Herbalist aquarium plants. Aquarium herbalist - a natural aquarium with live plants with a useful photo-video. Aquadesign with driftwood

AQUARIUM HERBALIST natural aquarium with live plants, what is needed for this, how to achieve this?

Well, now it's time to write the final article - a report on the work done!

Six months ago, I wondered if it was possible to create a beautiful aquarium - "herbalist" at home, on my own? Such an aquarium that one could be proud of, admire and tirelessly admire! Such that it even slightly resembles the work of maestro Takashi Amano! What is needed for this? How much is it? Is it possible to save money on equipment for such an aquarium?!!!

One day I came across a video interview Takashi Amano, where he, answering the question: “How does a natural aquarium begin?”, He answered: “From an idea.” Perhaps this answer was the starting point for me.

My initial thoughts were like this.

Everyone, both beginners and already experienced aquarists, look at the work aquascapers, admire them and think: “How beautiful, great, I want this too!” Then, after the first impression, they say: “It is unrealistic, difficult, very expensive, and also, probably, such an aquarium is difficult to maintain ...”.

Is it really the top of aquarium perfection - a dense "herbalist" - only professionals and people who have the means to do this can do it? Why do only a few create such aquarium beauty?

Probably because they do not know how to dream! Or these dreams, like many others, are drowning in the abyss of everyday life.
Amano is right! Any human achievement begins with an idea. An idea that captures you so much that you can no longer eat and sleep peacefully! The idea lives in you, you perceive any information only in the context of how it interfaces with your IDEA.

So I decided to prove, first of all, to myself, that I can dream that everything will work out for me and that not just a jar of fish will appear at home, but a beautiful aquarium picture.
Here's what I got. Please watch this mini-film about my "herbalist" aquarium, preferably in HD and with sound. I filmed a video on a digital camera, made a video and added music.

I really hope you liked it!
Below I will try to focus on those aspects and nuances of creating a "herbalist" that are either not talked about or information about them is insufficient. I'll try to give step by step instructions creating a dense aquarium with live aquarium plants.

But first I would like to talk about the emotional side of things. Remember and tell how it was. Tell me what I was afraid of, what didn’t work out, where I freaked out, and where I rejoiced like a baby. I think this is important, because it is our fears that prevent us from achieving the desired result.

So, before creating my "herbalist", I had a certain aquarium experience. However, I did not have the slightest idea about ground cover plants, about the subtle principles of building an aquarium composition. I did not know anything about the quantitative and qualitative components of such an aquarium: lighting, water parameters, fertilizers, filtration, etc. Therefore, the first thing I started with was reading articles, forums on the topic, watching thematic videos on the YouTube channel, master classes and aquascaper webinars.
This process took me two weeks. After him, my head was a complete mess!!! However, the whole array of this information allowed me to decide what exactly I want. It helped, in general, to imagine what my “herbalist” should be like and what is approximately needed for this.
It seems to me that it is at this stage that it is very important to present the final result. Visualization is a very powerful tool. This is a transitional stage of the materialization of your idea. To finally decide, in my free time on the beach, under the rays of the summer sun and the sound of the surf, I drew sketches of my future "herbalist". There were many, but I settled on this option.

This is where the virtual stage of understanding the idea and its rough visualization ended. The material side of the issue began to emerge. Prices frightened, there was a fear of making a mistake and taking not what you need. But it was necessary to be determined and act!
You won't believe it, but my visualization worked, and ... there was free money that could be safely spent on your favorite hobby.

Given the huge markups for goods in pet stores, a modest assortment and the incompetence of sellers, I decided to purchase most of the necessary goods on the Internet. So an external filter, soils for plants, chemistry, a diffuser, a drop checker, etc. were bought.
While the order was being processed and went to me by long postal roads, I began to thoroughly study the issue of lighting, because. without due and proper lighting there will be no good "herbalist". I settled on a combination of LED (hereinafter referred to as LED) spotlights and T5 fluorescent lamps. My thoughts and conclusions were as follows: “The best lighting for a herbalist is a combination of a metal halide lamp (hereinafter referred to as MG) with T5 fluorescent lamps. But, MG lamps are very hot and can only be installed on a stand, so the aquarium must be open. But I want the aquarium to be with a lid. What to do?"

I found out that LED spotlights are no less efficient than MG, but they heat much less. It was decided to take and install them. But the question is which ones to take? How many Watts, Lumens, Kelvins... The convulsive reading of information on the Internet began again. The trouble is that there is a lot of unverified, outdated and incomplete information on the web. Nevertheless, I shoveled everything I could and realized what kind of spotlights I need.
I will not fool anyone further with a description of the long process of selecting lighting for the "herbalist". Let me just say that after a two-week run through the "electric stores", the necessary LED spotlights were found, bought, and a week later they were installed together with a T5 lamp and coolers in the lid.

Solving the problem of lighting, along the way, I read information about plants that are used in aquaswape, including ground cover plants. He brought everything into one list and declared a hunt for them. And then another disappointment awaited me, in my city I somehow found only hemianthus cubu. A miserable bundle cost 200 rubles! I bought it, but I realized that things will not go on like this. You can go broke on grass alone. A solution was found, all the rest of the grass was bought in the Arovana online store (Ukraine), where the prices are simply pleasing. For little money I scored a whole herbarium! Sent quickly, and the plants came to me all almost alive.
However, they were not enough. Therefore, in the old aquarium, all the wallisneria, crypts and echoes were pulled out, and already under the new lighting a nursery bed was arranged - a garden of various plants for the scape.

Now I can’t even believe that from this, a whole carpet of chemianthus cuba turned out(herbalist photo)
BEFORE AFTER)))

I specifically pay so much attention to plants, because many aquarists are faced with the problem - where to get a huge amount of plants and not go broke? In my opinion, buying a little, but a variety of herbs and growing the right amount yourself is a good solution to the problem. Moreover, in the process of growing, you will be able to understand how the plant behaves, how it feels in this or that situation, under what light, with what fertilizers, how it lays down, spreads or stretches ... In general, you can get to know the plant better, which eliminates undesirable situations with transplanting and adjusting an already finished aquascape.

Time passed, the garden grew... But I did not sit in anticipation either. All my attention was focused on UDO (fertilizers), in particular, on the study of the composition, the need and correctness of the use of micro and macro fertilizers, the supply of carbon dioxide. With CO2, the issue was resolved quite simply - I had already used "mash" in the aquarium before - I decided to grow the scape on it. As you can see, I succeeded.
By using the mash in the aquarium, I completely debunked the fears of a novice aquascaper, which is that for a dense “herbalist” it is necessary to buy an expensive CO2 bottle, reducer, solenoid valve, etc.
Questions with micro and macro fertilizers for plants, in principle, were also solved quite simply. Home-made parole (the so-called self-mixes) were immediately rejected as a stupid occupation for alchemists. I chose the UDO Ermolaev trademark, in particular the preparations Algicide + CO2, MICRO, MACRO, Iron, Potassium. Additionally, I decided to apply tourmaline.

Finally, two months later, the climax came - the garden was pulled out, the jar was washed ... pleasant minutes, hours and days of creativity began. Laying the substrate, soil, applying biostarters and tourmaline, setting stones and shaping hardscape. Then a no less exciting event - the planting of plants according to the planned scheme.
When it was all over, the joy knew no bounds! I was already looking forward to: “Now everything will take root, there will be a balance, and it will be possible to show your work on our forum.” But it was not there! Out of nowhere, flooded string, so much so that not only the scape, the plants were not visible, they were withered, withered ... and the thread was pearl and pearl!
Convulsively reading the information on this problem, I understood only one thing - there is no panacea! All advice is of the same type, stupid and, as they say, "a finger to the sky." One thing was clear that something was “wrong” and this “wrong” needed to be urgently eliminated.
Gathering the rest of my strength and sunk, putting on a rubber cap for swimming, I dived into my jar for a whole month ... and in between I sat by the aquarium with a mean male tear that dripped onto the rubber cap already removed from my head ... gray hair was visible on my head))) Everything gone...
What have I not done this month! Collected thread daily mechanically, used algaecide, played with the amount of lighting, udo and water changes. A crowd of polar cod (SAE), otocincluss, snails was planted in the aquarium ... The thread did not recede, the plants did not grow, but withered.
And then, at the suggestion of our site moderator Esta (Natalia Polskaya), it was decided to introduce "heavy artillery" - Amano shrimp.
But, that's bad luck, in my city it's a whole problem to get amanok! In the end, I still found a dozen, planted, in addition to them introduced a detachment of sakura shrimp, red and black crystals. And… hallelujah!!! The evil thread shuddered and disappeared in horror within a week.
The plants “bloomed”, the sun rose over my landscape, the fish scurried merrily back and forth, and the shrimp chirped in unison about something on their favorite snag.
I, on the other hand, performed African dances around the aquarium that have never been seen before!!!
Here is such a Happy End)))

Now let's talk about more mundane things and the technical side of the issue. Here are my notes.

Lighting for herbalist - aquarium with plants

This issue is a priority, and, without its solution, it is impossible to go further. For an aquarium with live aquarium plants, you can derive the formula:

LIGHTING
+
FERTILIZERS (CO2, MICRO, MACRO)
+
CARE (TEMPERATURE, FILTRATION, WATER CHANGES, ETC.)

Lighting is the most important element, without it plants will not grow, the process of photosynthesis will not occur, without it, no matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, all the work will go down the drain.
My notes and the results of the work done, I outlined in these articles: LAMPS FOR AQUARIUM and LIGHTING OF AQUARIUM OWN HANDS.
Here I note that regular lighting, the one under the standard cover, is not enough. For an aquarium densely packed with plants, and even more so for a “herbalist” with a ground cover, you need lighting of 1 watt per liter, or even more. In addition, you need to understand that Watts are not everything, the qualitative characteristics of lighting are also important, such as the spectrum of light, Kelvins. In addition, it is important to understand and study the characteristics of a particular light source: light resolution, lux, etc. Also, when choosing this or that lighting, it is important to proceed from the height of the water column of your aquarium. The higher the pillar, the more powerful the lighting should be, so that the light breaks through the water column and reaches the bottom, to the ground cover plants.

What else. There is a “legend of almighty lamps for aquarium plants” circulating on the Internet. These are fluorescent lamps with a special spectrum, with peaks of red and blue light. These lamps are touted as a panacea and an easy way to solve the problem of growing aquarium plants. However, it is not!!! It is a pity that this leads many astray, so I want to debunk this mythical legend.
In fact, aquarium plants absorb the entire visible spectrum of light - from red to purple, plants need a full spectrum, not a truncated one. Why, then, do they make and sell lamps with a red and blue spectrum? The fact is that it has been scientifically proven that plants need more red and blue spectrum, but this does not mean that they do not need another spectrum !!!
Now imagine, the newcomer replaced the regular lamps with special ones and waits, waits ... when his plants will grow! But they do not grow ... Moreover, as an evil, instead of plants, algae flooded. Disorders of the sea: the money has been paid, but there is no effect! And all why? Because there are not enough watts, the spectrum is not full, and besides, not only plants, but also algae love the red and yellow spectrum.
Conclusion. Do not try to compensate for the lack of lighting power with special lamps. These lamps can only be used in combination with other lamps, such as fluorescent lamps marked "full spectrum".
Regardless of which light source you choose: fluorescent lamps, LED lighting or metal halide, carefully study its quality characteristics - not only Watts, but also Lux, Kelvin, spectral, Ra, etc.

More. Be critical of information on the Internet, double-check it. For example, you can often read on the net that LED lighting is not suitable for aquarium plants. However, it is not! Look at the publication dates of the articles. Technological progress does not stand still and powerful LED strips and spotlights have already appeared that meet the necessary requirements. For more details, see LED Strip Light in aquarium.

Try to think over the lighting of your aquarium so that it imitates the actions of mother nature. Namely: it simulated the dawn, zenith and sunset. For good growth and well-being of plants, it is not necessary to “fry them under monotonous lighting” for eleven hours. It is enough to give a peak of powerful lighting for 3-4 hours, and keep moderate lighting the rest of the time.
This can be achieved by a combination of light sources. For example, Amano uses a metal halide lamp in combination with fluorescent lamps in its ADA fixtures. In my "herbalist" I use two LED spotlights of 30 watts + LL T5 24 watts (full spectrum).
Also, pay attention reflectors.

Soil and substrate for herbalist and aquarium plants

I outlined the main points of using soil in an aquarium in articles SOIL FOR AQUARIUM PLANTS, TOURMALINE IN AQUARIUM.
I will draw your attention to the fact that there are a great many substrates and soils and they are all different! Be sure to look at their compositions and study the issue of application. In this case, proceed from the requirements of your plants. A good substrate, good soil is 50% of success in growing. This good feeding and excellent plant health in general.
I will also draw your attention to the fact that the thickness of the soil in the aquarium should be about 5-7 cm. and rounded soil. Alas, heavy, angular soil becomes caked over time, which makes it difficult for water to circulate in the soil and leads to sad consequences.
At the same time, I note that light, porous substrate for aquarium plants (for example, Aquael Aqua Grunt and / or Aquael Aqua Floran) has a certain drawback - they cannot form hills, hills in aquascaping, with the addition of water the entire landscape blurs. Therefore, if you are experimenting with ground relief, I advise you to mix light soils with heavy ones (for example, quartz chips, which must first be checked for hiss).

Fertilizers for a blade of grass and an aquarium with plants

Although your aquarium already has a nutrient substrate, you should also use liquid fertilizers containing micro and macro elements. At the same time, it is desirable to have separately not only complex udos, but also preparations containing individual elements. At the moment, I have a separate bottle of UDO Ermolaev iron and iodinol which contains potassium.

Filtration of the herbalist - an aquarium with plants

Studying information about the arrangement of the "herbalist", I read somewhere that in such an aquarium there should not be strong filtration. Why exactly was not specified. Thinking through the thought, I came to the conclusion that strong streams of water will demolish the plants, and, in addition, a dense “herbalist” needs nitrates, but if filtration removes them, the plants will “starve”.
Given this, I'm at 110l. the aquarium took an external filter JBL CristalProfi e401 greenline - 450l / h. And what do you think! It really is enough.
Moreover, I noticed that in the place where the flute from the filter is directed, the cube hemianthus and other ground cover do not grow.

It is worth noting that at night I additionally turn on a small internal filter. It mainly works as an aerator, but it also helps a little with herbal filtering. Therefore, the recommended filter power range is 450-600l/h for a 100l herbalist.

Caring for an aquarium with plants - herbalist

After the biobalance is established in the "herbalist", caring for it becomes simple:

Every day you need to make liquid fertilizers, monitor the supply of CO2

Every week you need to make a light cleaning of the aquarium, cutting plants and replacing 1/4 -1/2 of the water.

All this is not difficult and not troublesome!

Design and decoration of grass, aquarium with plants

I described my vision of this issue in the article AQUARIUM DESIGN, ORDER IN CHAOS.
Today I can say that, in fact, it is the design of the future “herbalist” that is the most difficult thing. Everything else can be bought. But to come up with, and even bring to life what was conceived, is difficult, the process requires mental effort, imagination, and fantasy. And at the same time you need to follow certain rules!

With this, let me conclude the final report on the work done. You can talk about the “herbalist” and aquascape for a very long time, but the New Year is on the nose and I promised the guys on the forum to post this article this year))) I propose to discuss the unsaid in the forum thread IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF AMANO.

Video of the herbalist's aquarium after 2 months

7 months

A very useful video about the aquarium herbalist, the care and maintenance of aquarium plants

Aquadesign - a unique aquarium in your home

Keeping an aquarium fish at home is not so much a chore and a problem as a rest and a hobby. Watching them, it is impossible to take your eyes off, and unwillingly, fantasy draws all sorts of options for decorating landscapes in an aquarium. Choose an aquarium, pour water into it, run a few fish - is that all? This is too little - the aquarium should, not just like it, it should cheer you up, bring joy, aesthetic pleasure.

An integral part of the aquarium hobby is aqua design. The design of a small underwater world reveals inner world and liberates the person. You can create mangrove forests, mountain valleys, rocky, sea or fairy tale scenes. First of all, you need to understand how to properly design an aquarium. After all, aquarium fish are also alive, with their own fauna, flora, they need their usual habitat. The presence of fish is of great importance: if there are already fish, then the design must be created for the existing ones, if not, then taking into account the features and needs of future inhabitants, compose a composition for them.

For fish that like to hide in the sand, you need a design with a sandy bottom, vegetation should be minimal. Guppies, on the contrary, prefer small thickets, snags, and other shelters, so that it is convenient to swim and hide. Fish placed in an unacceptable environment for them will die.
Decoration of an aquarium with aquatic plants

To create a masterpiece of aquarium design, you need a creative approach. In addition, knowledge is required on the care of aquatic plants, so that it is not easy to be overgrown, but a work of art. Fast growing plants require frequent thinning and trimming. Anything can be placed in an aquarium. Coconut shells, all kinds of clay, porcelain figurines. Sunken galleons, treasures, snags, stones, a kind of soil.


The choice of design for a small underwater world should be based on the existing design of the room where it is installed, because this is a habitat, and a decorative element.

At the moment, there are 2 main and popular aquarium design schools: "Natural Aquarium" and "Dutch Style in the Aquarium". But natural should not be confused with pseudo-natural - this is a form of approach to aquarium maintenance, but not design.

dutch aquarium

It is called an underwater garden for a reason: this style uses color variations of plants, generalization in size, texture, to create an effect of depth. Architectural forms, such as stones, snags, are present in very limited quantities. Only aquarium plants, their beauty, texture, color are of importance here.

Aquarium herbalist

This design style is based on copying the most striking natural landscapes, both underwater and terrestrial. An aquascape can look like a miniature mountain range with grassy slopes. Small architectural forms in this style have great importance. The design uses 3 concepts: convex, concave, triangular.

The convex shape - otherwise called the "island", here the plants go down from the center to the edges, forming an island in the center of the aquarium.

Concave shape - suggests a decrease in the size of stones, plants to the center from the edges of the aquarium, to a certain intended focus.

The triangular shape is called the golden section of the design. The focal point shifts 2/3 to either side of the aquarium.

It should be noted that a home pond stuffed with plastic plants is absolutely of no value to many aquarists. A completely different view looms - it's like plastic products on kitchen table. Try to create a miracle of living vegetation and living organisms. First you need to learn that the whole composition, the whole design should not only look beautiful, but also look natural.

Decorations for the aquarium

Elements for aquarium design are best selected of natural origin. The river landscape can be recreated by laying out round pebbles, a small snag, on which aquatic plants can be tied with a fishing line. An impenetrable jungle can be made from several such snags, large stones of various shapes can imitate rocks. By combining stones of various shapes and sizes in one composition, you can get a beautiful grotto or a mysterious cave. To beautifully lay out the stones, you need to constantly experiment, create shelters for fish that love to hide and lay eggs in stones, decorate the devices in the aquarium, and strengthen the walls of the terraces.

There are a lot of options, but it is best to experiment not in the aquarium itself, so as not to break the glass walls, but on the table. To do this, you need to spread a sheet of paper, mark a rough plan and practice building on it. various options. The most suitable for these purposes are basalt, granite stones, porphyry, gneiss. For hard water good option there will be limestone, sandstone, dolomite. First, the stones need to be well cleaned. But first, carefully examine the material for the content of foreign particles - metals, resins, paint.

Aquadesign with plants

Alternatively, you can create aqua design using aquarium vegetation. In the center of the aquarium, a capsule will look very good, place ribbon-like algae around the edges: krinum, hygrophila, urut, fern, elodea. In the background, it is better to place the highest ones: cinema, ambulia, vallisneria. It is undesirable to use plants floating on the surface - although they look beautiful, but when they grow, they greatly obscure the bottom ones. Small bottom hfcntybzvb of various shades can be used to lay magnificent carpets and decorate terraces.

Aquadesign with driftwood

A distinctive look is created with the help of snags. For this purpose, an already dead tree with no signs of vital juices is required. It is better if these are the roots of trees that have lain for several years in a peat bog: alder, willow, ash, beech, maple. Samples with signs of rot, mold are immediately rejected. The snags are cleaned of dirt, the existing bark or its remains are peeled off, boiled with salt for about an hour and treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.

After that, the snag is placed in running water for a week or in any container, but often changing the water, which should only be cold. Thanks to careful processing, the wood is disinfected, its structure becomes denser and heavier. If necessary, you can fix the snag so that it does not float up with a stone. A large and branched snag will look great.

biotope aquarium

Alternatively, you can purchase fine soil or sand in a special store. If you take colored sand, then the bottom of the aquarium can be beautifully lined, creating patterns around plants, stones, and snags.
When there is a strong mood to create a unique design in an aquarium, then a special backdrop is indispensable. Decorative film that sticks to the back panel - perfect option. A variety of patterns will simplify the task of choosing. The most experienced aquarists create the drawing themselves, continuing the design of the aquarium with a kind of panorama.

Aquarium herbalist start

I am sure that once you look at the underwater gardens of the Dutch or accidentally come across a single image of an aquarium by Japanese designer Takashi Amano on the Web, you will not remain indifferent.

Aquarium in last years is developing very rapidly. The Internet is partly “guilty” of this, but, most likely, the reason is the inexorable attraction of man to nature. After all, at home, every day you can see the real underwater world, a complex and changing landscape, enjoy the play of sunlight in the crowns of underwater "trees" and admire the gracefulness of bird shrimp on Ricci meadows-lawns. And all this is at arm's length, a kind of microcosm that carries a huge charge of energy, delighting and cleansing ... well, enough of the lyrics. Creating and maintaining the life of an herbalist is not a lyrical matter at all. And here you will not get off with enthusiasm alone.

So, if you've been fascinated by the idea of ​​creating an aquarium with the advantage of aquatic herbal plants, you've got to work. To begin with, it is advisable to stock up ..., well, yes, patience, this is, of course, an obligatory and indispensable condition, but also literature. K. Kasselman and her work “Aquatic plants. 1000 types and forms” is, perhaps, the first book on your list. Further - "Interior of the Aquarium", by the way, by the same author. One can also recommend I. Sheremetyev's book "Botany of the Aquarium", where the author dwells in detail on the issues of setting up a typical herbal aquarium: water treatment, soil selection, lighting, equipment for supplying CO2, etc. If it is difficult for you to find these books, but you want a herbalist right now, this article is at your service.
Begin. The first thing I want to emphasize is that the herbalist implies a very thin, vulnerable, demanding, but quite stable structure. There are usually few fish in such aquariums, so siphoning the soil is not at all necessary. Rather, it is not even desirable and it should be carried out pointwise and superficially, and then if there is an urgent need for this (replant the plant, root the cutting, etc.). And, as a result of poor population - the need to frequently monitor nitrate (NO3 test) and phosphate (PO4). In fish aquaria, the level of nitrate-phosphate is usually sufficient and even high (daily plentiful feeding and the result thereof). In the herbalist, especially when it is started and in the presence of strong light (and without it, nowhere, friends), the nitrate level drops to 0 very quickly. Plants with nitrogen starvation stop absorbing phosphate as a result of an inevitable outbreak of algae. Often unpleasant, blue-green. So, the second is tests: you need to have at least 5 of them: Kh, Ph, NO3, PO4, Fe.

Part 2

Start by purchasing tests? It’s strange, you might think, but the fact is that having seen enough of masterfully made underwater landscapes, an aquarist, often relying on his own experience, overestimates his ability to “by eye” determine the lack of one or another element in the water. Unlike slow "fish" aquariums, your creation will develop very quickly, and therefore absorb a large amount of food. This is what the above tests allow you to follow, and it will be very reckless to neglect their purchase.
"Reveal the entire list, please..."
Priming. Recently, the soil has been given great importance. The purely "anchor" version of the function is not considered at all. The soil is a storehouse, accumulator and mother-nurse of the aquarium flora. Therefore, the choice of soil will be the basis on which both the start of the herbalist and his longevity depend. For example, nutrient substrates from Sera and Tetra - Sera flordepot and Tetra Complete substrate. Dennerle offers DEPONIT-Mix (Ph 7.0). These soils do not contain additional nitrates and phosphates. (Dennerle also has Bodengrund-Starterbakterien, a mixed culture of soil bacteria.) These soils can be used neat or mixed in different proportions. Sera Floredepot has a Ph of 4.8 and contains peat. I liked this primer the most, but this is a purely subjective opinion. Peat humic acids are very important in the pH buffer system and contribute to its stability. The fact is that the pH of the soil should be from slightly acidic ~ 6.5 to neutral 7.0, only then is optimal metabolism for plants guaranteed. The nutrient substrate is laid on the bottom of the aquarium with a layer of 2-3 cm (see the instructions for the dosage of the soil for a specific form) and fine rounded gravel with a fraction of 1-3 mm is poured on top. The layer of sand may vary depending on the design of the aquarium, but usually no more than 8-10 cm high. For large aquariums, with a volume of more than 100 liters - at least 4-6 cm. Branded gravel is now on sale. I recommend using it. You can, of course, turn to the screened fine fraction of river sand, but calibrated soil is good because its particles do not have sharp edges and they are all the same size, which ensures optimal soil permeability. On the one hand, nutrients in the form of particles of detritus can sink into the thickness of the sand, but not deep, but just into the zone of bacteria settlement, which quickly process these organic residues in the upper oxygen-rich layer of silt. A nutritious bottom layer of soil is needed so that the plants begin to grow rapidly immediately after laying the aquarium. The first three months in the water there will be a high content of all nutrients and from decaying old plant parts and due to the transfer of nutrients from the soil to the water, which can trigger the growth of algae. To reduce their number, I do large water changes in the first month - up to 30% every two days. As for the degree of contamination of the soil. The fact is that the plants are planted very densely over the entire area of ​​the bottom, so the detritus mostly settles on the leaves of the plants. And very few particles manage to go down. With intensive plant growth, frequent pruning is required, while most of the detritus settled on the leaves of the plants is removed from the aquarium. Thus, the soil silts up very slowly, reducing the biological load on the closed aquarium ecosystem.
So, slightly acidic soil reaction (pH, and in some places). This can be done when planting plants or when cleaning the aquarium, i.e. quite regularly, at least once a month.
As for the use of a ground cable, as often recommended to aquarists by aquarium equipment manufacturers and numerous aquarium forums, this is a possible, but not mandatory purchase. The convective movements of water caused by the thermal cable cause active water and gas exchange, along with which nutrients rise into the water column. If the amount of flora in the aquarium is large and it is able to quickly absorb these excesses, there will be no problems. But often aquarists complain about uncontrollable outbreaks of algae, especially filamentous and black beard (red algae) after installing a heating cable and nutrient soil at the same time. Perhaps a soil heating installation is required for large aquariums (over 250 l, as there is a large depth of soil) and in aquariums with very fine (quartz) sand. Here, the heat of the cable avoids acidification of the soil. In my aquariums I use only nutrient soil. There is no thermal cord under the ground, so it is up to you to judge the appropriateness of this device.

Sera nutrient soil was used here

Part 3

Lighting.
Important question. And the answer to it depends on your temperament and your wallet. After all, you can arrange a magnificent herbalist from shade-loving and shade-tolerant plants. The choice here is not so extensive, but as one very good artist accurately said: “The embroidered palette is somewhat more expressive than the punacalar one.” A person, consciously (or forcedly) limiting himself to 3-5 types, turns on the only thing that makes just a jar a "masterpiece" - fantasy. Moreover, aquariums decorated only with bolbites, anubias, various types of Javanese ferns, mosses are much more effective than a simple multi-colored jar with alternatera and cabomba.

Naturally, the lighting for such an aquarium should be appropriate. But such a choice of aquaflora is rather an exception to the rule. More often we are seduced by the very process of choosing and acquiring plants, turning into collecting rare or difficult to care for. The search for new plants is an opportunity to keep abreast of aquarium life. Here is the study of conditions, the selection of fertilizers, for someone it’s just hunting for new species ... And there’s nothing wrong with that, you say, and I agree with you. :rolleyes:

Usually, those who want to arrange a herbalist are recommended:
1. from 0.8 to 1 W/l or more of fluorescent or MG light.
2. CO2 installation,
3. Fertilizer supply
None of these items work in isolation, and none can be ruled out.
Lamps. Of course, all aquariums, like their authors, are bright personalities and you are free to choose and make your own combinations of lamps. I will cite the successful ones (the view of the masters and generous aquarists from vitawater on open information).
Lamps with the highest color temperature.
Hagen Power-Glo (18000K), Hagen Aqua-Glo (18000K), Sera Blue Sky Royal (12000K), Sylvania Aquastar (10000K), Philips Aquarelle (Philips 89, 10000K). These lamps should only be installed in an aquarium in combination with phytolamps. In undiluted form, they can ideally be used only in fish aquariums to emphasize the color of the inhabitants. In herbalists, the powerful blue spectrum of these lamps will lead to algae growth. This, however, does not apply to the Philips Aquarelle lamp, which "... has good color rendering, relatively high color efficiency and can be the only source of lighting in the aquarium" (K. Kasselman, "Aquarium Design").

This is what Cryptocoryne Wendt looked like under Philips Aquarelle lamps. Fine? not bad. ;) I had these lamps for a year, then I had to change them (they burn out quickly). The lamps were no longer on sale, and the stores refused to carry them. After the installation of the new Sylvania Aquastars, this crypt ruthlessly shed its leaves. But after a couple of weeks she recovered.
Phytolamps. Osram Fluora (Osram 77), Hagen Flora-Glo (2800K), Sera Plant Color (4900K) (most available in Minsk), Sylvania Gro-Lux (8500K), Dennerle Color-Plus (4100K), Dennerle Secial-Plant (3000K ).
White lamps with a temperature of about 6000K and above - LD (6750K), Philips 965 (6500K), Osram Biolux (Osram 965, 6500K), Osram 860 (6000K), Sera Brilliant Daylight (6000K), Dennerle Amazon-Day (6000K). Although lamps of this type have a high light output, excellent color rendering should be used with caution and also only in combination with phytolamps.
White lamps with a temperature of about 5000K - Osram 950 (5400K), Philips 950 (5300K), Sylvania Daylightstar (5000K), Dennerle African-Lake (5000K), Sera Tropic Sun Royal (4700K).
Sylvania Daylightstar is one of the most expensive lamps, it has a bulb covered with a transparent plastic shell that cuts off ultraviolet light, which, according to the company, inhibits algae growth. I don’t know, now I have these lamps, although there were no algae under them before, but they give a slightly yellowish color, and the green leaves of the lobelia almost fluoresce. Although I like it - such green can also be found in Amano.
(By the way, T. Amano recommends only lamps with a color temperature of 8000K for aquariums with plants. :scenic:)
White lamps with a temperature of about 4000K - LHB (4300K), Hagen Sun-Glo (4200K), Dennerle Kongo-White (4000K), Osram 840 (4000K), 940 (3800K), Philips 840 (4000K), 940 (3800K), as well as white lamps with a temperature of about 3000K - LB (3500K), LTB (2800K), Osram 930 (3000K), 830 (3000K), 827 (2700K), Philips 930 (3000K), 830 (3000K) - white and warm white lamps are also suitable for growing plants. These lamps have only one, but a significant drawback - they give the aquarium a strong yellow tint. And, being installed in insufficient quantities, they can provoke the growth of diatoms.
Another note: aquariums with only plant lamps look unnatural. They must be diluted with white lamps for optimal visual effect.
As for MG lamps (metal halide). Their use is advisable in aquariums with a height of more than 60 cm. Another indisputable advantage of these lamps is the ability to have an open aquarium. However, the disadvantages of such lighting are also obvious: "... high cost, lower luminous efficiency than fluorescent lamps, limited choice of lighting colors and poor compatibility with other types of lamps and lighting colors" (K. Kasselman, Aquarium Design, p. 14 ). Here is another quote from K. Kasselman “If metal halide lamps are to be used, OsramWDL, Philips HPI, Radium WDL and Sylvania WDL warm lamps are recommended in the first place, as well as Osram NDL and Philips NH neutral white lamps. The highest intensity of plant growth is achieved when using fluorescent lamps. In addition, they are preferred by most aquarists.

CO2.
Is there an urgent need to install CO2 equipment for an aquarium? I think you will not even ask such a question if you really decided to arrange an herbalist. The level of free carbon dioxide is an important and often limiting factor in the good development of aquatic plants. If there has been an increase in intense light, its spectrum has changed, the next step is to increase the consumption of CO2 by plants. “…even in a poorly lit aquarium with a high CO2 content, a favorable environment for plant growth and development can still be achieved. CO2 fertilizer is essential for every aquarium”, K. Kasselman “Aquarium design, p. 31.
These issues are discussed in great detail on Miklukha's page. It's hard to write better.
So here's another link:
http://ukrop.info/index.htm?file=http://ms...qua/co2/co2.htm
But not everything is so simple. :scenic: There is another opinion that is fundamentally contrary to the dogma of the mandatory saturation of water with carbon dioxide. Moreover, the expediency of high light intensity and daily doses of fertilizers, as well as the mandatory availability of nutrient soil, is also being questioned. In the original, this position can be seen on the website of Thomas Barr. link:
http://www.barrreport.com/articles/433-non-co2-methods.html
A small quote: "... moderate light and high density plant biomass will provide better conditions for higher plants and worse conditions for algae. In this aquarium you can add KNO3 and KH2PO4 and see that without additional CO2 enrichment, excess PO4, NO3 (and Fe) will not cause an algae outbreak.”
The topic of the uselessness of expensive carbon dioxide equipment and super-fertilizers is also quite widely disclosed and argued. Read it, it's interesting.
Well, after a couple of links:
http://www.aquariumlights.ru/bottle.html - how long does a carbon dioxide bottle last.
http://www.aquariumlights.ru/denn_tco.html - CO2 content depending on carbonate hardness (°dKH) and pH value (according to Krause)
http://www.aquariumlights.ru/m_cok.html - Shumov's equipment.
http://aqa.by/index.php?showtopic=98 - a post about the possibility of purchasing equipment in Minsk.

fertilizers. First of all, for a normally developing herbalist, the presence of 5 parameters necessary for plants is mandatory:
1. sufficient light,
2. CO2 concentration,
3. water temperature, which determines the rate of metabolic processes;
4. concentration of macronutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium:
5. concentration of trace elements: iron, magnesium, boron, zinc, copper, sulfur, manganese, molybdenum.
For the desired well-being, it is necessary that these parameters are in the optimal combination and in sufficient quantity. Deficiency or excess - will lead to an imbalance and become a limiting factor in plant growth. So, if all parameters are balanced, but there is not enough light, the plants will be oppressed, and algae, more adapted to existence in the aquatic environment, will gain an advantage and show themselves in all their glory. The same will happen if, with all other components of the system present in sufficient quantity, there is a lack of CO2. Then again there will be inhibition in the growth of higher algae and the dominance of algae. After all, the surplus will be unclaimed and will become the legitimate prey of the latter. So, you can install the most expensive CO2 equipment and buy branded fertilizers, but without providing the plants with sufficient light, you will get nothing but threads. Put on a lot of light, let in CO2, but don't give iron - xenococcus and chlorosis at higher levels. Still, the higher the water temperature, the faster the metabolic processes in plants will take place and, accordingly, their need for all types of nutrition will increase. The optimum is determined by the plants themselves (see K. Kasselman's recommendations for growing, for example), but even here you will have to balance. After all, the company of plants is selected not from one biotope, but according to the taste of the aquarist, respectively, the optimum for everyone is different. But t + 24 + 25 - will suit almost everyone, besides, then the temperature will not be a stimulating factor in nutrient intake.
Signs of a deficiency of one or another element can be viewed from Bergman http://www.landart.ru/03-uhod/c-bergman/03c000.htm, here I will give only a few:
nitrogen deficiency- death of old leaves, starting from the edges. Appear brown spots, which then turn into holes. In an aquarium inhabited by fish, it practically does not occur, in a purely herbal one - on the contrary, - almost a week after launch.

potassium deficiency - similar symptoms, except that it occurs just often. Potassium, like iron, is a problematic element - its content in fish feed is often not enough to meet the needs of plants;
The usual signs of iron deficiency are yellowing or even whitening of the leaves (chlorosis) while maintaining the green color of the veins. These signs are most noticeable on young leaves and fast-growing plants. Here is a quote from M. Zirling "Mineral nutrition of plants":
Phosphorus. This element takes an active part in the processes of storage and expenditure of energy and, accordingly, in the synthesis of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, enzymes, as well as in the processes of respiration and plant nutrition. Let me remind readers of only one well-known fact: phosphorus is the main part of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is the main energy substance of a living organism. The greatest amount of phosphorus accumulates in the young shoots of plants. Signs of phosphorus starvation are darkening of the color of young leaves, twisting of leaves and shoots, the appearance of brown and reddish-brown spots on old leaves.

Magnesium, like calcium, is a macronutrient. This element plays an essential role in metabolism, especially in young plant organs. Its deficiency in water is much more common than calcium deficiency.

The lack of boron affects the young tissues of the plant. Signs of boron deficiency are blackening and death of the apical points of growth.

Copper . The development of plants without this element is almost impossible. Studies have shown that copper activates B vitamins, affects protein and carbohydrate metabolism, protects chlorophyll from decay, and promotes protein synthesis. With a lack of copper in the water of the aquarium, the entire leaf blade turns pale (chlorosis), the soft tissues of the leaf die. End quote (Zirling M.V., 1991)

Having tracked and tried to determine the cause of the trouble that has arisen, you can go further in one of two ways: either reduce the intensity of using the remaining parameters, adjusting them to the limiting one, or, conversely, gradually increase its concentration and observe the effect.
How much and how much fertilizer should be applied? There is no clear answer to this question either. It is recommended to apply more often (every day) and in an amount determined by the needs of your plants. How to determine this rate? Here is the answer to the question - why did I write about tests at the very beginning of this article. You need to determine how much your grass eats per day or week. To do this, it is necessary to test the water before applying fertilizer and at the end of daylight hours. An overdose is fraught with long-term consequences. Algae are very fond of an overdose of fertilizers. It is better to apply fertilizer in complex form. This is exactly what manufacturers of aquarium fertilizers do: various complex fertilizers are on sale: Tetra Planta Min, Sera Florena, Uniflor, Leaf Zone and others. The latter, however, does not apply to complete complex fertilizers. The rest are quite suitable for complex plant nutrition.
However, fertilizers are needed not only for leaves. Most of the plants in our aquariums are swamps. Those. before going back into the water, they lived for a long time on land, like land plants. As a result, they have the opportunity to assimilate nutrients mainly by roots: echinodorus, cryptocorynes, rotals, bacopa, etc. And here already there is a need to apply fertilizers for their assimilation by the root method. (Well, here we have a nutrient substrate :)). Using only laterite (a special variety of tropical soil containing large amounts of iron and aluminum in an easy-to-digest form) as a continuous nutrient litter as a nutrient supplier is not a solution to the problem of root nutrition. This soil is poor in nutrients, and iron is in it in large quantities than plants need, and there are few plants that could consume this food. Only rosette species, and Cryptocorynes in particular, have advanced in this sense. Other plants will experience starvation. Laterite is used only as an additive to the soil. There are branded root dressings available in the form of tablets: "Tetra Initial Stick.", "Crypto Dunger", "Sera Florenette A". However, it is optimal to still use these tablets not instead, but together with laterite or a nutrient substrate from Tetra or Sera.

Now to the issue of fertilizer application rates. Experience accumulated by aquarists shows that for iron, for example, a concentration of 0.1 mg/l is sufficient, and a constant iron content should not exceed 0.1-0.2 mg/l. The concentration of nitrate is 10-15 mg/l, phosphate is 0.1-0.2 mg/l. But even here there are exceptions. In strongly lit aquariums (1 W/l) - 0.2 and even 0.5 mg/l of phosphate may not be enough, but for an aquarium with a light of 0.6 W/l, it is enough for me to keep phosphate at 0.1 mg/l l (nitrate there 15 mg / l). Rotals are a very good indicator of phosphorus deficiency. In macrandra, for example, the tops begin to turn pink and dissolve, and indica simply stops growth, the leaves become smaller and flabby. Blixa does not develop new leaves - they simply fall apart. Didiplis also slows down in growth, reddens excessively and then turns black.
How to calculate the preparation of a nitrate solution? Here I will not dissemble and say that I use the recipe of I. Krotov: "Auxiliary solution185; 2. In 100 ml of distilled water I dilute:

Potassium nitrate (KNO3) - 8 g
1 ml of this solution gives: 0.5 mg/l NO3 per 100 liters."
I also note that for most plants, natural silting of the substrate is enough. Additional application of liquid fertilizers under the roots (nitrates, phosphates, micro) with a syringe makes sense in newly launched aquariums and provides root nutrition for a couple of weeks.
Still, potassium monophosphate or other phosphorus-containing (nitrophoska) fertilizers follow almost immediately after the introduction of potassium nitrate, or rather, after the phosphate test shows zero.
There are handy fertilizer calculators on the Web. I use this: vladhnet.narod.ru/
Nitrate example:
1. Download fertilizer calculator.
2. Take 50g of saltpeter and dissolve in 500ml. water. We get a solution: 100g / l or 100mg / ml in saltpeter.
3. We enter into the calculator in cell G12: 100
4. In cell H12 we enter the volume of water, I will assume that it is ~ 180
5. In cell I13 we enter how much we want to raise the concentration of nitrate. Assume 10mg/l. We bring 10.

6. In cell M12 we see the answer to our request: 29.35 ml. That is, in order to raise the concentration of nitrates by 10 mg/l in the aquas, 29.35 ml of the initial solution of potassium nitrate must be added.
And so by analogy, if necessary, for other elements.
And yet, it is understood that the original tap water does not contain nitrates at all, or in very small quantities. However, often a tap water nitrate test shows 10 or even 15 mg/l. Such indicators can be in winter, i.e. during the non-vegetative period. And this must be taken into account when substituting.

In conclusion, I want to say that growing aquatic plants is a laborious and expensive hobby. Of course, a spectacular planted aquarium is a very desirable thing for many aquarists. But often, faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles in the form of pesky algae, the need for frequent fertilization, control of carbon dioxide levels and light quality, the aquarist denies himself the pleasure of having this miracle at home. I hope this article will help you identify the weak link in your efforts and create a harmonious and healthy aquarium world. And, of course, this article does not claim to be a complete guide. It's just personal experience and analysis of information posted on the Web, aquatic books, chat rooms and forums. The desire to put everything in order, first of all, in your own head, is another important motive for writing it. I will be glad to comments and criticism (within reason).

Educational toys are extremely popular in our time. And this phenomenon can be easily explained, because every parent wants the child not only to have fun, but also to learn something new or gain practical skills. A very interesting and, what is important, completely safe and natural toy - grass. It is not difficult to make it with your own hands and believe me, it is much more interesting than buying a factory-made version.

Grasshopper - what kind of animal is this?

A few years ago, eco-men or herbalists appeared in many flower shops and children's departments. When packaged, the souvenir resembles just an interior toy. This is a small figurine of a man, a fairy-tale character or an animal. Often grasshoppers look like just "weirdos" or can be just pouches with glued eyes. The essence of the game-experience is simple - inside the grass, in addition to the main filler, there are grass seeds. It must be soaked or sprinkled with plenty of water and put in a bright place. Very soon you will be able to watch your "pet" begin to grow green "hair".

DIY materials

Before discussing how to make a grasshopper with your own hands, let's see if you have all the materials for this toy? The craft consists of a stuffing bag, filler, seeds and decorative elements. As a basis for the grass, you can use nylon socks or tights. If you want your do-it-yourself grass to be bright, try using children's golfs. There is no need to make any special holes, through the fabric of tights the grass sprouts will independently find a way out to the light. As the main filler, you can use sawdust, synthetic winterizer or cotton wool.

Do-it-yourself simple herbs: a master class for the little ones

Invite your child to make such a toy together. This work can be entrusted to three-year-olds. Prepare nylon socks in advance if the craft is done completely Small child, it is best to choose something soft as a filler: cotton wool or synthetic winterizer. Tip - if you want the grass to grow in some certain place, that's where you put the seeds. However, many people like herbs, in which green sprouts climb in a chaotic manner. In this case, the seeds should be mixed with the filler. So, your goal is to fill the sock with padding polyester or cotton. Don't forget to add the seeds, positioning them according to your idea. Sew a bag, you can form a circle or an oval. In fact, it is very easy to make a herbalist with your own hands, you have almost completed this task, it remains only to arrange the craft. Glue eyes on waterproof glue, you can also draw something on the figure, but only if you are sure that the paints will not flow when in contact with water.

How to germinate grasshopper?

The meaning of the game-experience with the herb is to germinate grass seeds. To do this, you need to immerse the finished craft in a container of water and leave for 5-10 minutes. Then take out the toy and place it on a saucer or some other stand. Now you just have to wait for a miracle - after 5-7 days the first shoots will appear. Knowing how to make a herbalist with your own hands, if you wish, you can collect a whole green zoo or a family of eco-men. Try experimenting with shapes and sizes.

Educational toy, pet and interior decoration

The grasshopper is a long-playing craft. The child will receive a lot of positive emotions during its manufacture and will be able to show taste and imagination during its design. After finishing work, a do-it-yourself grass toy will not become another useless souvenir. After soaking, you can observe the appearance of the first shoots. From time to time it is also useful to spray the herb, and you can even water it gently. But the game with the eco-figure does not end there either. If you decide to make a grasshopper with your own hands, be sure to try cutting it. Such a game will bring a lot of positive emotions to any child. What is especially interesting, the “hairs” will grow back and, if desired, they can be cut again and again.

We make curly grasses

An interesting and unusual craft is a grass hedgehog. With your own hands, you can make it according to the same principle as simpler toys of this type. The animal can sit upright or stand on four legs. Your craft will look most interesting if the grass grows only on its back and head, depicting needles. Accordingly, when filling the stocking base, arrange the seeds accordingly. The paws are most conveniently made separately in the form of small balls. They can also be pulled with threads, forming fingers. Sew them to the body of the hedgehog with threads. A small secret - nylon heavily stuffed with synthetic winterizer or cotton wool - a very plastic material. It can be given the most interesting shapes, fixing them with simple thread stitches and tightening them well. You can work out in detail the features of the muzzle of the animal, make him plump cheeks and a pronounced sharp nose. How to make a grass hedgehog with your own hands, what details will help emphasize the image of this animal? In addition to the eyes, sew a large bead nose to the toy. If you have paint that is not afraid of water, you can draw eyebrows, mouth and blush on the cheeks.

One of the most popular questions among those who are making eco-toys for the first time is where to get grass seeds and which ones are suitable? You can use lawn mix. However, this only makes sense if you plant such grass in the country, as it is sold in large packages. If own personal plot if you don't, get a small bag of house cat grass seeds from the pet store. Almost any agricultural crop is also suitable: oats, wheat, rye. An interesting idea - you can put seeds of herbs in herbs: dill, parsley or basil - in this case you will get not only a beautiful toy, but also a constant source of fresh herbs in your own kitchen. It is possible to make crafts using the described technique more complex. An interesting idea: to sew a doll, and place grass seeds in only one of its elements. Do not be afraid to stuff each element of the toy tightly enough, observing this simple rule Helps keep the figure in shape. When making a souvenir, remember that it will have to be soaked and sprayed with water. Accordingly, you should not use elements made of cardboard, paper and other materials that are afraid of high humidity for decoration. Be sure to try making your own herbs. The master class given in our article will definitely help you with this and you will succeed!

Having decided to start an aquarium, novice aquarists are faced with a choice - in what style to make their future aquarium. In today's article, we will look at such a popular type of freshwater aquarium as a herbal aquarium. To create the right herbalist aquarium, we first reveal the essence of the concept itself - the herbalist aquarium. So, an aquarium herbalist is an aquarium with an abundance of various plants, where the main emphasis is on plants, and secondarily on fish. Deciding to start an aquarium herbalist, you must first choose the right future tank. There are many designs for the herbalist's aquarium, but the most complete, harmonious and optimal in terms of future design will be the use of a rectangular aquarium made of optiwhite glass without a lid. The main point in the configuration is the choice of lighting for the herbalist’s aquarium, since the way your plants look will depend on the right pendant lamp, if there is a lack of light, the plants will begin to die, if there is an excess, blue-green algae that we don’t need, usually in an aquarium, will rapidly develop The herbalist uses MG lamps or LED lamps. It is also worth choosing the right filtration and aeration system, and a heating system. Moreover, it is more correct to make a filtration system in the form of an external filter. Having prepared the aquarium and equipment, we proceed to design the herbalist's aquarium, for this you can look at photos of herbalists' aquariums on the Internet (for example, a good selection), or turn on your own imagination.

As a rule, the design of the herbalist's aquarium starts from the center of the composition (a stone or the most large plant) and goes around. That is, for example, a central plant, usually a bush plant, is planted in the center of the composition (they look great different kinds large cryptocoryne), and on the sides of it you can place a long stem (for example, rotals and hygrophiles). In the foreground, use a lileocharis-type ground cover. When choosing plants for a herbalist's aquarium, it is necessary to observe the principle that tall plants are located at the back wall, and short plants at the front wall of the aquarium. In general, the choice of plants will depend on the size of the herbalist's aquarium, so with an aquarium volume of 100-400 liters, it is possible to have more species diversity than in a 50 liter aquarium.

In order to properly start the herbal aquarium, after planting the plants, it is necessary to give time for the biobalance to develop, the plants to take root, and certain microconditions for the growth of colonies of nitrifying bacteria are created. During this period, frequent water changes and less light are needed. If you decide to place fish in the herbalist’s aquarium, then it is important to choose them correctly, we do not recommend purchasing a goldfish herbalist in the aquarium, as goldfish are prone to eating the leaves of aquarium grass, as well as picking in the ground. There are experiments with goldfish in Japanese herbal aquariums, designed in the style of koi ponds, while plants with tough foliage and strong roots are selected. Schooling fish, such as blue and red neons, tetras and other haracins, look very organic in the herbalist's aquarium. It is on them, first of all, that a novice aquarist needs to pay attention when starting an herbalist's aquarium.

Since the launch of an herbalist's aquarium is a very troublesome event, we would recommend that a novice aquarist contact the specialists of this profile - the AquaMegaService company. It is the professionals in this field who will help you choose the right plants, plant them in the ground, optimally select fish and technical means in the form of a filtration and aeration system. We will help with the subsequent maintenance of your herbalist aquarium. By contacting a company specializing in aquarium herbalists, you will save your time and energy, and you will be sure that your aquarium will be decorated according to all the canons of aquascaping.

02.12.2017

General scheme for creating a herbalist

Plants, like fish, require the creation of certain conditions for successful growth.

Storage tank

An aquarium herbalist is chosen no higher than 50-60 cm, otherwise the high walls will make it difficult to care for the plants, and the light will not penetrate to the full depth. Beginners are advised to start with a rectangular container. As a rule, they are already equipped with lighting lamps, if not, then the fact that after installing the lamp there should not be darkened areas is taken into account. Therefore, the smaller the blind gap in the cover, the better. The width of the tank is chosen at will, but not less than 50 cm. With smaller dimensions, the viewing depth is lost.

Lighting

Lamps for the herbalistare selected with a predominance of the red spectrum. It is essential for the growth and development of plants. The blue-violet spectrum is responsible for flowering. The blue lamp is installed at the front wall of the aquarium, the red ones are at the back wall and in the center. But they are also combined with full spectrum fluorescent lamps. You should adjust the power of lighting, trying to make it as cyclical as in nature. Powerful light is supplied for 3-4 hours, and then it is changed to moderate. This is achieved by combining light sources. For such a biosystem, the best indicator would be 1 watt per liter. Daylight hours are 10-15 hours.

See what an inexpensive aquarium herbalist looks like:

Filtration system

The herbalist makes special demands on filters.

They should not:

• spoil the aesthetic perception;
• to weather carbon dioxide, without which photosynthesis is not possible;
• arrange a strong current of water.

Only a canister external filter meets all the necessary conditions for a herbalist. Internal filters create a strong flow of water and have too coarse a filler. Using internal system filtration, the water flow regulator is set to a minimum, and instead of a sponge, a filler made of thin synthetic fiber is laid.

Parameters and composition of water

It is desirable to equip the herbalist with a heating element with a thermostat. The optimal temperature range for plants is 24-25ºС. Under such conditions, the water contains a large amount of gases necessary for representatives of the flora: oxygen and carbon dioxide. More heat leads to elevated ammonia levels and can cause an algae outbreak.

General water hardness is of secondary importance compared to carbonate hardness (KH). Only at KH equal to 4, which corresponds to a pH level of 6.6-7.3, plants best absorb carbon dioxide. The lower the pH, the more dissolved CO2 in the water.

The iron concentration is maintained by the application of liquid fertilizers. The optimal dosage is 0.1 mg / l. The presence of nitrites is unacceptable. If the tests showed NO2, then the plants of the ecosystem do not have time to process all the incoming ammonia.

Water changes are carried out weekly. Replaced from 30 to 50% of the total volume. This prevents an endless accumulation of fertilizer. In addition, changes remove ammonium and difficult-to-decompose organic matter from the water.

CO2

Plants take in carbon dioxide, which is dissolved in water. He plays a leading role in their growth. Without an additional supply of CO2, plants will not have building material for their cells, since there is very little of it in the aquarium. Carbon dioxide in good light accelerates growth by 4-5 times.

To create optimal conditions, it is necessary to ensure the supply of CO2 so that its concentration in water is at the level of 15-30 mg/l. This is carried out by fermentation, electrolysis or using a gas cylinder.

Prerequisite: CO2 supply must be combined with daily liquid fertilization.

Priming

To backfill the bottom of the herbalist, bare soil, nutrient substrates and nutrient soils can be used. Bare soil (quartz sand, basalt chips, rounded pebbles) has a fraction diameter of 0.8 to 5 mm. Initially, it does not contain any nutrients, which is why it is called naked or empty.

It is not recommended to use soil that is too coarse, since beneficial bacteria will not be able to use their full potential for working and building colonies, and too small is fraught with acidification. Before filling such a filler in the aquarium, it must be washed from dust and impurities. It does not require additional processing. But in order to achieve active plant growth on such soils, it takes time for the bottom to silt, since at the first stage they are sterile.

For the introduction of nutrients, special substrates under the soil are used. The required thickness of the substrate layer is indicated on the packaging by the manufacturer, as a rule, it is 1.5-2.5 cm.

But still, most aquarists for herbalists prefer to choose nutrient substrates. They are produced by all major world manufacturers of aquarium equipment. They contain mineral fertilizers And organic matter. After laying the substrate in the aquarium, nitrifying bacteria are added to it, contributing to the additional production of nutrients. After six months or a year, the supply of microelements is depleted, and they are added additionally.

After backfilling, the soil is filled with water for several centimeters and aged for half an hour to completely get wet. Water is not poured directly into the ground, its pressure is softened with a stone, hand, saucer. The optimal height of the embankment is 5-7 cm. The nutrient substrate allows growth from the first days of planting.

But it is important to consider that nutrient soil is used either in an aquarium with one vegetation or with a small number of fish.

The herbal aquarium can be planted according to personal desire, the design of the aquarist, or two well-known directions can be taken as a basis: the Dutch aquarium and the natural aquarium from Takashi Amano, which differ in the technique of execution and the principles of the arrangement of plants and decorations.

General principles of planting:

In a Dutch aquarium, plants are planted in a large group and with the condition that there is not more than one group of the same plant. Amano's basic principle is not to plant an even number of plants.

Herbalist 7 months after launch:

To create beautiful compositions, the following representatives of aquaflora are used:

This is not a complete list of plants that are considered the most popular among aquarists and aquascapers. Before you start a herbalist, you need to have a good idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat will happen in the end and only after that proceed with the selection of plants.

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Aquarium guarantees fish satisfaction Shark ball (Balantiocheilos melanopterus) | keeping, breeding Ancistrus ordinary (Ancistrus Dolichopterus) | keeping, breeding Apistogramma Agassizi (Apistogramma agassizi) | keeping, breeding Apistogramma Ramirezi (Microgeophagus Ramirezi) | keeping, breeding Apteronot / Black knife (Apteronotus albifrons) | keeping, breeding Astronotus (Astronotus ocellatus) | keeping, breeding Atherina ladigesi (Marosatherina ladigesi) | keeping, breeding ATLAS OF AQUARIUM PLANTS Aulonokara (Aulonocara) | description, content, breeding Afiokharaksy (Aphyocharax) | description, maintenance, breeding Diseases of shrimps | causes, prevention and treatment Bacterial diseases of shrimp | causes, prevention, treatment Cherry barb (Puntius titteya) Eight-banded barb (Eirmotus octozona) | keeping, breeding Barbus Denisoni (Puntius denisonii) | keeping, breeding Barbus fiery (Puntius conchonius) | keeping, breeding Barbus Sumatran (Puntius tetrazona) | keeping, breeding Barbus black (Puntius nigrofasciatus) | maintenance, breeding Barbus four-linear (Puntius lineatus) | keeping, breeding Barbus Schubert (Puntius sachsi) | maintenance, breeding Barbs (barbels) Diseases of aquarium plants | signs and causes of FISH DISEASE Bolbitis heudelotii | keeping, breeding Tiger bots (Botia Syncrossus) | keeping, breeding Botia dario (Botia dario) | description, content, breeding Botsia dwarf (Yunnanilus cruciatus) | keeping, breeding Botsia Clown (Chromobotia macracanthus) | keeping, breeding Botia Kubot (Botia kubotai) | keeping, breeding Botsiya marble (Botia lohachata) | keeping, breeding Botsiya striata (Botia striata) | keeping, breeding Goby Bee (Brachygobius doriae) | keeping, breeding Cherry shrimp: keeping, breeding, photo Aquarium water or its hardness Water for breeding fish in an aquarium, tips and tricks for preparing water Choosing an aquarium: Aquarium size Choosing an aquarium: How many fish do you need? Aquarium plant selection Fish selection for medium aquariums up to 150 liters Gastromyzon punctulatus | keeping, breeding Hygrorhiza (Hygrorhiza aristata) | keeping, breeding Girinocheilus (Gyrinocheilus aymonieri) | keeping, breeding Glossolepis red (Glossolepis incisus) | maintenance, breeding Dutch Aquarium | creation and maintenance of a grotto for an aquarium with your own hands. Grotto for an aquarium with your own hands: photo, video Soil for an aquarium Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) | description, maintenance, breeding Guppy Endler (Poecilia wingei) | keeping, breeding Grouchy gourami (Trichopsis vittata) | keeping, breeding Pearl Gourami (Trichogaster leerii) | keeping, breeding Gourami dwarf (Trichopsis pumila) | keeping, breeding marble gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus) | keeping, breeding Gourami is perfect for keeping novice aquarists. Kissing gourami (Helostoma temminkii) | keeping, breeding Danio Danio (Brachydanio) | species, description, content, breeding Dario dario (Dario dario) | description, content, breeding DIY aquarium decorations. How, why and why Decorations for an aquarium. Plastic and marble Decorate your aquarium or don't complain TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR THE BEGINNER AQUARIST DIAGNOSTIC TABLE OF FISH DISEASES Discus (Symphysodon) | species, description, maintenance, breeding How long does an aquarium live? Home Sea Home Sea Affordable Aquarium Water hardness in an aquarium: how to raise, lower Do-it-yourself background for an aquarium. Instructions Do-it-yourself backdrop for an aquarium. Instructions Filling the aquarium with water Starting the aquarium together with the design in half an hour Why do you need a filter in the aquarium Zebra crayfish (Cherax papuanus) | keeping, breeding Snakeheads: photo, content, video Goldfish and its varieties Goldfish (Carassius auratus) | types, description, content Making aquariums, is it really so easy to make them? Iriatherina Werneri (Iriatherina werneri) | maintenance, breeding Iriaterina Werner family of iris | description, content The art of decorating an aquarium. What style to choose?! How to choose plants for a decorative aquarium? How to buy aquarium fish and not buy sick?! How to change the water in an aquarium How to properly process a snag at home How to populate an aquarium correctly How to feed the fish correctly? How to breed beautiful guppies! ? How to make a Plexiglas aquarium at home How to make fish food at home How to become an aquarium fish business How to care for an aquarium!? How often to change the water in the aquarium What temperature do the fish need in the aquarium? Calamoicht Calabar (Erpetoichthys calabaricus) | description, content Cardinal (Tanichthys albonubes) | content, breeding Dwarf crayfish: species, content Carnegiella marble (Carnegiella strigata) | maintenance, breeding Klinopelecidae (Gasteropelecidae) | species, content, breeding Cuneiform rasbory | species, description, content, breeding Colisa striped (Colisa fasciata) | keeping, breeding Corydoras adolfoi (Corydoras adolfoi) | keeping, breeding Corydoras Venezuelan (Corydoras venezuelanus) | keeping, breeding Corydoras pygmy (Corydoras pygmaeus) | keeping, breeding Corydoras similis (Corydoras similis) | keeping, breeding Corydoras trilineatus (Corydoras trilineatus) | keeping, breeding Corydoras Sterba (Corydoras sterbai) | keeping, breeding Corydoras (Corydoras) | species, description, maintenance, breeding Food for aquarium fish FEEDING AQUARIUM FISH Feeding aquarium fish: Types of food Feeding aquarium fish: Rules for feeding fish Snag in the aquarium. Cooking with your own hands Beautiful background in the aquarium with your own hands Red-eared turtle (Pseudemys scripta) | keeping, breeding Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata) | keeping, breeding Shrimp babaulti (Caridina babaulti) | keeping, breeding Cherry shrimp (Cherry shrimp) | keeping, breeding Cameroon filter shrimp (Atya gabonensis) | description, content Shrimp Crystal (Caridina cantonensis) | keeping, breeding Shrimp Bee (Caridina serrata) | keeping, breeding Filter-feeding shrimp (Atyopsis moluccensis) | keeping, breeding Shrimp Rili (Neocaridina heteropoda var. Rili) | keeping, breeding Cryptocoryne brilliant (Cryptocoryne lucens) | maintenance, breeding Water lily / Nymphaea (Nymphaea) | species, maintenance, reproduction Labeo Bicolor (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor) | maintenance, breeding Labyrinth fish Lyalius (Colisa Lalia) | description, maintenance, breeding Macropods (Macropodus opercularis) | maintenance, breeding Makhlin M.D. Aquarium Journey Copper Tetra (Hasemania Nana) | keeping, breeding Melanothenia neon (Melanotaenia praecox) | keeping, breeding Metinnis Silver dollar | description, maintenance, breeding Swordtails and Pecilia (Xiphophorus) | species, content, breeding Mikrorasbora Galaxy (Celestichthys margaritatus) | keeping, breeding Emerald Microrasbora (Microrasbora erythromicron) | keeping, breeding Mikrorasbora spotted (Boraras maculatus) | keeping, breeding Minora / Serpas (Hyphessobrycon eques) | maintenance, breeding Fashionable Aquarium Mollinesia (Poecilia) | species, description, content, breeding Mollusks, keeping snails in aquariums Monologue for Dummies. (for beginner aquarists) On the website you will find detailed information about emergency fish Nannostomus beckfordi (Nannostomus beckfordi) | maintenance, breeding The need for a heater for an aquarium Neon blue (Paracheirodon innesi) | keeping, breeding Neon red (Paracheirodon axelrodi) | keeping, breeding Neon red (Paracheirodon axelrodi) | maintenance, breeding Neon black (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) | keeping, breeding Aquarium soil processing Orizias woworae (Oryzias woworae) | keeping, breeding Responsible fish care Otocinclus (Otocinclus affinis) Otocinclus and other aquarium cleaners: photo with names Speckled Otocinclus (Otocinclus flexilis) | maintenance, breeding Designing an aquarium for Tanganyika cichlids Designing an aquarium. How to save?! Errors when starting an aquarium Pelvicachromis pulcher (Pelvicachromis pulcher) | keeping, breeding First steps in aquarism Transportation of aquarium fish Sand or gravel. Choosing a Substrate for an Aquarium Petushki (Betta) | species, description, content, breeding Piranha (Pygocentrus) | species, description, content, breeding Piranha (photo of fish): bloodthirsty, but shy creatures of the Amazon Piranha as home aquarium fish Platydoras striped (Platydoras armatulus) | content, breeding Platidoras striped: content, compatibility, photo, video Plecostomus: content, photo, video Let's talk about fighting fish with a Ukrainian breeder Underwater lawns of an aquarium Underwater waterfall in the design of an aquarium Underwater world in a room Water change in an aquarium Senegalese polypterus (Polypterus senegalus) | keeping, breeding A complete guide to the care of freshwater tropical fish. Cloudy water in the aquarium Popondetta furcat (Pseudomugil furcatus) | keeping, breeding Planting Aquarium Plants Why don't Echinodorus grow? Why do fish die? Proper maintenance of aquariums Examples of aquarium design About aquarium barbs and their behavior Disease prevention Gertrude Pseudomugil (Pseudomugil gertrudae) | keeping, breeding Rainbow Turquoise (Melanotaenia lacustris) | keeping, breeding Boesman's rainbow (Melanotaenia boesemani) | keeping, breeding Rainbow crab. Content at home. / AQUAMIR Breeding cockerels | selection, spawning, fry Breeding fish in an aquarium Aquarium dimensions. Form and optimal choice Reproduction of aquarium plants Dwarf Orange Crayfish (Cambarellus patzcuarensis) | keeping, breeding Cancer Red Claw (Cherax Quadricarinatus) | keeping, breeding Cancer Florida (Procambarus clarkii) | keeping, breeding Brigitte's Rasbora (Boraras brigittae) | keeping, breeding Rasbora red-banded (Rasbora pauciperforata) | maintenance, breeding Arrangement of plants in the aquarium Plants in the aquarium, how to choose the right aquarium plants Riccia under water Rotala round-leaved (Rotala rotundifolia) | maintenance, reproduction DIY Aquarium Design Guide Elephant Fish (Gnathonemus petersii) | maintenance, breeding Guppy fish (photo): Splashes of bright colors in the thick of algae Fish for a new beginner aquarium Female cichlid fish can turn into males Homemade food for aquarium fish Aquarium orderlies - fish, shrimps, snails fighting algae and maintaining bio-balance) Synodontis multipunctatus | keeping, breeding Angelfish Angelfish in an aquarium and their maintenance How long does an aquarium design live? ADVICE FOR BEGINNER AQUARISTS CONTAINING DISCUS Create an aquascape in the aquarium with driftwood and moss. Takashi Amano Golden catfish (bronze corridor): content, photo, video Catfish Glass perch (Parambassis ranga) | maintenance, breeding Is it worth it to start aquarium fish? Eaton's Arrowhead (Sagittaria eatoni) | maintenance, breeding Sumatran barbs and errors in breeding Sumatran barbs. Keeping and breeding Well-fed fish - a satisfied spectator of Ternetia (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi) | keeping, breeding Tetra Amanda (Hyphessobrycon amandae) | keeping, breeding Tetra Brilliant (Moenkhausia pittieri) | keeping, breeding Tetra Kerry (Inpaichthys kerri) | keeping, breeding Tetra Kitty (Hyphessobrycon heliacus) | keeping, breeding Tetra Congo (Phenacogrammus interruptus) | maintenance, breeding Tetra Red-nosed (Hemigrammus bleheri) | keeping, breeding Tetra Palmeri (Nematobrycon palmeri) | keeping, breeding Tetra Firefly (Hemigrammus erythrozonus) | maintenance, breeding Herbalist - aquarium: photo, how to make Fire-bellied Triton (Cynops orientalis) | keeping, breeding NEWTS - KEEPING, FEEDING / AQUAMIR Trichodinosis in aquarium fish My fish are dying in the aquarium. They just suffocate. Why?! Do-it-yourself fertilizers for aquarium plants Learn everything about the aquarium quickly Snail Marisa (Marisa cornuarietis) | maintenance, reproduction Snail Marisa (Marisa cornuarietis) | maintenance, breeding Snail Pagoda (Brotia pagodula) | keeping, breeding Horned snail (Clithon diadema) | description, content Snail Helena (Anentome helena) | description, maintenance, breeding Apple snails (snails) Installing an aquarium in the apartment. What to pay attention to? Aquarium installation, site selection Aquarium care and biological balance Aquarium plant care Aquarium filter, types of aquarium filters Aquarium filters | filtering methods Photosynthesis in an aquarium or why plants bubble Water characteristics for an aquarium Homaloptera orthogoniata (Homaloptera orthogoniata) | Contents I want an aquarium. Where to start and what to buy? Chromis Beauty (Hemichromis bimaculatus) | maintenance, breeding An aquarium or blue-green algae blooms. Why and what to do to get rid of?! Blue Dempsey Cichlazoma (Archocentrus octofaciatus, var. blue) Diamond Cichlazoma (Herichthys carpintis) | keeping, breeding Cichlazoma Severum (Heros efasciatus) | keeping, breeding Cichlid parrot (Cichlid Parrot) | keeping, breeding Cichlids Cichlids in an aquarium Black Phantom (Hyphessobrycon megalopterus) | maintenance, breeding Clean aquarium always! Chukuchan / Asiaticus (Myxocyprinus asiaticus) | description, content Javanese Sharovka (Corbicula javanicus) | maintenance, breeding Pike blennies Eichhornia excellent (Eichhornia crassipes) | maintenance, reproduction Eleotris carpet (Tateurndina ocellicauda) | keeping, breeding Encyclopedia aquarist

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