The aquatic plant hornwort is a herbaceous perennial. In the natural environment, it occurs in stagnant water bodies, many aquarists bring it home from small lakes. It is believed that this is an indicator of the situation in the aquarium and the right choice for a beginner aquarium owner.
Aquarian hornwort - description
When a beginner in aquarium business selects for himself the appropriate filling of a glass pond, attention is attracted to unpretentious fish and seaweed. Hornwort in the aquarium does not need any special conditions, and to purchase it is not a problem. The benefit of such an aquarium inhabitant is its ability to purify water in a literal sense:
- the stem is well developed, and its leaves are covered with small hairs - all this makes the plant a natural filter that does not give water turbidity;
- the surface is biologically active, which contributes to the release of oxygen, and this is the reason for the rapid oxidation of organic residues in the water, and fry grows much faster due to the filling of water with oxygen;
- for a tall or simply large aquarium, the aquarium plant hornwort will become a worthy decorative component, because it serves as an excellent backdrop for the underwater landscape.
There are about three hundred kinds of hornwort, but for aquarists, only a few are worthy: Cuban, Mexican and submerged, it is also green or underwater. The last record holder for survival, because he perfectly adapts to any temperature regime, but is sensitive to lighting. Does not need a bright light Mexican look, but its stems are very brittle.
Plant hornwort in the aquarium - contents
When we talk about unpretentious aquarium flora, we hope for ease of care. The content of hornwort in an aquarium is not complex, because it does not care about the soil at the bottom or the water temperature , even its rigidity does not always affect growth. But often beginners aquarists face a problem when algae do not want to grow at all or discard leaves, sometimes they start to rot. Almost always this is the result of a few blunders.
How to plant hornwort in an aquarium?
The first and probable mistake is planting the plant in a literal sense. Before planting a hornfork in an aquarium, it's a good idea to look closely at its stem: a characteristic feature is the absence of roots. It turns out that planting a stalk, digging it in the ground, is tantamount to its death. A very brittle and sensitive stem in a few days will begin to rot and die.
Those who have already found a common language with the hornwort, are advised to use other methods for this. Those small white shoots that are visible in the internodes, these are the modified leaves and stems, therefore it is impossible to embed them into the ground. Landing in the literal sense will not work, but it can not float in the water column or on the surface. In the course are a variety of techniques for fixing on the bottom.
How to fix hornwort in the aquarium?
To plant algae in your tank, you will have to be patient. There are several options how to fix the hornwort on the bottom of the aquarium:
- the glass rod on which the aquarian hornwort is wound looks quite aesthetically to create the shape of a bush, below the stems are fixed with a rope very neatly;
- Various decorative stones with holes will play the role of cargo to keep the shoots in one place;
- there are special pots to create an underwater picture.
It is important to understand that any of the chosen methods is not a cure-all for a long time. Over a week, the aquarium plant grows a few centimeters, therefore, weekly it is necessary to cut off the tops and create a composition again. The lower part dies and turns yellow, the naked rod is unsightly. Yes, and greens can easily fill the entire thickness of water, if its growth is not controlled.
How to propagate hornwort in an aquarium?
Reproduction of these algae is a real necessity, because otherwise the whole aquarium will turn into underwater impassable jungle. Once the aquarium hornwort grows to the surface of the water, you can safely cut it. Scissors need to cut the stem into pieces about 15 cm long. Practice shows that this procedure has to be done weekly. The picture is the following: when you fixed the plant on the bottom and gave it the desired appearance, after a week the stems in the lower part are bare, after trimming everything returns to its proper condition.
How to root hornwort in an aquarium?
The very concept of "rooting" here is unacceptable, because there are simply no roots for this aquarium flora. Planting hornwort in the aquarium is to fix it in a certain place and shape the bush by the method of tying several stems. For this type of plant, the main task is not rooting, but methods of adaptation. For all its unpretentiousness, algae react strongly to changes in water parameters, temperature conditions and light flux. These moments become the three whales on which the care for the hornwort is based.
Aquarium hornwort - care
Whatever one may say, the beauty of the aquarium landscape largely depends on the time spent by the aquarist. The grass for the aquarium hornwort does not need special conditions, but the accuracy and brightness of the greenery will please only if it is properly removed:
- aquarium plants of this type need nitrates, their level will affect the state of greenery, but almost always it is not necessary to saturate the water with nitrates;
- the duration of a light day will give brightness of green, but direct streams of light are harmful to the aquarium plant hornwort;
- the taste of the leaves is bitter, therefore the inhabitants of the aquarium seldom eat stems, algae of this species are compatible with practically all plants and fish;
- active growth and juiciness of greenery are observed at a temperature regime of 20-24 ° C.
Why does not grow hornwort in an aquarium?
Plants that do not require the active participation of an aquarist can be at times very capricious. The hornwort plant quite successfully planted the entire aquarium, and then just turned yellow or discarded the foliage. Such cases are not uncommon. Poor growth is observed due to several reasons:
- too different water parameters in the new aquarium after transplantation;
- when transporting algae supercooled;
- low level of nitrates;
- at night, the oxygen level in the water drops strongly.