Choosing Your Plants
Selecting the right species of plants is important to the longevity of your new scape. Designing it around your lifestyle too, as some plants require higher maintenance than others. Certain species like Crypts and Echinodorus are slow growing and require very little maintenance. See our tips and tricks for further help.




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High Energy or Low Energy
High Energy is an aquarium equipped with CO2 injection and higher spectrum lighting. This setup will be providing faster growth, better colours from plants and reduced algae risks. Low Energy is without the additional equipment. Therefore, they key to success here is lower intense lighting and choosing the right species which will be listed below.
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Stem
This category of plants are ideal for midground to background for space filling and adding beautiful colours. They are ideal for providing a safe haven for fry and small fish. They require frequent trimming to keep them looking their best. They best method of trimming is near the base at a leaf node. Replant your cutting to continue growing. New shoots will appear from where you cut.
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Epiphyte
This type of plant attaches to rock & wood and MUST not be planted in substrate. These species have rhizomes that need to be exposed to flowing oxygen and nutrients. This is a great option for gaining height into the aquarium with minimal effort. These species can thrive in a lower light environment but do require plenty of fertiliser to keep them looking their best. They can be attached using liquid superglue, providing it states it is cyanoacrylate based. They can also be wedged in gaps or tied on with fishing line
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Rosette
There are many species of rosette. This means that the plant's leaves grow from a single stem. Such as Cryptocoryne and Echinodorus. These species are known for their versatility and flexibility when scaping. Crypts are short (mostly) and are perfect for adding detail and life to the foreground without taking too much space. Crypts are known to "melt" when establishing to a new tank. This is just their way of adapting from an emerged state to submerged. Many times they bounce back. If it is a weak plant, they may not survive. Small black circles are Crypts.
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Echinodorus are primarily used as a background plant. Originate from South America. These plants have developed hardy stems so during the summer season in the Amazon Basin, they can hold themselves up when out of water. Echinodorus are great for large tanks, not so much for small tanks as they overwhelm it.

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