You should add freshwater aquarium plants to your aqua habitat. Although some pet owners prefer to use plastic plants in their freshwater aquariums, live aquatic plants can offer environmental benefits that are not available with fake plants. Live Aquarium Plants, among other things, produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, control algae growth and provide a sustainable food source. Plastic plants require less care than live plants. Therefore, aquarium plant care should be a regular part of your aquatic life maintenance plan. Remember that healthy plants are likely to mean healthy fish, so if you decide to add live plants to your freshwater aquarium, it is a good idea. Here are some tips to help you achieve healthy aquatic plants.
Your freshwater aquarium plant’s substrate
You can buy live freshwater Aquarium Plants either in a pot or loose. Although plants can typically grow in any aquatic substrate, the optimal condition for aquarium plants is 2 to 3 inches of laterite–a soil and rock combination that’s rich in iron and aluminium–covered with an inch of the larger substrate, like gravel. Even if you don’t intend to use laterite, make sure that the plants are fed fish-safe food additives and iron supplements. CO 2 could be beneficial for some aquatic plants. It can be beneficial to remove potted plants and place them directly  on  the substrate.
Invest in a beneficial light source
You already know that light is an essential energy source for plants to photosynthesize, but the type of aquarium plants you have should dictate the type of aquarium light you use for optimal growth. Full-spectrum lighting is best for plants. They need between 10 and 12 hours of sunlight per day. However, some plants require lighter than others. Some examples of common freshwater aquarium light requirements are:
Make sure your aquarium is clean and the water quality is good
Freshwater aquarium plants, like fish, require a clean environment to thrive. Cleaning your fish tank regularly with the appropriate fish tank cleaner can help, but it’s essential to stay on top of algae growth. Algae can compete with aquarium plants for light, nutrients and light, but it is not always easy to use an algaecide that could have detrimental effects on your aquarium. To keep the algae under control, you can add one of many herbivorous aquatic species to your tank or use an algae scraper to remove it every week. Avoid using fertilizer with phosphates if you want to keep your plants healthy.
Sufficient Lighting
Sufficient lighting simulates the positive properties of the sun for plant photosynthesis. The lighting system will be more effective if the tank is larger. Similar to the plants in your yard, fish tank plants need at least 10-12 hrs of light to prosper. Full-spectrum, fluorescent lights are a should have when taking care of fish tank plants. Without light, the plants can not experience photosynthesis to create power for growth and also generate oxygen for your container.
Use Right Substrate
The right substrate will keep live plants grounded and provide a fertile environment for root growth. For live plants, fine gravel, terracotta gravel or sand is the best. In a freshwater aquarium community, do not use any dirt or loam soil. If not sterilized, “pond mud” and dirt can breed harmful bacteria.
Keep Water Clean
A well-established freshwater aquarium should have nutrients in its substrate to provide adequate food for live aquarium plants. Live aquarium food is available at pet shops and must be added to a new aquarium. For maximum benefit for the entire community aquarium, even well-established aquariums need to be supplemented by additional plant nutrients.
