Succulents have thick leaves that can spread in an aquarium, and make them attractive with vibrant green colors and shapes. Also, the water storage tissue makes them durable, and they support fish living habitat by water cleaning and harmful nutrient removal.
Can You Put Succulents in a Fish Tank? You can put succulents in a fish tank by preparing and cleaning the tank, then make a bottom of 1/4 of inch rocks, settle a smooth layer of substrate and push the Succulent’s roots inside. Also, decorate the plant with pebbles, keep the aquarium in sunlight angle, and maintain temperature limits for different size succulents.
Succulents turn the aquarium into a charming and playful environment; the fish stays happy with frequent swimming.
In addition, a few succulents like cactus have several types, and a few of them are compatible with an aquarium.
However, the sharp, scaly plant leaves can harm tiny creatures and develops wounds. Moreover, around 80% to 92% of American aquarium keepers prefer succulent plants due to their safety and growth.
Contents
What are succulents and their types?
Typically, a succulent plant has fleshy, thick tissues that store water. They have more than 180 types, each of them has a different shape.
They perform several different activities by water storage, absorbing nutrients, and keeping the living environment clean.
In addition, a few of them have a water storage mechanism in the stems and keep the leave dry. A fine example of such succulents is a cacti plant. On the other hand, agaves can accumulate water in the leaves.
Their addition in the fish habitat removes harmful toxins from the environment. They convert the excreted substances into beneficial plant carbohydrates, use them as fertilizers and grow underwater.
|
Name of Succulent plant |
Features |
|
Aloe |
They have diverse textures and sizes. Also, aloe succulents can survive up to a hundred years. |
|
Sempervivum |
A monocarpic plant reproduces fast and survives in extreme temperatures. |
|
Agave |
They have thick and tapered leaves and have monocarpic features. |
|
Senecio |
They have long stems, comprise pearl-like strings, and branched stems grow upward |
|
Sedum |
They cover the entire tank bottom, have a soft and cold-hardy texture. |
|
Cacti |
They are known as cactus and can store water quantities. It has sharp scales on the top that becomes slightly soft underwater. Also, they do not comprise all types of cactus. |
How to put succulents in a fish tank?
I have described a comprehensive method to adjust the succulents in a fish tank by my personal experience. Also, you can put more than five different types of plants in a large tank.
Select the succulent
In the beginning, review several types of these plants and access the right size for your tank. Also, a few of them have more thick and dry leaves that depend on less humidity. However, they are entirely succulents but cannot thrive underwater.
Select plants with an excellent growing pattern in the tank water and never harm the fish. In addition, select them in different shapes and enroll for versatile color combinations.
In this way, the arrangement becomes attractive for a glass container. Also, select their sizes according to their growth pattern and never stuff them together. Instead, select those that have similar growth and living patterns.
Adjust the aquarium in a better spot
The presence of live plants requires a specific range of sunlight, heat, and temperature conditions. For example, you cannot put your tank in darkness for several hours because it damages the plant.
Now, hold the tank and adjust it near a window. Then, stabilize it on a table or a stand and check the light angle. Comprehend their required temperatures and control the standard limits.
Clean and prepare a fish tank
Prepare the aquarium in the absence of fish and water. Then, clean its walls and bottom with an anti-bacterial cleaner.
I always use 1/4 to 1/5 of inch rocks and make concrete layers in the aquarium bottom. Spread them with a layer of 1/4 inch thickness. The rock layer prevents succulent water logging with a drainage passage.
In addition, you can get these inexpensive rocks from stores or garden centers. Now, add a thick layer of gravel over the rock surface. Smoothen the surface manually and leave it for stability.
Put succulent plants in the aquarium
Remove the succulents from their old containers, tease their roots, and remove old soil for better adjustment. Arrange them in a pattern that they can grow and oxygenate appropriately.
You can select your designs and layouts according to the size of your fish container. Adjust them in the gravel and tap the substrate around them for protection. Adjust the small colorful pebbles around to decorate these plants.
Why would you add Succulents to a fish tank?
Here are a few benefits of adding succulents to the aquarium. All of them are appealing to fish keepers because they like to add these to their aquariums. In addition, their shapes, leaves, and low maintenance conditions attract people with larger setups.
Oxygenation process
Succulents are live plants that can survive on a minute amount of water. But, in freshwater aquariums, these plants produce a high oxygen level. In addition, the live plants go through oxygen production throughout their lifespan underwater in standard planted conditions.
Also, they can remove high builds of carbon dioxide inside an aquarium. In addition, they can remove the nitrate, ammonia, and nitrites that develop due to fish excretions.
Due to constant oxygen exhalation by these plants, the tank remains oxygenated all the time.
It keeps the water clear, healthy, and hygienic for fish. Also, the tiny creature swims without any fear or allergic diseases in such environments.
Aquarium decoration
These plants have different sizes, types, and shapes with appealing colors and versatile shapes. Also, all of them have leaves that can float underwater. But, the gravel adjustment technique prevents such undesirable activities inside a fish tank with fish.
Moreover, they add beauty to the living habitat with their beautiful and eye-captivating green colors. In addition, they make the aquarium refreshing for all viewers and attract their attention due to their different movements.
They lie on rocks of brown, black, and grey colors. As a result, the appearance of concrete enhances and makes the environment playful for a fish.
Improvement of water quality
The succulents do not like much water and can survive for around 1 to 4 months without water. But, in an aquarium, the water exposure to these plants is at its maximum level.
As a result, they perform other functions like many other live plants in a tank. For example, they make the container vibrant and clear the water. All of it happens naturally without damaging the habitat conditions.
In addition, the plants can remove the harmful substances and converts the toxic carbon dioxide into beneficial breathing air.
Also, they can perform such activities in bulk quantities and becomes filter replacement. But, 2 to 3 succulent plants cannot do it because they are small and inadequate for these complex conversions.
Prevention of algae growth
Typically, introducing aquatic plants in an aquarium prevents algae growth. In addition, the overall system remains stable due to the absence of harmful chemicals.
However, it is an activity for live plants but varies from one to another. In addition, several of them remove the nutrients out of the fish container.
As a result, the algae do not find any appropriate growing surface. Also, it loses the food for growth and development because the essential nutrients move out.
They ensure the absence of any algae layers on the gravel and tank walls.
Removal of fish waste
The fish excretions, urine, and poop are harmful to their lives due to life-threatening diseases. But, fish waste is a beneficial fertilizer for aquatic plants.
In addition, succulents can break the fish excretions into beneficial nutrients. Also, the absorption of maximum nutrients keeps the aquarium water clean and safe for living creatures.
Moreover, they can absorb a high level of nitrates with their leaves. In addition, the fish tank substrate helps in such matter decaying methods.
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