Heating:
Plants generally thrive best between temperatures of 73 to
81 degrees Fahrenheit, but different plants have slightly different heating
needs. Keeping the temperature fairly constant is important in planted
aquariums because plants often cannot tolerate sudden changes in temperature.
Using a thermostat is a good idea to help keep the temperature at a constant
level.
Heaters should provide about 1 watt per liter of water in
unheated rooms and 0.5 watts per liter in normally heated rooms. Different
types of heaters include automatic heaters that attach on the inside of
the aquarium, thermofilters, bottom heaters, or simple heating pads that
can be placed under the aquarium.
In nature the substrate is usually warmer than the water,
and the use of heating cables can simulate this in the planted aquarium.
If you are using a heating cable, you will want a layer of sand that is
about 1" - 1 1/2" deep to cover the cable. See Planting
Mediums (Substrates) for Aquarium Plants.
Filtration:
Filtration is a must in order to keep your planted aquarium
clean and healthy. Plants are a big help in the process of filtering,
and can convert ammonium as well as remove some metals, however other
types of filtration are generally needed also.
Filtration can be put into three main categories: mechanical,
biological, and chemical.
Mechanical filtration is often as simple as changing a portion of the water regularly in order
to remove large debris and keep the aquarium looking nice. However, having
an actual filter is recommended.
Biological filtration is a more subtle extremely important type of filtration. In this type
microorganisms are present in the filter which convert harmful substances
into less toxic substances. This is especially important for fish because
it reduces toxic ammonia and ammonium into less toxic nitrites, nitrates,
and sometimes elemental nitrogen. Plants also act as a biological filter
to some extent, especially in the reduction of ammonium.
Chemical filtration uses a process called adsorption to remove many chemicals, such as heavy
metals, from the water. Adsorption is the process where the chemical actually
bonds to the surface of the media used to remove it from the water. Chemical
filtration is not as practical as mechanical and biological simply because
it is not selective in what it removes. It will remove both harmful and
beneficial substances, which is not ideal for an aquarium. Therefore,
using this type of filtration as a long-term solution is not a good idea.
Filters:
The basic process of filtration is to pump water through
a canister type, or a hang-on the back type of filter that contains whatever
filter media is needed - mechanical, biological, chemical, or a combination
of the three. Filters can be either external or internal.
Biological filters usually need a fairly fast flow rate so
that the bacteria are provided with oxygen, however in planted aquariums,
it is a good idea to have a slower flow rate so that it reduces the surface
movement and so that it keeps the oxygen levels lower. In this case anaerobic
bacteria (bacteria that live without oxygen) also need to survive to perform
basically the same functions as aerobic bacteria.
Undergravel filters are primarily a biological filter and
are less desireable for a planted aquarium. Besides surface movement they
cause a lot of water movement around the roots; thus cooling the roots,
oxygenating the gravel, and removing the nutrients.
Usually, if filters are kept clean and maintained well, an
equilibrium can exist so that an environment is made where both aerobic
and anaerobic bacteria can survive at a given flow rate.
Author: Jasmine Brough.
