Dustin's Blog — Plants

Read Time: 5 mins If you want a killer background aquarium plant with a ton of variety, you'll want to Apono-get on board with these guys (no, I'm not even slightly sorry for that pun). This post will give you info on the background/history of Aponogeton, as well as a care guide and a list of some awesome species to try out in your freshwater planted tank. History/Background of Aponogeton Aponogeton belongs to the Alismatids order of plants, so it's a cousin to plants like taro and snake lilies. In fact, some places use the plants' roots for food. There are...

Read Time: 5 mins Looking for a wicked aquarium plant that grows tall and wavy like seaweed without having to do too much to it?  Say hello to our not so little friend, Val.  History of Vallisneria Vallisneria is a genus of plants named for the Italian scientist Antonio Vallisneri (1661 - 1730), one of the first researchers in Europe to say, "Hey, maybe we should...you know...actually TEST scientific theories and provide evidence with experiments." He made a stir with his contemporaries, and stood tall in his field - so it's an appropriate name for this plant.  Carl Linnaeus, a...

Read Time: 7 mins Welcome back to part 146,225,453 of aquarium concepts companies like to make complicated for absolutely no reason! You're starting a planted tank and you realize, "Oh, hey, my plants look good now, but I bet they'd look amazing if I fertilized them." You Google aquarium fertilizers and are blasted with dozens of products, ads, and advice forums and none of them say the same thing. Don't worry. Choosing and using aquarium ferts is a lot easier than it looks - and you may not even need them. Here, we'll answer some of the most commonly asked...

Read Time: 6 mins Welcome back to part three of our Aquarium Science Series! This is a big one for planted tank enthusiasts: what nutrients do aquarium plants need and why? There are a whopping 17 essential nutrients for plant growth, but we'll make it easy. Be on the lookout for a second half to this where we'll show you how and when to fertilize and supplement with these nutrients (and also the amazing way nutrients flow through plants). Some Clarified Definitions Nutrients- in botany, these are chemicals that helps a plant live, grow, and reproduce. Feel like this term...

Read Time: 5 mins Looking for info on easy aquarium plants with a ton of variety for any part of your tank? You've come to the right place. Here, we'll break down the Echinodorous genus of plants, highlight some epic sword species, and give you tips and tricks for keeping your swords looking sharp. (Scroll to the bottom for a quick reference guide for how to care for Amazon swords!) About Amazon Swords They're called "Amazon" swords because of how prevalent they are in the Amazonian regions of South America, but these plants are native throughout the Western hemisphere. How they...