and the buffering capacity (alkalinity) of the water more than you want. If supplemental CO, is used, then it works well to hang a fine mesh bagof aragonite in an area ofthe aquarium with less water flow and where it can be easily removed. There are also commercial products available that can be added ‘with each water change to inerease the carbonate hardness, general hardness, or both, While hard water will, o some extent, limit the kinds of plants you can grow in your tank, aquatists in Europe successfully grow beautiful planted tanks in water with Inardness exceeding 300 mg/L. Even in areas with very hard ‘water, there are plants that can be grown successfully. It is just a matter of choosing the right ones, I still strongly advise that you learn to use the water you have before trying to change your tap water chemistry significantly, at least in the beginning. If, after you learn what you can grow in your tap water, you decide that you really need to grow species that must have softer water, there are a few options. If you have a ‘small tank, the easiest way to soften the water isto purchase bottled water atthe grocery store. Figure out how much tap water you need to mix with the bottled water to achieve the hardness level you desire. Aviewofsome ofthe many species represented ina small, stretch of Rio Stbinas Some people collect rain water to mix with their tap ‘water, but you need to have a good method of preventing, ‘unwanted chemicals from getting into this water, or it can cause more problems than it solves. Collected rain water also often attracts unwanted mosquitos to the yard Ifyou need to prepare water for large or multiple tanks, you may want to invest in RO (reverse osmosis) or DI ‘Ge-ionization) systems. These expensive filtration systems are only for someone who is very serious about aquatic gar- ening and hasa severe hard water problem. For most of us, learning to garden successfully with the tap water available isa much better option. Carbonate Hardness Carbonate hardnessisa measure of the amount of carbonates and bicarbonates in the water. These substances buffer the water and allow you to add earbon dioxide (CO2) to your tank without eausing the pH to fill too low. Like general hardness, carbonate hardness ean be measured either as parts per million (ppm), milligrams per liter (mg/t), or degrees of carbonate hardness (KH, or KH, which is an old German measurement) Ie is unusual to have a water source that has adequate general hardiness and isto low in carbonate hardness, but itdoes occasionally happen. Ifyour water has less carbonate hhardness than you need after adjusting the general hardiness, you can increase the carbonate hardness lone by using plain baking soda sodium bicarbonate). little lessthan ¥4 tea spoon of baking soda will aise the KH of 10 gallons of water by approximately 1 degree (178 mg/t)-Do this slowly ina bucket outside the aquarium until you have a good handle onexaetly how much you need, ‘he very, very careful about using commercial aquarium buffers in the planted aquarium. Many ofthese products are based on phosphate compounds and ean eause algae problems. At the very least, they will render the KH/p#/ CO chart (se side bar page 000) inaccurate tothe point of uselessness. In my opinion, phosphate-based butfers are ‘nota good idea in any aquarium and I urge you stick to prod ucts containing calcium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate for adjustments image not available image not available image not available image not available image not available image not available The pH/KH/CO, While ther are substances that can make this chart inaccurate, ste tll helpful to understand the relationship Airect relationship between KH, pH, and CO, To determine thelevelof CO, in an aquasium, measure its pH and KH. Find the intersection ofthese two values in the chart That number is the CO, level in rilligrams per liter. Yellow CO, values are to high for most tanks. Blue CO, values are too low. Green. CO, values indicate optimal level, pH 6.0 6.2 64 66 68 70 72 7.4 7.6 78 8.0 Recommend inerensing allalintyby aising KHor KH'+GH — (general hardness) KH (Optima allalinity — Winter softening helpful — —— a image not available image not available image not available ((( a | i Ny AX a a io a ) ni me A ue i ea a. > p Dn image not available image not available image not available Good quality “Iit"aquar- ums canbe a great way toget started, ‘Traditional aquariums are usually made of las, chough some are made of acrylic. Acrylic tanks are more expensive than the same size glas tank and are also easily scratched. They are optically clearer than ordinary aquarium glass but ifthe very slightly greenish tinge of normal aquarium glass bothers you, you can get an aquarium made of optically lear Jow-ran glass. Aquariums made from low-iron glass are also more expensive, but they are 1no more expensive than the equivalent acrylic tank, and will wear better. ne advantage to acrylic tanks is, for their size, they are much lighter in weight. This ean be a real con- sideration ifyou need to move a really big tank. You ean find inexpensive (and inexpensively made) aquariums atthe bz box pet stores. ‘These will certainly dothejob, but they tend tohave poor silicone seals that are unattractive, and inexpensive plastic framing, From these low-end tanks, you can gop to progressively better-made, better-ooking, more expensive tanks, some even custom made. ‘Today itis popular to use rimless aquariums for aquatic gardening. These give aclean, ‘modern look to your display. Several companies make rimless tanks with nice shapes and ‘00d quality sealing work fora moderate price, but you will need to buy them from your local independent aquarium store or online. Several companies produce kit aquariums that come with almost everything you need to get stated. These vary tremendously in quality as well asin what the kits include, so ‘make sure you check kits out carefully, read reviews for the product you are interested in, and know exaetly what you are buying. One of the biggest variables with these kit tanks isthe quality of che built-in lighting. Some tanks have plenty of light for plants, while others might be adequate fora fish-only tank, but are not strong enough to support most plat life. You may want to look for an aquarium kit made specifically asa planted or reef tank. Tanks designed for reefs often have an actinie (blue) bul but usually the store will be happy to switch this out for a plant-friendly bulb for you. FILTERS ‘There are a number of filter options for the planted tank. In many cases, the size of the tank will make one type more suitable than another. For the very smallest tanks, which do not support animal life, you can sometimes get by with no filter at all. Filters serve several functions ina planted tank. The first is biological filtration. Ina tank stocked with fish, the fileer will become colonized by nitrifying bacteria and will process the excess waste not taken up by the plants, turning it into nitrate, which is not toxie to the fish except at very high concentrations. Another function of the filter is asa mechanical filter, straining small bits of suspended ‘matter from the water. Not only is suspended detritus unattractive, but it is unhealthy ‘when itsettles on plant leaves and interferes with their growth. Afilter can also be filled with chemical filtration media, which removes various dissolved substances from the water. This is aless-important function in a planted tank, where the planes do much of that work for you, though there are times when certain types of chemical filtration, especially activated carbon, can be useful for short periods, image not available image not available image not available For larger tanks, most aquatic gardeners choose canister filters, Such filters keep most of the equipment out ofthe tank and in the eabinet below, The only pieces of equipment in the tank are the intake and return tubes. The best flow ean be achieved with a canister filter ifthe intake tube is placed low down on one end of the tank, and the return spray placed high in the tank on the same end, set to send water flow across the top of the tank from one end to the other, returning tothe intake in a circular pattern. For the largest tanks, an overflow, sump-style filter is often the best choice. These filters require alittle more knowledge to install than other types but they have the largest eapaci and they allow the aquarist o remove all equipment from the tank. Since this book is an introduction to aquatic gardening and few people will choose to start with a tank requiring a sump-style filter, won't go into depth about them here. image not available image not available image not available Rate of photosynthesis %) Wavelength (nanometers) Plants utilize red and ble light ‘more efficent than green light for photosynthesis. you ean get some strange growth responses, Spectral charts are available for many of the amps currently on the market, While these are not usually included in the packaging, they are often available from the manufacturer, either on their Web site, or for the asking. ‘Most modern fluorescent bulbs, even cheap ones from home improvement stores, are tri-phosphor tubes. Such lights have been coated with three different phosphors that luminesce in different ranges of the spectrum—red, green, and blue. This makes them a good choice for plant growth and, at the same time, pleasing to the human eye. Photosynthetically Active Radiation Photosynthetieally active radiation (PAR) isthe only measure that tells us anything useful about how a particular light source will grow plants. simplistic explanation of PAR is that it measures radiation in the part ofthe spectrum that ean be used by photosynthetic life forms. The units of measure for PAR are mols (micromoles per square meter per second), thats, the number of photons in the parts ofthe spectrum that plants ean use that hit a square meter per second. Aquarists often use the term PAR as short-hand for mols in In nature, the amount of light reaching plants ina body of water depends on weather, time of day; time of year, turbidity, water color and depth. Many plants tolerate a wide range of lighting conditions as long as their other needs are properly met. In the strong midday sun in the topics, the PAR in clear shallow water is often well over 1000 uumols. Earlier and later in the day, this number is lower. At8:30 in the morning when the sun is at a strong angle, I have measured PAR at 130 jimols in 5 em of very clear water. conversation. image not available image not available image not available aah image not available image not available image not available image not available image not available image not available Water/sugar/ yeast mature —[* auiter__| plastic bottle Low-tech Yeast Reactor For those who would lke to see the benefits of supplemental CO, but who are not ready to take the leap into pressurized COs, a simple yeast reactor might be a comfortable starting point. There are several companies that manufacture yeast reactor kits. They are relatively inexpensive and provide ll the pieces you need in anice, neat box. Butit isalso quite easy to make your oven yeast reactor. All you need to set up a simple yeast reactor is an empty plastic bottle, some airline tubing, a nail, pliers, yeast, and some sugar. I prefer 2-lte juice bottles because they are ‘more rigid than soda pop bottles and don't collapse ifsqueezed a litle too hard. Holding the nail with the pliers, heat the nail on the stave until i is hot enough to rele through the bottle top. Make a hole in the bottle top just slightly smaller than the diameter of your airline tubing. When the plastic has cooled, cut the end ofthe airline tubing atan angle, so that you have a pointed end to stick through the hole in the bottle top. Use the pliers to pull the tubing through so that you have at least 1 inch of tubing inside the bottle. Ifyou have made the hole slightly smaller than the tubing, it will make an air-tight seal without the use of any glue Fill the bottle half-way to two-thirds full with tepid water. Do not use hot water, which ‘will ll the yeast. Using a funnel, pour 1 cup of sugar and 44 teaspoon of yeast int the bottle and swiel the bottle around to mix well. Make sure you don't fill the bottle to ful. ‘The misture may foam, and you don'twant that getting nto your aquarium. Screw the cap onthe bottle and attach the other end ofthe tubing toa CO> diffuser. ternatively, place the tubing into the intake of iter or powerhead. Place the bottle on top of the aquarium until you se start producing bubbles. Once the Oz asbegins to produce positive pressure in the tubing, you can place the botle below the aquariumif you choose. However, itsstill safest touse acheck valve to prevent any backflow. Aig ting Diagram ofa homemade iter overflowfreturn Fite yretur peti image not available image not available image not available Diagram ofa homemade semi- automatic CO, system. Canister fiter return Needle valve ? Airine tubing from aquarium shops will also do. Just remember that airline tubing wil gt brittle with ageand need to be replaced. lease use a COp-resistant check valve between the aquarium and the regulator. This will prevent water from inadvertently backing up into your expensive CO, equipment. Getting carbon dioxide into the aquarium. Finally, you will need a way to dissolve the C0, into your aquarium water. CO; actually dissolves easily in water as longas there is ‘good amount of contact. ‘There are two main methods of dissolving CO into the water. The simplest and most suitable to small tanks is a CO. diffuser. This isa small disk that is attached to the end ofthe tubing, and, ustally with a suetion cup, attached to the wall ofthe aquarium. The disk breaks the CO3 into microscopic bubbles, which dissolve as they rise through the "water. It s important to place the diffuser as low in the aquarium as possible to allow for the longest period of contact. Some diffusers work with low pressure COs, like that from a yeast reactor, but others ‘musthave considerable pressure behind them to work, Make sure you purchase one that is appropriate for the type of CO, system you have chosen ‘The second option isa CO, reactor, which uses moving water to tumble with the COs ‘bubbles and dissolve them. This type of system dissolves more gas more quickly and eff- ciently hana diffuser, so is abetter choice fora larger aquarium, Some reactors re driven by-apowerhead and sitinside the aquarium or inside asump-style filter chamber. Others ate inserted inthe return line from aeanister filter Any of these options can work well. It is really upto the choice ofthe aquatic gardener. image not available image not available image not available ‘Atankwith a modern, substrate oil-based Ina low to moderately lit tank, a commercial soil-based substrate may provide enough nutrients to support plant growth without any supplementation fora long time. However, ‘most people find that in a higher light, fast-growth set-up they need to feed their plants, starting within the first couple of months, even with a nutritious substrate, For someone starting with planted tanks, I strongly advise using one of these commercial substrate cy help you provide for your plants while you are learning and won't cause the mess some do-it-yourself substrates ean, COMMERCIAL CALCINED CLAY SUBSTRATES Another option is a commercial calcined clay substrate. This type of substrate has little built-in nutritional value, butis very porous and has the ability to capture and hold nutrients. ‘The ability ofa substrate to take up and store nutrients is called cation exchange capacity (CEC). Ifa substrate has a high CEC, it will grab some of the nutrients out of the water column and hold them in reserve. The plant roots are then able to access these nutrients. image not available image not available image not available Laterite substrate capped ‘witha clean layer of gravel HOMEMADE SO! D AND NONTRADITIONAL SUBSTRATES While I donot recommend soil or nontraditional substrates for novice aquatic gardeners, Twould be remiss if did not at least mention some of the alternative types of substrates, that can be used to grow aquatic plants. ‘The first type of nontraditional substrate includes montmorillonite clay and calcined clay. ‘Montmorillonite clay isthe substance used to make many nonclumping ca litter products. Another form ofthis clay is widely used in products designed to absorb oil spills in garages. ‘The color of most cat litter is not very attractive, but some of the absorbing products are an attractive brown color. Ifyou decide to try one ofthese products, make sure itis plain, nonclumping, montmorillonite clay with no additives like dyes or perfumes. Caleined clay is often available as a surface for baseball fields and as a garden pond substrate. It comes in a range of colors from light to dark tan, ‘The biggest advantage to these products is that they are very inexpensive, so they are an option for those on a tight budget. They also have a very high cation exchange capacity. ‘This feature ean be tricky to manage in the first few months of the tank, however, as the clay can capture a large part ofthe nutrients intended for the plants. Ifyou choose to use these products, be prepared to fertilize heavily in the beginning, Some calcined elays lower the carbonate hardness in the water, which may or may not be advantageous, depending (on your local water chemistry. They can also be frustrating to plant in, as they are very lightweight, and plants tend to float out of them until they become well rooted, ‘Another fairly common alternative substrate for those who prefer a do-it-yourself method isa soil-based one. Some people put a layer of plain garden dirt or organic top- soil under a layer of inert gravel. The gravel holds the soil down so that it makes less of a mess in the water column. The problem is that, as terrestrial gardeners know, not all, soils are created equal, Some people report very good results with this method, while others have no end of trouble with algae and with the soil clouding the water. ‘Another approach is to mineralize the tap soil. In this method, soil is screened to remove large pieces of organic material, and then allowed to soak for a time before the water is poured off and the substrate is allowed to dry. The process is repeated a couple of times. Eventually, the more volatile organics have been removed. When placed in the aquarium, the washed soil is eapped with inert gravel to keep itout of the water column, ‘as much as possible. While this is a much safer and effective approach toa soil substrate, it is time consuming and messy. ‘There is no doubt that soil substrates provide a much larger amount of the nutrients plants need than many commercial products, and that these nutrients last longer. Unless itis mineralized first, however, the organic material ina soil substrate can make it difficult to handle. I strongly advise those who want to play with alternative substrates to do so in a small tank first. Itis less heartbreaking and not as much work if you end up having to tear down a 10-gallon tank because of insurmountable problems as itis to do the same with a70-gallon tank. image not available image not available image not available MACRONUTRIENTS Next on the listof nutrients needed is NPK: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These are ‘major nutrients for aquatic plants justas they are for terrestrial plants, Even so, terrestrial fertilizers are generally not appropriate for aquarium use. One of the big reasons for this, is that many terrestrial fertilizers contain nitrogen in the form of urea. In an aquarium, urea quickly becomes toxic ammonia and even more toxic nitrite, It is important that all nitrogen introduced to the aquarium be in the form of nitrate (not to be confused with nitrite) Likewise, phosphorus for aquatie plants needs to be in the form of phosphate. Macronutrients are available as either commercially prepared liquid planted tank fer- izers or as dry fertilizers from specialty sources. I highly recommend that anyone who is just starting out or only has a small tank purchase supplements from a good, reliable commercial company. As you gain experience or start working with larger tanks, it becomes amore economical option to buy dry chemicals and make your own fertilizers “The dosing recommendations on commercial fertilizers are very conservative and are meant ep uninformed people from overdosing their aquariums, Lam hoping that by the time you have read this book, you will be well on the way to beingan informed aquatic gardener with good lighting and supplemental CO, In such a tank, you will ind that you need to dose quite bit more heavily than the minimum doses listed on most commercial products. For the planted aquarium, nitrate (the preferred form of nitrogen) is usually supplied as potassium nitrate (KNO,). Phosphate (the preferred form of phosphorus) is usually available as mono- potassium phosphate (KHP0q). Because both of these compounds also contain potassium, itis generally not necessary to dese potassium separately. However, ifyou feel the need to add a little more potassium, there is little downside. Potassium is available as, ready-made commercial liquid supplement or in dry form as potassium sulfate (K2804). Itis possible to get test kits to monitor the levels of NPK in your aquarium, and in the beginning, it makes sense to invest in these. Over time, you will get to know how your plants respond to fertilizers, when they need more, and how much. Experienced aquatic gardeners eventually find that they do very litte testing, and can judge, just from the look of their plants, what is needed, Squeeze measure bottles can every convenient for dosing nutzient solutions, especially if you choose to make your own from dry fertilizers. image not available image not available image not available MAINTENANCE image not available image not available image not available Inexpensive tools are available on the internet for aslow as $20 orso fora set containing. pair of scissors, one pinsette and, perhaps, a substrate flattening tool. Beware ofthe false economy of purchasing inexpensive aquascaping too! kits. Most people find that low-cost tools are heavy and unwieldy, and eventually replace them with quality tools. t depends ‘on whether you are willing to buy twice or want to spend the money for good tools from. the start, Quality really makes a difference here, so you may want to invest in nicer tools. ‘You will have them for a very long time if you take care of them. ‘The aquarium glass will require regular cleaning inside and out. Many tools are spe- cially designed for cleaning aquarium glass, but my favorites come from places other than aquarium shops. For scraping hard algae or lime deposits off glass, Luse a razo~ edged wallpaper remover. One handle and a supply of extra blades from your local home improvement store will keep you going for years. This is too large a tool for very small tanks, and for these I use a regular safety razor blade. For soft algae on the inside of the glass, my tool of choice is a melamine foam eraser ‘meant for removing marks from woodwork and other household surfaces. Make sure that you purchase pads that do not contain any additives or cleaning chemicals. The fine abrasive surface of these pads is great for removing algae from the glass and equipment in your tank, Many small nano tanks have rounded corners in the front, which are pretty but can be hard to get into either with a blade of some sort, or even a large pad. Another useful household item for getting into these tight places is a cotton swab. Glass covers and even the outside glass on the tank often get a coating of hard-to-remove lime scale on themn, Most household cleaners are ammonia based and are not safe for use even near an aquarium, White vinegar to the rescue! Plain white vinegar spread over the sass for a few minutes, then scraped off with a seraper or safety razor will remove all or most of the spots. You can even use t to clean the water line on a rimless tank by drawing the water level down a few inches, applying the vinegar with a paper towel, and then serap- ing. Avoid getting large quantities of vinegar into the tank, but afew drops will not hurt. AQUARIUM NETS ‘You will also need a couple of aquarium nets. Ieis very hard to catch fish in aheavily planted tank, so fish removal is not usually the purpose of the net if you eare for your tank wel Buteven with the best of care, you may occasionally find a dead fish, and the net will be Useful for its removal. More importantly, as you trim your plants, the clippings will pop up to float on the surface. A net can be used to scoop this plant material off, eaving a clean, attractive surface, image not available image not available image not available i > cli = r eau )))

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