What do aquarium plants need to be planted in?
I like the look of live plants better for my little betta’s aquarium – do they need some special dirt or potting soil to thrive, or can I just stick the roots down into the gravel?
I like the look of live plants better for my little betta’s aquarium – do they need some special dirt or potting soil to thrive, or can I just stick the roots down into the gravel?
June 7th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Most aquatic plants do not need special dirt, because most of them are capable of taking nutrients directly from the water column. Most low light, easy plants don’t even need to be "planted" at all. Java fern and Anubias can simply be tied to rocks or driftwood, and possess a rhizome that should not be buried because it will rot if it is.
In heavily planted tanks people sometimes use special substrates that are good at soaking in extra nutrients for the plants to access when needed, but it’s not really necessary for a tank with just a few plants.