Aquarium herbalist - a natural aquarium with live plants with a useful photo-video. We start the herbalist. Four Important Rules for Designing an Herbalist in an Aquarium

To significantly expand the horizons of the child and develop a sense of responsibility in him will help herbs - handmade toys.

Such a craft will become a living guide to natural history at home, in kindergarten and at school.

Tryavyanchiki, or as they are also called, ecomen, have recently gained lost popularity. They first appeared in Soviet time and decorated many kitchens.

A grasshopper is a small fabric figurine in the form of a man or an animal, in which, after watering, a small forelock grows from the grass. By regularly watering your “pet”, you can get a real green corner in the house that does not require special care.

Ready-made herbs are in the assortment of many stores, but it is much more interesting to offer children to make it with their own hands. To create an eco-man, you need to prepare the following materials:

• basis for grass;
• grass seeds;
• needle and thread;
• sawdust;
• plate or tray.

As a basis, you can use any materials at hand - an old sock, gauze, a wide bandage or a nylon stocking. Grass seeds should be selected according to your own preferences. So, for example, if you want to make a herb that will please the eye with greenery for several years, you can buy seeds of perennial lawn grass.

If you have pets, you can put the seeds of a special grass into the herbalist for them.

This delicacy will appeal to cats, dogs, guinea pigs and even parrots. Seeds of such grass are sold in pet stores.

If you can’t find grass seeds, you can put any cereals into the herbalist - rye, wheat, oats or barley. Preliminarily, it is desirable to sort out the grains from the husks and straws.

Sawdust can be purchased at any pet store - they will serve as the main filler for the toy. To create one person, you need only a few handfuls of sawdust, you should consider this when buying.

If desired, in needlework stores you can buy eyes and other details that will revive the eco-man.

Step-by-step instructions for making a herbalist

1. The stocking or sock should be cut with scissors in such a way that a small sleeve up to 10-15 centimeters long is obtained. If gauze or bandage is used, they must be sewn together to form a similar sleeve. Immediately you need to cut a few thin strips of matter - they will come in handy as ties. The strongest ties are obtained from nylon tights.

2. One end of the stocking should be tied up with a previously prepared tie. After that, the workpiece must be turned inside out to get a kind of bag with a knot inward.

3. If the herbalist will be a vertically located toy, first of all, seeds should be poured to the bottom of the bag, and after sawdust. The main thing is that the seeds are at the top of the craft.

If the herbalist will be located horizontally (for example, you can make a hedgehog or a turtle out of a stocking), then first you should pour sawdust into the bag and only then pour the seeds on one side, which will be at the top. It is advisable to pre-soak the seeds for 5-6 hours.

4. Sawdust should be slightly moistened - so they are better compacted and form a good shape. After filling, the upper edge is also tightly tied. It is very important to make strong knots so that in the future the contents do not spill out.

5. At this stage, you need to turn on the fantasy and come up with his appearance for the herbalist. So, depending on the location of the seeds, you can make a hedgehog, a frog, a tiger cub, a bear, a dog or a caterpillar.

In order to make the head, legs or segments of the body, you need to bandage the filled bag in a certain place.

Ideas for creativity can be gleaned from other people's work or invent something of your own, it is not necessary to make an existing animal, it can turn out to be an alien or some kind of miracle Yudo.

With the help of ties, you can form not only the head, but also the nose, ears, horns or tail.

In the process of creating a toy, periodically check it for stability.

6. In order for the herb to come to life, he needs to glue his eyes and mouth. As a peephole, you can use both blanks from shops for creativity, and the most ordinary buttons. Also, eyes can be made from cardboard or felt by cutting out a light oval for the eye itself and a dark one for the pupil.

7. You can add brightness to the craft if you paint its surface with acrylic paints. Gouache and watercolor are not suitable for this, as they get your hands dirty and are washed off after getting water. Acrylic is resistant to water, and the toy will remain beautiful for a long time.

8. At the final stage, you need to thoroughly soak the herb with water. In order for the grass to germinate, the toy must be kept in a container of water for at least 2-3 hours. Well, if the water is slightly warmed up.

If you intend to create several herbalists, you can conduct a small experiment. So, one figure needs to be soaked with ordinary water, and the second with an aqueous solution of a plant growth stimulant. Then it remains to observe the growth of grass on crafts with the child and draw the appropriate conclusions.

Grass care

The finished toy must be installed on a plate or a special tray - this is necessary so that it does not drip onto surrounding objects, but lingers in the stand. Further, the eco-man needs to be placed in some bright place (for example, a window sill or a balcony) and wait for the moment when the first sprouts appear from it.

Periodically, you need to monitor the moisture level of the fabric enveloping the herb. From time to time it is necessary to moisten it with water from a watering can or from a spray bottle. Children will be happy to take care of their new pet and watch the result of their labors.

The first sprouts of grass will appear on the surface of the toy in 2 days.

If the age and level of perseverance of the child allows, you can make a diary of observations. So, in a notebook or an ordinary sheet, you need to draw the fields of the table and mark three times a day how much the stems grow. As the grass grows, the child can also take photos of their craft.

When the grass grows strongly and begins to disintegrate in different directions, you can captivate the child with a grass cut. With scissors or just with your hands, you need to remove the tips of the sprouts, leaving up to 2/3 of their length. So you can experiment with various types haircuts - half-box, mohawk and everything that fantasy allows.

By dividing the blades of grass into two parts and tying each with a bow, you can make a grass girl. By the way, the haircut has a positive effect on the toy - the removal of long stems gives the grass new strength, and over time, the appearance of the grass will only improve.

If there are pets in the house, they can do the “haircut” on their own - such grass is very useful for them, it contains many vitamins that are inaccessible to animals living in the apartment.

If you have to leave the herb alone for several days, in order to prevent it from drying out, after watering, the toy should be wrapped in a plastic bag. It will help reduce evaporation and conserve valuable moisture.

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.

Aquariums have been developing very rapidly in recent years. 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 overflows 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, carrying a huge charge of energy, admiring 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 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 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 you can 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. Good? 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 coverage are also obvious: “... high price, 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 short quote: "...moderate light and high density of plant biomass will provide Better conditions for higher plants and worse 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. Brown spots appear, 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 energy storage and expenditure 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 against the breakdown of chlorophyll, 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. daylight hours. An overdose is fraught with long-term consequences. Algae are very fond of an overdose of fertilizers. It is better to apply fertilizers in a 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. I dilute in 100 ml of distilled water:

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.

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. Higher temperatures lead to higher ammonia concentrations and can cause algae outbreaks.

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.

For creating optimal conditions it is necessary to ensure the supply of CO2 so that its concentration in the 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. Optimal Height mounds 5-7 cm. Nutrient substrate enables 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.

An aquarium with live plants is a very subtle system, easily vulnerable, requiring careful care and at the same time possessing a stable structure.

Herbalist is a broad concept, which can include:

• and an ordinary domestic pond with living vegetation without conceptual and geometric frills;

• and a pond - a real underwater park in which plants are grouped according to shape and color;

• and aquascape - an artificially created fragment of the underwater landscape in accordance with the requirements of a particular style according to certain rules.

Common to all varieties of the herbalist is the dominant position in it of the underwater flora over the representatives of the fauna.

How to properly organize a herbal aquarium, select plant species that can get along in a common tank, with similar growing environment conditions, will be discussed further.

What do you need to organize an aquarium for plants?

It is necessary to create the best conditions for the existence of underwater plants, and this implies the following:

Choosing the right tank. The height of the container should not be more than 60 cm; exceeding it is fraught with inconvenience when caring for plants.

Soil selection(substrate). You can use bare soil with a nutrient substrate, or grow an underwater garden on ready-made nutrient soils, which will significantly facilitate the process and allow you to gently adjust the parameters of the aquarium water.

Lighting creation. There are no trifles here: the color of the lighting is important (for example, blue is needed for flowering plants, and red-yellow accelerates their growth), as well as its power. A competent combination of lamps of optimal power with a blue and yellow-red glow will create the best conditions for the development of plants.

Supply to the CO2 tank. To create a beautiful vibrant underwater garden, carbon dioxide in the pond is absolutely necessary. It is the main source of carbon for plants.

Water osmosis. It provides correct parameters water in the tank: pH - 6.4, GH - 5, KH - 3.

Fertilization. The use of an underwater garden in the organization is the main condition for success. There are special mineral complexes for a variety of underwater plants that do not contain (important!) phosphorus and always contain ferrous iron.

Dutch herbalist - the most popular freshwater biotope

The most common type of domestic herbal ponds is considered to be their Dutch variety, where the main emphasis is on growing rare, collectible plant species that need special conditions and more complex care.

In the mid-70s of the last century, a new phenomenon appeared in foreign aquariums - the Dutch aquarium. At its core, this is an underwater aquarium garden, consisting mainly of living plant groups. At the same time, living inhabitants in such gardens are either completely absent or are in small numbers and are not the center of attention, they are assigned a secondary role. Here it is only important to choose fish that are compatible with each other and with the plant species of the garden.

Today, the Dutch-type grass pond is one of the most complex artificially organized freshwater biotopes.

What plant species are suitable for a grass pond?

The greatest difficulty in planting a herbalist is creating the foreground of the aquarium. At successful design it will not be difficult to fill the rest of the reservoir in this sector.

Usually, foreground it is made out by undersized (no more than 10 cm) plant species. This allows you to create an underwater landscape where all its space is clearly visible.

On the background, respectively, place large plants, the height of which, however, should not be more than half the height of the tank.

Between the plants of the anterior and posterior The plan is not bad to plant medium-sized species, they also create contrast by separating groups of similar foreground plant species.

If you specify all of the above, then to design the foreground of a home herbalist, you can use:

• echinodorus tender (Echinodorus tenellus);
• , dividing the hemianthus mikrantemoides (Hemianthus micrantemoides);
• purple lobelia (Lobelia cardinalis);
• and other plants with a red tint to provide greater contrast.

There are not so many plants suitable for foreground decoration that do not require special care and at the same time grow quickly. Here, in addition to the already mentioned Echinodorus tenellus and some species of lileopsis, it should be mentioned:

• echinodorus four-ribbed (E. quadricostatus);
• (Sagittaria subulata);
• sinjagu tiny;
• whorled thyroid gland.

These underwater species, even without sufficient lighting, form dense thickets in a short time.

For large aquariums (200 liters or more), medium-sized plants will come to the fore; it is much easier to arrange such a container size, since the choice of plants is wider here.

When decorating your pond, you need to remember that, in addition to the shape and shade of plant species, their lighting needs should be taken into account.

So, shade-tolerant plants (for example, anubias) will be comfortable along the edges of the reservoir or in the shade of higher species (for example, tapeworm plants).

Light-loving representatives of the underwater flora, in order to please you with bright greenery, must be placed in the light zones of the aquarium.

Growing an underwater garden in a home pond is time consuming and expensive. A spectacular herbalist can be grown only by thoroughly studying the issue, going through a losing streak and gaining much-needed experience in this difficult matter.

You can often see how a new aquarist, faced with obstacles in the form of uncontrollably breeding algae, the need to constantly monitor the lighting, the composition of the water in the reservoir, fertilize, control the level of carbon dioxide supply, gives up the dream of having a planted aquarium at home.

I would like to hope that this article will help you cope with difficulties and competently organize a harmonious home herbal pond.

AQUARIUM HERBAL

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?!!!

Once I came across a video interview, 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 works, 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.
That's what I did. 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 will try to give step-by-step instructions for 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 to read articles, forums on the topic, watch 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 proper and correct 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 rack, 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. 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, all wallisneria, crypts and echoes were pulled out in the old aquarium, and 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 option problem solving. 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 issue of composition, the need and correctness of the use of micro and macro fertilizers, and the supply of carbon dioxide. With CO2, the issue was resolved quite simply - I had already used the "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 use .

Finally, two months later, the culmination 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. 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, it flooded, so much so that not only the scape, the plants were not visible, they 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.)

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 presented as a panacea and easy way solutions to 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 cut 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.

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.

Soil and substrate for herbalist and aquarium plants

I outlined the main points of using soil in an aquarium in articles , .
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. Good substrate, good soil- this is 50% success in cultivation. it 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 would like to note that light, porous substrate for aquarium plants (for example, Aquael Aqua Grunt and/or Aquael Aqua Floran) has a certain disadvantage - they cannot form hills, hills in aquascaping, with the addition of water the whole 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 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

Must be produced weekly light cleaning aquarium, cutting plants and changing 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
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 aquascaping 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

Video of the herbalist's aquarium after 2 months

Seven months

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