Artificial algae are better than real ones. plant in the aquarium. Live and artificial algae. How to check the quality of artificial algae dye

An aquarium decorated with plants turns into a unique interior element. It is simply impossible to take your eyes off him. Therefore, there is no doubt that plants in an aquarium are necessary. The question is which is better?

In any pet store, specially made artificial plants attract attention. They often look "better than the real ones", often they are combined with some interesting decorative detail, like a sunken ship. They have a number of advantages:

they do not perish from old age and bad conditions. High-quality options retain color and elasticity for years;
they will not suffer, even if they are pulled out of the ground. You can as often as you like;
they are inedible for;
they will not grow, filling the entire aquarium;
if necessary, they are easy.

It would seem that the choice is obvious: buy and install without wasting time caring for living plants, which may require almost more care than fish. But artificial plants also have their drawbacks:

they cannot reproduce;
they always look the same;
they do not contribute to the establishment of biological balance in the aquarium.

live aquarium plants belong to the higher: flowering, and - which determines the diversity of their forms. Among them are high and low, thin and spreading, with leaves growing from the point of growth on the rhizome or located along the stem. They play a huge role in establishing the biological balance in the aquarium, but this is not limited to:

living plants not only create an aquarium, but also emphasize the color of the fish;
play important role in the metabolism in the aquarium. Like their terrestrial relatives, aquatic plants absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen, which makes them indispensable in the gas exchange of the aquarium;
contribute biological treatment water, absorbing organic and inorganic substances accumulated in the soil and in the water as a result of the vital activity of fish. Some species () extract calcium salts from water, turning them into an insoluble state;
inhibit the development of lower algae, which can become a real disaster;
important for fish reproduction. Some species of fish, such as angelfish, lay their eggs on leaves. In addition, it is convenient for fry to hide in thickets so that they are not eaten;
can act as natural fish food.

More than 500 species and varieties of freshwater plants are used in the aquarium trade. But for normal life and development, they will need the same conditions as land plants: sunlight; carbon dioxide; nutrients in the soil; so that you can use all of the above. Artificial plants in this regard are not demanding at all. In addition, you do not have to puzzle over how best to plant them. While with live plants you will have to figure out which planting group they belong to:

floating on the surface of the water; The strong development of floating plants impairs the illumination of the water column and significantly weakens gas exchange in the soil. This leads to rotting of the soil in aquariums, the surface of which is covered with floating plants. This group includes salvinia, pistia, duckweed other.
floating in the water column; It is convenient to use in a new aquarium when there is a shortage of other plants. This group includes riccia, naiasas, pemphigus, lagarosiphon .
rooted in the ground aquatic, semi-aquatic, swamp or;
long-stemmed plants fixed in the ground.
plants with emerging branches-stems, such as myriophyllum, ludwigia, heteranthera, alternathera (Alternanthera), hygrophila (Hygrophila).

Usually more tall plants are planted at the back of the aquarium, and the lower ones are closer to the front wall to create perspective. But this is not the only point that will have to be considered when landing. big plants with well developed roots (eg. cryptocoryne or echinodorus ) must be planted so that all the roots are in the ground, and the root collar is above it. Aponogetones it is necessary to plant so that about 1/3 of the tuber peeks out from under the ground. Species with are sometimes very difficult to place correctly so that the rhizome is buried, and the base of the petioles remains bare.

Apart from proper fit living plants may require certain chemical composition water, others - brighter lighting, some species have a fairly narrow range of tolerated temperatures. If you provided optimal conditions for the development of plants, this can also entail certain difficulties. The main one is too active oxygen consumption in the dark. In addition, with a large accumulation in the aquarium, plants lose their decorative qualities, and observation of aquarium inhabitants is difficult.

However, familiarity with aquatic plants can be no less interesting than breeding fish. Whichever option you choose, artificial plants need to be disinfected after purchase, and live plants may need to be quarantined. Artificial plants for this purpose, it is enough to properly wash and scald with boiling water. With live ones, you can bring filamentous algae or snail eggs into your own aquarium. For disinfection, you can use ready-made products sold in pet stores (according to instructions), or home-made products like potassium permanganate solution (potassium permanganate).

Breeding aquarium fish ok - very interesting, but really difficult task. Of course, this has a number of advantages. Firstly, the fish do not spoil the furniture, do not leave hair behind, which is simply everywhere when keeping cats or dogs, and do not make noise. Aquarium fish are well suited for those who are allergic to pet dander. In addition, they are interesting to watch. But breeding them is not as easy as it seems. They, like other pets, need to be fed in a timely manner, and, unlike others, they cannot give you a sign that they are hungry. Therefore, it is better for forgetful people not to take up this matter at all.

Big trouble delivers the aquarium. To get started, you need to purchase it. The aquarium must be right size. It all depends on the number and size of fish you plan to have. The aquarium needs to be cleaned and the water in it changed. Also, do not forget about its components, such as the bottom (pebbles, shells, etc.), algae and so on. Plants in an aquarium can be very different. Distinguish between artificial and live algae. Here the question arises as to which option to stop. This article will go into detail about the type of algae and help you choose a plant for your aquarium.

Artificial algae and their benefits

In an aquarium, it is, first of all, a decoration. It has a lot of advantages. First, it is very economical. Artificial algae are inexpensive and can last quite a while. long time, because, unlike living "brothers", they do not rot and, of course, do not die. Secondly, many species of fish feed not only on food, but also on algae. In this case, the artificial plant in the aquarium will remain intact, because the fish will not like it. This type of algae cannot grow, which means that you can not be afraid that the entire aquarium will grow with them. If not living, but artificial algae grow, it becomes much easier to change the water in it. After all, they can simply be pulled out, and after washing the aquarium, put in place without damage. Plus, they are easy to clean as well. Artificial plant in the aquarium can be placed anywhere. If you are tired of its location, the decoration can simply be rearranged.

Cons of artificial algae

Despite the presence a large number advantages, artificial algae also have some disadvantages. They are not living plants, which means they are not able to absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Live algae can rid the aquarium water of various toxic substances, artificial, respectively, do not have such a function. Artificial plants in the aquarium are also not capable of producing useful material that prevent the development of beneficial bacteria. As already mentioned, algae is food for some types of fish, and these decorations are inedible.

Benefits of Living Plants

Live plants in the aquarium are very popular among fish breeders. Their main virtues are that they grow, live and breathe. And this means that they favorably affect the inhabitants of the aquarium. Living plants are able to release oxygen in the light by absorbing carbon dioxide. Even good filter not able to purify water as much as plants. They absorb everything harmful that spoils the life of the fish. In addition to those algae that you planted yourself, intentionally, other lower algae, the presence of which is undesirable, may also begin to develop in the aquarium. The living ones are able to survive from the aquarium, interfere with their development. Without live algae, some fish species are unable to reproduce. For them, plants are a place where they lay their offspring (caviar). As has been repeatedly said, algae is food for fish. As you know, aquarium fish are shy pets. Live plants in an aquarium are a way to hide in case they are afraid.

Lack of living plants

Algae species

So, consider what plants are in the aquarium. According to the type of placement, several types of living algae are distinguished:

Living on the surface of the water.
Living in the water column.
Algae attached to the bottom.
Plants with long stems.
Algae whose leaves come to the surface.

When purchasing live algae, pay attention to the illumination of the room. If it is insufficient, then it is better to use a special lamp or purchase artificial ones. Also, when buying live specimens, consult with a consultant on how to care for them. Many algae need special care. In general, when choosing live algae, you should consult more experienced breeders or use additional literature.

Conclusion

So, main question: "What to choose?" When breeding aquarium fish, the presence of live algae is mandatory. As for artificial ones, no one forbade them. In an aquarium, they can be combined. The main thing is not to get carried away by their number and leave room for the fish themselves.

Before you start the fish in the aquarium, you should take care of its filling. Except various coatings for the bottom, such as sand or stones, it is also necessary to provide your pets with various shelters in the form of houses and various kinds algae. However, some fish like to eat vegetation in aquariums. For the establishment of such species, special, artificial algae should be purchased.

Despite all the arguments, people are reluctant to start those in their aquariums. It’s worth starting with the fact that any person, as soon as he hears or sees the word “artificial”, tries in every possible way to avoid an object with this parameter. This is the most important rejection factor. Many mistakenly believe that the absence of an aquarium negatively affects its inhabitants and can lead to their death. Despite such a negative attitude towards them, it is worth disassembling positive sides these "decorations".

Advantages of artificial plants in the aquarium

Non-natural algae have a lot of advantages in relation to the usual flora of aquariums. The first thing you should pay attention to is the artificiality of these plants, it is from it that most of the advantages come:

Do not require care. Due to the fact that the plants are not alive, you will not need to keep an eye on them, pruning each time they grow.
Can be safely installed in aquariums with herbivorous fish. Unlike living ones, artificial plants in an aquarium will not be touched by fish, which means that their home will always have an aesthetic appearance.
Do not require special lighting. Unlike living algae, artificial algae do not require special lighting, as they do not photosynthesize.
The composition of the water is not important. The water in the aquarium, which will contain fake algae, can correspond to any indicators, and it can be adjusted specifically for the fish that will live in it.
Can save fresh look long time.

Plastic, unlike plants, is not susceptible to disease, which means that plants consisting of it will last much longer.

Thanks to all these pluses, such plants are perfect for quarantine aquariums where fish need special conditions and the slightest change parameters can lead to unfortunate consequences.

Many mistakenly believe that artificial understudies are much more expensive than natural algae. But this is not so, the cost of both is approximately equal, and sometimes analogues can cost much lower than natural grass.

What do they consist of

Another erroneous opinion arises when a person hears about artificiality - danger. It is believed that brightly colored trinkets can be poisonous and can poison the poor inhabitants of the aquarium. But still, you don't have to worry about it.

Manufacturers have long learned to produce harmless plastic at a relatively cheap price, so corals made from this material are absolutely harmless.

Algae is made from polyamide rayon. It's worth stopping here. When choosing between these materials, it is still recommended to give preference to polyamide. Silk, in contrast, is less durable, and such decorations cost about the same.

Minuses

In addition to false, there are several true facts that do not speak in favor of artificial plants:

There is no photosynthesis. Aquariums that have non-living plants need more powerful aeration, since artificial plants cannot produce oxygen, and do not yet rid the water of carbon dioxide.

Dead zones.

Some types of natural plants with a developed root system are able to aerate the soil, which reduces the risk of stagnant zones. Alas, plastic algae cannot do this.

These two problems can be called basic, however, they can contradict themselves. After all, plants produce oxygen only in the daytime, but at night they willingly take it back, and sometimes the total amount of absorbed gas significantly exceeds the volume of production. The second point can be answered by the fact that not all natural plants are capable of this, therefore, it is worth opposing such a fact in disputes about what kind of algae are needed only in some cases.

Combination with natural

When choosing plants, it is not at all necessary to refer only to living or only to non-real plants. Various artificial decorations match perfectly with natural species algae. By combining them, you can create unique design your aquarium. Some recommend building the scenery in such a way that natural and artificial objects in the tank were in a 50/50 ratio, this will preserve the aesthetic appearance, as well as reduce the amount of hassle associated with living plants. Some believe that such a mixture will look ugly, however, now they have learned to make such reliable copies that even experienced aquarists in the water cannot distinguish where which type of algae is located. Especially when a composition is made up of several living and "not quite" plants.

Fish, on the other hand, treat such a neighborhood quite calmly, herbivores will not touch plastic, but small species well adapted to the new shelter.

Artificial plants are an excellent replacement for aquarium algae, in some cases they are simply necessary. After all, even for the most fastidious fish, you want to make a small, beautiful and cozy house out of their empty and transparent tank.

If you don't want to put live plants in your aquarium, you can use artificial aquarium plants. In this article FIRSTaqua.ru will tell you about them!

Nowadays, stores are simply littered with a variety of artificial plants for the aquarium. They offer you a huge selection, in color, in size, etc.

Artificial plants have a number of advantages. They are not afraid of disease, they will always look like new. They are inedible for fish (many representatives of fish are not averse to snacking on plants). Artificial plants do not grow, which means you do not have to cut them. You can change the design of the aquarium as often as you like, in which artificial plants are planted.

But there are also disadvantages. Artificial plants for an aquarium do not clean a home pond. In addition, over time, they lose color or become overgrown with algae. The absence of real plants in the aquarium can lead to a lack of vitamins and trace elements necessary for aquarium fish and other inhabitants. For this reason, completely replacing live plants in an aquarium with artificial ones is undesirable.

There is a third option - a combination of artificial and live plants. In this case, you are killing two birds with one stone! On the one hand, by using artificial plants, you get aesthetic beauty, and on the other hand, by planting live plants, you maintain the biological balance in your aquarium. Basically, in such cases, the most simple and unpretentious are used as living plants. FIRSTaqua.ru already wrote you about them in the article: Unpretentious aquarium plants. It is especially suitable for beginner aquarists. By planting such plants, you will eventually learn how to properly care for them, then you can try to plant something more capricious and beautiful. Until then, it is better to add artificial plants for beauty.

How to choose the right artificial plants and not make a mistake?

First you need to check the artificial plants for the aquarium, whether they exude a pungent odor. Plants made from poor quality plastic usually smell harsh and unpleasant. They must be made of safe plastic. This should be indicated on the packaging, study it carefully, pay attention to the manufacturer, etc. In general, it is better to buy decorative elements for an aquarium in a specialized store so that you can see, touch, and turn in your hands. After all, buying low-quality plants can harm the health or even the life of fish and other inhabitants of your aquarium.

The cost of artificial plants for an aquarium ranges from 30 rubles to several hundred. In stores today they offer ready-made kits assembled for aquariums of different sizes. But you can also design your own aquarium by purchasing the plants individually.

Once you have purchased artificial plants, they must be treated before planting in the aquarium. They must be properly washed under the tap and poured over with boiling water.

If your aquarium is dominated by fake plants, be sure to limit the lighting. Otherwise, algae will form on them very quickly. And you will have to constantly take the plant out of the aquarium and clean it.

To summarize, it is worth saying that for a novice aquarist, artificial plants are very necessary, so there is still no experience in caring for real plants. Later, when you gain experience, it will be possible to plant real plants.

Unfortunately, the role of aquarium plants is underestimated by beginner aquarists today due to the presence of a large number of artificial substitutes on the market. However, synthetic analogues and Newest technologies in aquarism, they are not able to completely replace living greenery and its role in the formation of a closed artificial ecosystem.

Biological role

Aquarium plants establish bio-balance in aquatic environment, enrich it with oxygen much better than technology and play a leading role in metabolism. To increase the amount of dissolved oxygen crucial plays total area water plants.

That is, to solve the problems of providing water with oxygen, it is more important not to broad-leaved species of aquatic grass, but varieties with large quantity thin pinnate leaves - yarrow, Javanese and Indian fern, egeria, etc.

Another important task that aquarium plants help to solve is cleaning the water from dirt or filtering. Aquatic green inhabitants can absorb minerals through special pores on the leaves. Some types of green aquarium inhabitants can reduce water hardness and absorb calcium. Thus, living plants in an aquarium have great importance to maintain biological balance.

decorative role

If you tastefully arrange an aquarium with living plants, then it will become a real decoration of the interior.

Lush thickets help create an amazing underwater landscape, combined with decorative elements, stones, decorative snags without special efforts care and financial costs.

Significance for fish

Many species of fish need greenery during the spawning period, because they lay eggs on leaves or in dense thickets. Some fish build nests in them. And after spawning, fry hide in algae.

For herbivorous species, grass is food, and for the rest, a good natural vitamin supplement.

Kinds

According to the features of placement in the aquarium, plants are classified into 3 groups.

How to place greens in an aquarium

Large dense plants will look very nice if planted in the background. In front, they will block the view and crowd the fish. Smaller bushes will ideally look in the middle of the space and along the side walls. Free-standing bushes require more space on the sides and look good in the center. In the foreground, undersized bushes look great, which do not block the view in the aquarium. The space directly behind the front wall is best left free to create a spatial effect.

You also need to pay attention to the exactingness of aquatic flora to light. Greens that require abundant light should be placed in an area that is well lit. Water fern can be rooted in cracks in snags. The placement sequence is as follows:

Ground views are placed first.
The aquarium is filled with water.
Plants floating in the water are laid out.
The greenery that lives on top of the surface of the water is laid out.

In the process of caring for an aquarium with plants, you need to monitor their growth, remove strongly growing shoots and make sure that floating grass does not block the light growing in the ground.

About Quantity

An important question is how many plants to place in the aquarium? Their number directly depends on the number of fish. The more greens for one fish, the more cleaner water. The resulting mud particles are decomposed by bacteria, and then absorbed by the roots or leaves. An excess of dirt indicates an excessive number of fish.

However, in any case, vegetation should not occupy more than a third of the aquarium. Many fish feel uncomfortable when there is too little swimming space. Another factor is that greenery actively absorbs oxygen at night, which can cause hypoxia in fish.

Advantages and disadvantages of using artificial analogues

In some cases, the use of artificial synthetic substitutes in aquariums is not only justified, but also necessary. We need artificial plants for aquariums with African cichlids, with large herbivorous fish - distichodes, leporins, catfish, for which greenery is important as a top dressing.

Artificial plastic "cryptocorines" and "amazons" look quite natural, especially in combination with mosses, stones and driftwood.

Advantages artificial vegetation compared to natural

do not grow;
do not require top dressing;
don't get sick.

However, as we wrote earlier, it is impossible to equip an aquarium only with artificial plants - the necessary biological balance will not be achieved, which can lead to the death of fish. It is best to find an acceptable decorative balance between living and synthetic.

unpretentious plants

What to choose the most unpretentious plants in the aquarium for a novice aquarist. These are the plants that do not require fertilizer or more powerful lighting to grow. That is, it is believed that these are the species that can live and develop peacefully in standard equipment aquarium.

What are these plants:

elodea grass is a very useful actively growing plant, which requires a minimum of light and a fairly wide temperature range;
the unpretentiousness of the hornwort is known to all aquarists. The hornwort needs natural light to maintain balance in the aquarium;
peristolist grows quickly enough and forms beautiful openwork thickets;
vallisneria is a ground plant that quickly forms dense thickets;
undemanding and beautiful Javanese moss is able to grow to the ground, to stones and to snags;
thai fern - ideal for an aquarium placed in a place with low lighting. Moreover, it sometimes has to be shaded so that it does not grow too quickly;
pterygoid fern or its other name - water cabbage is also unpretentious, but incompatible with elodea and hornwort. In their absence, it will form beautiful green islands on the surface of the water;
echinodorus amazonii can adapt to a fairly wide range of parameters in the aquarium.

These plants are quite enough for the first start of the aquarium. An unpretentious plant does not mean ugly. Aquarium, decorated unpretentious plants, will look great. And if you are not going to subsequently breed exotic fish, then this set will be enough to create a whole plant underwater world in your apartment.

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