Can I have artificial plants in my aquarium?
Artificial plants are often chosen by novice aquarium enthusiasts as "problem-free" elements of decor.
Artificial plants are controversial among experienced aquarists. There are numerous voices that artificial plants are harder than real ones, so they can hurt fish. In addition, they are often made of plastic, so fish lovers are concerned about what such plastic can leach into the water.
So how is it? The truth is that we put elements in the aquarium that are much harder and sometimes sharper than artificial plants: rocks, roots. And somehow then we do not worry about the potential scratches of our pets. We also have a lot of plastic in aquariums: hoses, suction cups, filter and heater housings - and all this does not scare us somehow.
So are plastic plants really that bad? No. They are unlikely to poison and injure our fish.
The problem with artificial plants lies elsewhere: they are not bad, but they are not good either. There is not much benefit to planting them.
Artificial plants do not grow. They will not grow into a thicket that would give the fish shelter and provide a sense of security (and some species of fish need it very much).
In addition, artificial "greens" do not filter the water. Living plants absorb nitrogen compounds from the water and act as natural filters. Water with a lot of fast-growing plants is chemically cleaner than water without plants (of course we are talking about water inhabited by fish). Taking nutrients from the water not only promotes fish health, but also inhibits the growth of algae, protozoa and cyanobacteria.
I can't count how many times in aquarium groups I've seen posts like "Help, why is my water white/green" or "why do I have so many algae". And in the attached photo there is an aquarium with one small plant, or no live vegetation at all, planted only with artificial plants. Well, it's easy for a disaster under these conditions.
To sum up: is it possible to have artificial plants in the aquarium? Actually you can, but it's not worth it. Live plants will bring much more benefits to the tank. Young aquarists are often afraid of them because they do not know how to grow them. Growing plants can seem complicated. You need to choose the right substrate, lighting, and sometimes also fertilization. However, there are many species of aquatic plants that are very easy to maintain and anyone can handle it with ease. Without any complicated treatments. This, however, is a topic for a separate text. :)
Artificial plants are often chosen by novice aquarium enthusiasts as "problem-free" elements of decor.
Artificial plants are controversial among experienced aquarists. There are numerous voices that artificial plants are harder than real ones, so they can hurt fish. In addition, they are often made of plastic, so fish lovers are concerned about what such plastic can leach into the water.
So how is it? The truth is that we put elements in the aquarium that are much harder and sometimes sharper than artificial plants: rocks, roots. And somehow then we do not worry about the potential scratches of our pets. We also have a lot of plastic in aquariums: hoses, suction cups, filter and heater housings - and all this does not scare us somehow.
So are plastic plants really that bad? No. They are unlikely to poison and injure our fish.
The problem with artificial plants lies elsewhere: they are not bad, but they are not good either. There is not much benefit to planting them.
Artificial plants do not grow. They will not grow into a thicket that would give the fish shelter and provide a sense of security (and some species of fish need it very much).
In addition, artificial "greens" do not filter the water. Living plants absorb nitrogen compounds from the water and act as natural filters. Water with a lot of fast-growing plants is chemically cleaner than water without plants (of course we are talking about water inhabited by fish). Taking nutrients from the water not only promotes fish health, but also inhibits the growth of algae, protozoa and cyanobacteria.
I can't count how many times in aquarium groups I've seen posts like "Help, why is my water white/green" or "why do I have so many algae". And in the attached photo there is an aquarium with one small plant, or no live vegetation at all, planted only with artificial plants. Well, it's easy for a disaster under these conditions.
To sum up: is it possible to have artificial plants in the aquarium? Actually you can, but it's not worth it. Live plants will bring much more benefits to the tank. Young aquarists are often afraid of them because they do not know how to grow them. Growing plants can seem complicated. You need to choose the right substrate, lighting, and sometimes also fertilization. However, there are many species of aquatic plants that are very easy to maintain and anyone can handle it with ease. Without any complicated treatments. This, however, is a topic for a separate text. :)
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