📦Unpacking Your Plants
- Carefully remove plants from packaging immediately upon arrival
- Rinse plants gently under lukewarm dechlorinated water
- Remove any damaged, yellowing, or decaying leaves
- Trim roots to 2-3cm if they appear brown or damaged
- Keep plants moist in a shallow dish while preparing your aquarium
- Plant within 2-4 hours of unpacking for best results
🌱Plant Positioning & Layout
🌿 Foreground Plants
Height: 5-15cm
Examples: Baby Tears, Dwarf Hairgrass
Placement: Front of tank, carpet effect
Method: Plant in small clumps 2-3cm apart
🌿 Midground Plants
Height: 15-40cm
Examples: Amazon Sword, Cryptocoryne
Placement: Middle section, focal points
Method: Individual planting, 5-8cm spacing
🌿 Background Plants
Height: 40cm+
Examples: Vallisneria, Java Fern
Placement: Back wall, create depth
Method: Group planting along rear
🌿 Floating Plants
Examples: Water Lettuce, Frogbit
Placement: Surface coverage
Method: Simply float, no planting needed
Coverage: Max 50% of surface
🔧Planting Methods
Root-Fed Plants (Swords, Crypts)
- Dig hole 2x wider than root system
- Place root ball gently, cover with substrate
- Leave crown (where leaves meet roots) just above substrate
- Press substrate firmly but gently around roots
Rhizome Plants (Java Fern, Anubias)
- DO NOT bury the rhizome (thick horizontal stem)
- Tie to driftwood or rocks with fishing line
- Allow roots to naturally attach over time
- Rhizome should remain visible and above substrate
Stem Plants (Rotala, Ludwigia)
- Remove lower leaves from bottom 3-4cm of stem
- Plant stems 2-3cm deep in substrate
- Plant in groups of 5-10 stems for best visual impact
- Trim tops regularly to encourage bushy growth
💚Plant Wellness Checklist
- Provide 6-8 hours of LED lighting daily
- Maintain water temperature 22-26°C
- Test and maintain pH between 6.5-7.5
- Add liquid fertilizer weekly as directed
- Consider CO2 supplementation for demanding plants
- Perform 25% water changes weekly
- Trim dead/dying leaves regularly
- Monitor for algae growth and adjust lighting if needed
🌟 Pro Tips for Success
- Start with easy plants like Java Moss and Anubias
- Use plant weights for stem plants until established
- Create visual flow with odd numbers of plant groups
- Leave open swimming spaces for fish
- Be patient - most plants take 2-4 weeks to fully establish