How and what kind of plants can be grown on driftwood?

Classification of aquarium plants according to their use Medium Plants

List of plants suitable for a medium plan aquarium, depending on its size.

Legend:

- unpretentious plants;

- plants requiring care;

- demanding plants;

- lighting requirements (very weak, weak, medium, strong, very strong).

Taxiphyllum sp. "Flame"

Family: Hypnaceae

Origin: Asia

Height: 3 - 10 cm

Width: 5 - 10+ cm

Growth rate: Low

Complexity of content:

Possible lighting:

Temperature: 17 - 28 ° C

pH: 6.0 - 8.0

CO2 supply: 3 - 5 mg / l

The Asian Flame moss got its name from its original growth shape. With the growth of vertical shoots, they twist, which gives the impression of a small dark green fire, 5–15 cm high.

Hygrophila pinnatifida

Family: Acanthaceae

Origin: India

Height: 15 - 40 cm

Width: 15 - 30 cm

Growth rate: Medium

Complexity of content:

Possible lighting:

Temperature: 20 - 28 ° C

pH: 5.5 - 8.0

CO2 supply: 6 - 14 mg / l

Hygrophila pinnatifida grows in India and has original carved and very beautiful leaves. The color of the leaves can vary, depending on the conditions, from dark green to orange and burgundy.

Ceratopteris thalictroides

Family: Pteridaceae

Origin: Tropics

Height: 15 - 30 cm

Width: 10 - 20 cm

Growth rate: High

Complexity of content:

Possible lighting:

Temperature: 20 - 28 ° C

pH: 5.0 - 9.0

CO2 supply: 6 - 14 mg / l

Ceratopteris thalictroides is one of the most popular aquatic plants with finely branched light green leaves. Distributed in most tropical regions of the Earth.

Bolbitis heudelotii

Family: Lomariopsidaceae

Origin: West Africa

Height: 15 - 40 cm

Width: 15 - 25 cm

Growth rate: Low

Complexity of content:

Possible lighting:

Temperature: 20 - 28 ° C

pH: 5.0 - 7.0

CO2 supply: 6 - 14 mg / l

Bolbitis heudelotii is an aquatic fern from West Africa with very beautiful translucent dark green leaves. The leaves are quite tough and too tough for most of the herbivorous inhabitants of the aquarium.

Taxiphyllum sp. "Spiky"

Family: Hypnaceae

Origin: Asia

Height: 2 - 10 cm

Width: 1 - 3 cm

Growth rate: Medium

Complexity of content:

Possible lighting:

Temperature: 15 - 28 ° C

pH: 6.0 - 8.5

CO2 supply: 3 - 5 mg / l

Taxiphyllum sp. "Spiky" from Southeast Asia is very similar to its younger brother, Rozhdestvensky Moss. However, in contrast to the latter, it is coarser, tougher, and with larger branches.

Staurogyne repens

Family: Acanthaceae

Origin: Brazil

Height: 3 - 10 cm

Width: 5 - 10 cm

Growth rate: Medium

Complexity of content:

Possible lighting:

Temperature: 20 - 28 ° C

pH: 6.0 - 8.0

CO2 supply: 3 - 5 mg / l

Staurogyne repens is a compact and hardy plant with bright green leaves found in the Rio-Cristalino River in the southern Amazon. Hygrophila differs from its closest relatives in its density and smaller size.

In nature, some aquarium plants grow on driftwood and rocks. The main examples are anubias, Javanese moss, Thai fern, bolbitis, and others. A typical biotope for such plants is the proximity to the waterfall or lake below it, or the area around the waterfall, which is continuously irrigated with water spray. Plants settle in cracks and voids of stones and driftwood and are fixed on them with their roots (called crampon or rhizoids), while so firmly (even on very slippery surfaces) that it is almost impossible to separate them intact.

The idea of ​​industrial cultivation of such plants was born in aquarium stores. Plants were not a staple commodity, but rather an annoying misunderstanding when it was necessary to catch fish in a net or clean an aquarium. The logical solution was that the plants could be grown on easily moveable rocks or driftwood. This production was started at Tropica Inc ..

Aquarists have been growing plants on rocks and snags for a long time, but fast and efficient production was not so easy. The production process requires a lot of space, and plants often grow so slowly that it takes years until they reach marketable size. The driftwood needed to be compact but heavy enough to support the plants. For economic reasons, the stones were not supposed to be too heavy, so lava from Iceland was chosen instead of pieces of stones.

The shops that bought these plants were delighted. If the fish was difficult to catch, the seller would simply take the plants out of the tank, the rest was easy! Other benefits soon emerged. The new fish released into the aquarium acclimatized in such an environment much faster - they returned to their natural color in record time and suffered less from stress. Sales jumped!

But Tropica soon faced new challenges. In stores, it was difficult to explain to customers that such plants are not for sale! Tropica was initially skeptical about the commercial potential as the price of the plants was quite high due to the complex production process. However, demand significantly outstripped supply, even when production was increased.

There were more than enough aquarists willing to pay a lot of money in exchange for the benefits. It was now possible to plant the aquarium with plants in a very short time, while still looking as if they had been growing there for years. This, and the fact that plants can be moved around the aquarium without disturbing or damaging them, which previously caused growth retardation, has made them extremely popular for demonstration purposes. In addition, these plants can be used in an aquarium to camouflage technical devices, hoses and wires.
Aquarium plant cultivation on an industrial scale began with the cultivation of individual specimens, and then the plants were marketed in plastic pots filled with mineral wool. The production of plants grown on rocks and driftwood is already the third generation of aquarium plants and is a natural continuation of this process.

Create a moss background

To create a wall of moss, it is placed in one layer between 2 pieces of mesh (plastic, harmless to fish). Mosquito netting (sold in household stores) may work. Along the perimeter and in some places in the middle, you can insert suction cups into the holes, which will serve as an attachment of the mesh to the back wall of the aquarium. Moss should be laid more evenly, if you leave large areas without moss, then there is almost no chance that they will overgrow by themselves. They fasten the nets to each other (tie or stitch its edges around the perimeter with fishing line) and fix this structure to the wall of the aquarium using suction cups. Moss sprouting through the mesh covers it, creating a beautiful wall.

Make sure that the edges of the mesh are as tight as possible to the glass. If even a small space remains between the wall and the net, it will serve as a trap for aquarium fish and shrimp, which can end up with their death. To stiffen the structure, you can attach this mesh to a piece of plastic. It is convenient to remove such a structure from the aquarium if necessary.
In its thickets they find shelter and food (ciliates) fish fry. For them, in the thickets of moss, an ideal environment for development is created, saturated with oxygen and microorganisms.
You can also make a carpet on the bottom.

Moss on stones and snags

Moss on stones and snags

We remove the bark, all rot and dust. For disinfection driftwood, tree roots and stones, boil them for 24 hours in salt water (1 kg of salt per 10 liters of water, adding water as it evaporates). If bought in aquarium stores, then you can boil for less time. The snag must be soaked so that it does not float up or be taken from the river. It is better not to take snags from ponds, there are many microorganisms. I bought driftwood from the store, shaped it, boiled it in salt water, then in unsalted water. I soaked it for a couple of days until they stopped floating up.
Not all stones are suitable for use in an aquarium. The main thing is not to change the composition of the water. Many granites, pebbles, lava, pumice are suitable.
We attach the moss not tightly to the decoration, applying it in one layer. If you put it in a bunch, then the lower threads of moss will begin to die off, rot. The moss will grow and cover the entire set. So, one layer is enough.
For fastening, a fishing thin transparent line... We do not damage the moss, we do not fix it tightly. When the moss grows (over time, it will attach itself and it will not need fasteners), it can be carefully cut or left, because the line will no longer be visible. Or can be used for mosses that take root well on the substrate. cotton thread... Over time, it will spray itself in the water.

Anubias on snags and stones

Attaching anabius to a snag Anubias on a piece of lava

Anubias dwarf (anubias Bartera, anubias nana) in natural conditions grows along the banks of streams, rivers and is not attached like all plants, using soil, but on snags, stones due to strong tenacious roots. It is very rare to find anubias nana that grows from the ground. If you have purchased a cutting of this plant, then do not rush to plant it in aquarium soil, try attaching it to a driftwood. On it, it will look much more natural, and it will give the snag an unusual look. Over time, anubias will grow on the driftwood and the driftwood will become very picturesque.
    How to add anubias to a snag? A hole 0.5 cm in diameter is drilled in the snag in the place where we will fix the plant. Next, using a very thin fishing line or strong thread, we attach the plant to the snag, trying to thread the roots into the hole made. It is desirable to wind the fishing line in 2 layers so that the plant does not fall off before it has time to build up the root system around the driftwood. After that, we lower the attached anubias into the aquarium along with the driftwood.

Anabias is attached in the shade under the scabbard

This miniature aquarium plant grows very slowly. Only a month after attachment, the plant begins to gradually wind its roots around the snag, releasing 1-2 leaves. But after a while, anubias is able to grow into a dense green carpet on a snag, giving it the appearance of a flowering tree. Likewise, anubias attaches to a stone.

Due to the fact that the dwarf Anubias prefers shaded areas of the aquarium, it is very convenient to plant it in poorly lit areas. Too bright lighting, on the contrary, negatively affects the appearance of the plant: dark and brown algae appear on the surface of the leaves, which spoil the appearance of anubias and are quite difficult to get rid of. Therefore, try to place a snag with anubias nana in a shaded area. And Anubias simply does not tolerate direct sunlight, and its leaves may suffer from this. If your aquarium is located near the south window, try to shade the anubias.

The background

Aquarium background

The simplest background option is film, sold in every aquarium store. It happens with different patterns, but it is best to stay on a black background. From the outside of the back wall of the aquarium, you just need to attach it scotch tape.
Or glue it to the glass outside with liquid glycerin (sold at the pharmacy). Smoothly expel air with a spatula. If there is even one air bubble left, the back wall will not look very nice. After that, it is necessary to fix it on all sides with adhesive tape (scotch tape).
Can be used as a background printed photo large size of the kind you like.
Can be used cork bark... Cork tiles are available in many stores. Must be thoroughly rinsed and dried before use. Maybe not a good idea. Tiles are made from crushed cork under pressure. If glue is used during formation, then it may not always be safe for the inhabitants of the aquarium (then it might be better outside the aquarium). If inside the aquarium, then glue the cork bark to the back or side walls with silicone sealant for aquariumswhich after complete hardening harmless to aquarium inhabitants.
We attach plants to the cork bark with a fishing line. At first, the line will be noticeable, but when the plants grow, they will close it from the eyes. It is good to stick various projections on the wall, then the uniform background will become more diverse and it will be easier to fix the plants.
You can stick twigs, pebbles, shells on a base that does not absorb water. And glue or in some other way fix this decoration outside the back wall.
Can be done lattice of bamboo tubes. A strict geometry of the lattice is not needed here. Floats up, so we fix the structure on a strip of plexiglass... And then we attach it with suction cups and you can press it down with pebbles. We attach anubias or other suitable plants with fishing line to the trellis. Everything is ready.
It is necessary to provide places for attaching equipment to the glass with suction cups. It is better to make a wall of plants on such trellises, they will be able to disguise the aquarium equipment from the view of those admiring the aquarium.

Coconut shell in aquarium

For decorating an aquarium in natural style use stones and driftwood, plants... Ceramic locks, chests, etc. for shelters - it is somehow artificial and most likely appropriate in "children's" aquariums. Also, to create shelters and grottoes in a natural style, in addition to snags, stones, plants, it is good to use coconut shell... It looks very beautiful, natural and harmonious in the aquarium.

We cut the coconut: be very careful, it is better to securely fix the coconut with something like a vice, and not hold it with your hands, it slides, in general, it is dangerous. Then we drain the milk, clean the inside of the nut mass. If required, trim with pliers. If it is not possible to cut the coconut with a grinder, then you can try to expand 3 of its small holes with pliers to the 1st large one. We sand the edges so that there are no sharp protrusions. We do not touch the hairs that are on the outside of the coconut, it is more beautiful with them. You can boil it in water like driftwood, but not necessarily - you can immediately put it in the aquarium.

Also from coconut shells m. make a prefabricated structureusing sealant for aquarium when gluing. It can be all kinds tunnels, grottos.

When after 2 days the sealant completely hardens on the coconut decorations, you can fix aquarium plants (anubias, hornwort, could, cut cladophora, etc.). Then lower it into the aquarium. All is ready. The coconut shell is heavy and does not float.

Aqua design styles

    Dutch aquarium (Dutch Styles) - ordered rows of maximum contrasting in relation to each other plants and clearly regulated by zones. Emphasizing the depth of the aquarium, contrasting textures and colors are used. Beautiful underwater garden, herbal aquarium. Plants are the main thing in this aquarium. Fishes are secondary, mainly small schooling fish are launched.

    Natural aquarium (Nature Aquarium Style), style Takashi Amano... This is when a natural landscape is reproduced in an aquarium, a landscape that we can observe in nature. An attempt to imitate land landscapes, or rather, their elements.

Natural style aquarium

German open style (German Style, Open Style). Harmonious combination of the underwater part of the plant world and its emersed part, that is, paludarium... This style either recreates a natural biotope, or creates such a compiled piece of nature.

Paludarium

    Natural the style (El Natural Style) of ecologist Diana Walstad. There is no filter here, these are fish-plant natural balance aquariums. There are no technically sophisticated aquarium systems in it.Many aquarists prefer this one, as the plant aquarium that is closest to natural conditions.

Storyline aquarium. Sunken treasure chest, underwater grotto, ships or castles, etc. An aquarium with one large fish, for example, a large catfish lying at the bottom of almost the entire aquarium, is also a story style.

Aquarium in the form of a Ship Chest with decoration Old sunken ship

    Pseudomore... Freshwater aquarium simulating the seabed. Corals, seashells, etc. are used in its design. Pseudomore is populated mainly by bright, sea-like fish. In this design, shells, corals, white stones are used. The effect of blue glowing water is achieved with a Marine-Glo fluorescent lamp in combination with Aqua-Glo and Power-Glo. Fish are selected based on their tolerance for hard water. These include: iris, bright African cichlids, viviparous, karptooth. The color scheme of the "Pseudo-Sea" style mainly consists of red, gray, white, blue. The sea fits perfectly into a strict office, a bright nursery and even a bathroom, but other aquariums will look better among wooden classic furniture in dark colors.

    Vanguard... Not a natural design direction. Bright colored lighting, colored ground, figures and accessories of forms that do not exist in nature, etc. An aquarium decorated in this style can become a very effective element in modern trends in interior design, a kind of color spot. A significant drawback of this design is the difficulty of creating a favorable and functional ecosystem, which can create inconvenience to its inhabitants.

    Coral reef or nautical... To create it, you need to create a real sea (salt water) in your aquarium, with coral reefs, plants and typical representatives of such depths: tropical sea fish. Usually in such an aquarium there is a rather picturesque bottom and decoration, and the number of fish is relatively small.

Marine aquarium

    Minimalism... This design is suitable for those aquariums that are in small spaces. Because thanks to this design, the room visually seems deeper. The essence of the style is that plants and other decor do not occupy more than 20% of the total area. It is best to populate such an aquarium with the same type of fish, otherwise the predators will crush the weak, since the latter will not have much to hide where.

   

    Tropical or Equator, Underwater Jungle. Like Dutch, but without strict plant placement rules. The most popular and most frequently encountered.

• Aquariums - types and forms, where it is better to put, photos (see more ...)

In nature, some aquarium plants grow on driftwood and rocks. The main examples are anubias, Javanese moss, Thai fern, bolbitis, and others. A typical biotope for such plants is the proximity to the waterfall or lake below it, or the area around the waterfall, which is continuously irrigated with water spray. Plants settle in cracks and voids of stones and snags and are fixed on them with their roots (called crampon or rhizoids), while so firmly (even on very slippery surfaces) that it is almost impossible to separate them intact.

The idea of ​​industrial cultivation of such plants was born in aquarium stores. Plants were not a staple commodity, but rather an annoying misunderstanding when it was necessary to catch fish in a net or clean an aquarium. The logical solution was that the plants could be grown on easily moveable rocks or driftwood. This production was started at Tropica Inc ..

Aquarists have been growing plants on rocks and snags for a long time, but fast and efficient production was not so easy.The production process requires a lot of space, and plants often grow so slowly that it takes years until they reach marketable size. The driftwood needed to be compact but heavy enough to support the plants. For economic reasons, the stones were not supposed to be too heavy, so lava from Iceland was chosen instead of pieces of stones.

The shops that bought these plants were delighted. If the fish was difficult to catch, the seller would simply take the plants out of the tank, the rest was easy! Other benefits soon emerged. The new fish released into the aquarium acclimatized in such an environment much faster - they returned to their natural color in record time and suffered less from stress. Sales jumped!

But Tropica soon faced new challenges. In stores, it was difficult to explain to customers that such plants are not for sale! Tropica was initially skeptical about the commercial potential as the price of the plants was quite high due to the complex production process. However, demand significantly outstripped supply, even when production was increased.

There were more than enough aquarists willing to pay a lot of money in exchange for the benefits. It was now possible to plant the aquarium with plants in a very short time, while still looking as if they had been growing there for years. This, and the fact that plants can be moved around the aquarium without disturbing or damaging them, which previously caused growth retardation, has made them extremely popular for demonstration purposes. In addition, these plants can be used in an aquarium to camouflage technical devices, hoses and wires.
Aquarium plant cultivation on an industrial scale began with the cultivation of individual specimens, and then the plants were marketed in plastic pots filled with mineral wool. The production of plants grown on rocks and driftwood is already the third generation of aquarium plants and is a natural continuation of this process.

Classification of aquarium plants according to their use Medium Plants

List of plants suitable for a medium plan aquarium, depending on its size.

Legend:

- unpretentious plants;

- plants requiring care;

- demanding plants;

- lighting requirements (very weak, weak, medium, strong, very strong).

Taxiphyllum sp. "Flame"

Family: Hypnaceae

Origin: Asia

Height: 3 - 10 cm

Width: 5 - 10+ cm

Growth rate: Low

Complexity of content:

Possible lighting:

Temperature: 17 - 28 ° C

pH: 6.0 - 8.0

CO2 supply: 3 - 5 mg / l

The Asian Flame moss got its name from its original growth shape. With the growth of vertical shoots, they twist, which gives the impression of a small dark green fire, 5–15 cm high.

Hygrophila pinnatifida

Family: Acanthaceae

Origin: India

Height: 15 - 40 cm

Width: 15 - 30 cm

Growth rate: Medium

Complexity of content:

Possible lighting:

Temperature: 20 - 28 ° C

pH: 5.5 - 8.0

CO2 supply: 6 - 14 mg / l

Hygrophila pinnatifida grows in India and has original carved and very beautiful leaves. The color of the leaves can vary, depending on the conditions, from dark green to orange and burgundy.

Ceratopteris thalictroides

Family: Pteridaceae

Origin: Tropics

Height: 15 - 30 cm

Width: 10 - 20 cm

Growth rate: High

Complexity of content:

Possible lighting:

Temperature: 20 - 28 ° C

pH: 5.0 - 9.0

CO2 supply: 6 - 14 mg / l

Ceratopteris thalictroides is one of the most popular aquatic plants with finely branched light green leaves. Distributed in most tropical regions of the Earth.

Bolbitis heudelotii

Family: Lomariopsidaceae

Origin: West Africa

Height: 15 - 40 cm

Width: 15 - 25 cm

Growth rate: Low

Complexity of content:

Possible lighting:

Temperature: 20 - 28 ° C

pH: 5.0 - 7.0

CO2 supply: 6 - 14 mg / l

Bolbitis heudelotii is an aquatic fern from West Africa with very beautiful translucent dark green leaves. The leaves are quite tough and too tough for most of the herbivorous inhabitants of the aquarium.

Taxiphyllum sp. "Spiky"

Family: Hypnaceae

Origin: Asia

Height: 2 - 10 cm

Width: 1 - 3 cm

Growth rate: Medium

Complexity of content:

Possible lighting:

Temperature: 15 - 28 ° C

pH: 6.0 - 8.5

CO2 supply: 3 - 5 mg / l

Taxiphyllum sp. "Spiky" from Southeast Asia is very similar to its younger brother, Rozhdestvensky Moss. However, in contrast to the latter, it is coarser, tougher, and with larger branches.

Staurogyne repens

Family: Acanthaceae

Origin: Brazil

Height: 3 - 10 cm

Width: 5 - 10 cm

Growth rate: Medium

Complexity of content:

Possible lighting:

Temperature: 20 - 28 ° C

pH: 6.0 - 8.0

CO2 supply: 3 - 5 mg / l

Staurogyne repens is a compact and hardy plant with bright green leaves found in the Rio-Cristalino River in the southern Amazon. Hygrophila differs from its closest relatives in its density and smaller size.

Aquarists often try to make their aquarium beautiful while preserving the natural environment as much as possible. One of the ways you can do this is to have driftwood aquariums. In nature, this is a completely natural habitat. Choosing a snag of an unusual shape, fixing moss on it, you can improve the appearance of the aquarium several times. How to pick up or do it yourself, how to fix it - we will discuss in this article.

Where to find and how to choose?

Naturally, you should not stick any stick into the aquarium, because the aquarium has its own biosystem, which was artificially created by fish and plants, and we can accidentally destroy it.

1. The first way is to buy a snag at a pet store. When buying, pay attention that it is specifically for fish, because often for reptiles they are treated with a special chemical that can be toxic to aquatic life. In the pet store, the most common: mangrove driftwood, ironwood and mopani. But they stain the water quite strongly, and getting rid of the paint is not so easy.
2. The second way is with your own hands. It's very easy to do: find a snag yourself! You can go to the forest or go to the pond / lake and search there. Disputes often arise as to which tree roots or branches are suitable. In fact, both deciduous trees and conifers are suitable. But the latter will have to be processed longer before being placed in the aquarium, since they contain more resin.

Branches that are already flooded in water bodies are often used (but there is a certain risk, since the tree was there for a long time in different conditions). Suitable snags for an aquarium from an apple tree, natural from grapevine, aspen, poplar, willow, pear, fruit trees, oak, willow. The last two are considered to be more durable, since not everyone is ready to change driftwood every few years, and they need more careful processing.

Also check to see if the wood is rotten. There should be no rot or mold on the wood. Putrefactive areas, impurities and remnants of the bark must be removed (if at this stage it is not possible to remove the bark, then this can be done after processing). The branches or roots must be dry, you can dry them in the sun.

Treatment

The easiest way to prepare driftwood is to boil it normally. So you can remove almost all the microbes on it, spores, substances stored in it, and also help it sink after processing.

We place it in a container with salt water (dissolve approximately 3 kg of salt per 10 liters of water). If the driftwood is too large in volume, you can periodically turn it over during boiling, or cut it, and then glue it back (but there is a rule: glue is a chemical, and it can have a very negative effect on fish already in the aquarium).

We boil it over low heat. Preferably in a stainless or enamel bowl (not aluminum). Purchased from a store - at least 6 hours, found in a reservoir - 6 hours, and "from the street" - within 10 hours. At the same time, check if it sinks after boiling. If it does not sink, then repeat the procedure again.Thicker branches or roots may take longer to cook. To give a darker color to the wood during cooking and for additional disinfection, it is recommended to add a little potassium permanganate to the water. And in order, on the contrary, to get rid of paint (for example, mopani), you need to boil it thoroughly (boil it again). There is no getting rid of the paint completely, but mopani or any other driftwood will stain the water less.

Even if all instructions are followed, there is a risk that the wood will not be prepared and rotten areas will remain inside. To prevent them from decaying already inside the aquarium, you need to burn them - lightly burn them with a blowtorch from all sides, and then place them in water. Places where soot and charred areas have remained should be wiped with a napkin. You can also use paraffin wax, pouring a thin layer of all the wood. This prevents unwanted ingredients from entering your aquarium water.

After boiling, the snag should be placed in clean water, where it should stay for another week. Change the water constantly! Thus, all salts that have accumulated are removed, the driftwood absorbs water and easily sinks into the aquarium. But sometimes it happens that even this does not help and you have to fix it on the bottom on purpose.

How to fix at the bottom?

Soaking will cause the tree to absorb enough water and sink, even if it takes longer. If you don't want to wait that long, then you can deliberately try to drown her. At the bottom, it will also absorb water, we just help. How to drown:

• We glue on silicone or fix with screws. In the case of screws, they should be made of stainless steel, you can attach them to a treated board, plexiglass or stone and put on the bottom. If you use glue, remember that it can be bad for your fish. Be sure to choose a fish-safe silicone.
• We fix the weighting agent, clamp the branches with stones, fix it with a fishing line or use suction cups (it is not recommended to use suction cups, since they will come off sooner or later).

You can use any of the methods. But an important clarification: you need to install the snag so that the branches do not rest against the walls of the aquarium, since in the water it begins to swell and the branches begin to press against the glass.

Problems

1. The driftwood paints the water. It's quite normal. To do this, it is worth boiling the snag again thoroughly. The paint will disappear after several changes of water.
2. White bloom. Again, there is nothing wrong with that. It has become covered with bacteria, the plaque will soon pass. If you have a catfish, he would love to find it and eat it. But if the plaque began to cover on the old snag, then it begins to rot, you need to get rid of it immediately.
3. The driftwood turned green. This means that algae have appeared on the driftwood in the aquarium. To reduce their number, simply reduce the length of daylight hours, this will help destroy the favorable environment for the development of this plant.

How to plant moss

To make the design of the aquarium look even more natural, you can grow moss on a driftwood. You need to know that there are growing mosses, but not all of them are. Krismas moss, fissidense fountain, flame moss, crying moss or javanese moss work well in an aquarium.

Moss fixing methods:

1. Tie in with fishing line. The moss is usually divided into small pieces and evenly attached with a fishing line at a distance of about 1 cm to a snag (or tied to a stone). The line itself is not removed even after a while, it remains in the aquarium constantly.
2. Secure with thread. Almost the same way as with the fishing line, but over time, the thread will rot (it will not affect the aquarium), and the moss will remain on the snag, thus the unnecessary fastening will disappear.
3. Stick with glue. It can be attached to a snag or a stone, but the big drawback is that it is quite toxic.

Bonsai are often made from driftwood and mosses. Bonsai is a plant-like dwarf tree that grows in Japan.You cannot find such special plants for an aquarium, but they can be easily imitated. To do this, just find a tree root of a suitable shape so that it resembles a trunk with branches (do not forget to process the root), and fix it with mosses at the very top, which will resemble foliage when fixed. This will create a small tree inside the aquarium.

Bonsai in the aquarium

Is there any harm to the inhabitants from the driftwood?

On the contrary, they are only beneficial. The fact is that some fish eat wood fibers, and this prevents their digestive tract diseases. The water in the aquarium softens as it naturally rises in acidity. The wood produces a small amount of tannins, which prevents the development of harmful bacteria and microorganisms. For some fish it is a part of the natural environment, without it they do not represent spawning, but for fry it serves as a natural shelter.

Thus, adding driftwood to the aquarium will not only improve the state of the biological environment, but also decorate the interior of the aquarium both in winter and in summer, and your imagination can create endless options for arranging an aquarium with stones and driftwood and lay them out as you like!