Plants, like fish, require certain conditions for successful growth.
The herbal aquarium should be 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 container rectangular shape. As a rule, they are already equipped with lighting lamps, but if not, then the fact that after installing the lamp there should be no darkened areas is taken into account. Therefore, the smaller the blind gap in the lid, the better. The width of the tank is selected at will, but not less than 50 cm. With smaller dimensions, the viewing depth is lost.
Select with a predominance of the red spectrum. It is necessary 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 lamps are back wall and in the center. But they are also combined with full-spectrum fluorescent lamps. The lighting power should be adjusted, 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 lighting 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:
The herbalist has special requirements for filters.
They should not:
Canister only external filter answers everyone necessary conditions herbalist Internal filters create a strong flow of water and have too large a porous filler. When using an internal filtration system, the water flow regulator is set to minimum, and instead of a sponge, a thin synthetic fiber filler is used.
It is advisable 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 number of gases necessary for representatives of the flora: oxygen and carbon dioxide. More heat results in increased ammonia concentrations and may cause an algae outbreak.
General is of secondary importance compared to carbonate hardness (CH). Only at a KH of 4, which corresponds to a pH level of 6.6-7.3, do plants absorb carbon dioxide best. The lower the pH, the more dissolved CO2 in the water.
Iron concentration is maintained by applying liquid fertilizers. The optimal dosage is 0.1 mg/l. The presence of nitrites is unacceptable. If the tests show NO2, then the plants in the ecosystem do not have time to process all the ammonia that comes in.
Water changes are carried out weekly. Replaced from 30 to 50% of the total volume. This prevents endless accumulation of fertilizers. In addition, water changes remove ammonium and hard-to-decompose organic matter from the water.
Plants receive 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.
To create optimal conditions, it is necessary to provide CO2 supply so that its concentration in the water is at the level of 15-30 mg/l. This is done by fermentation, electrolysis or using a gas cylinder.
Mandatory condition: the supply of CO2 must be combined with the daily application of liquid fertilizers.
To fill the bottom of the grass bed, 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 work and building colonies, and too small - this is fraught with its souring. Before adding such filler to the aquarium, it must be washed to remove dust and impurities. It does not require additional processing. But in order to achieve active growth of plants on such soils, time is needed to silt the bottom, since at the first stage they are sterile.
To add nutrients, special substrates are used under the soil. Required thickness The backing layer is indicated on the packaging by the manufacturer; as a rule, it is 1.5-2.5 cm.
But still, most aquarists prefer to choose nutritious substrates for herbalists. They are produced by all the world's major manufacturers of aquarium equipment. They contain mineral fertilizers and organic matter. After adding the substrate to the aquarium, nitrifying bacteria are added to it, promoting additional production of nutrients. After six months or a year, the supply of microelements is depleted, and they are added additionally.
After filling, the soil is filled with water to a depth of several centimeters and left for half an hour until it is completely wet. Water is not poured directly into the ground; its pressure is softened with a stone, hand, or saucer. Optimal height mounds of 5-7 cm. The nutrient substrate allows growth from the first days of planting.
But it is important to take into account that nutrient soil is used either in an aquarium with one plant or with a small amount fish
The herbal aquarium can be planted according to personal desire, the design of the aquarist, or two well-known trends can be taken as a basis: the Dutch aquarium and the natural aquarium from Takashi Amano, which differ in the technique of execution and principles of 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 no more than one group of the same plant. Amano's basic principle is not to plant an even number of plants.
Educational toys are extremely popular these days. And this phenomenon can be easily explained, because every parent wants their child not only to have fun, but also to learn something new or gain practical skills. A very interesting and, importantly, completely safe and natural toy - a grasshopper. It’s not at all difficult to make it with your own hands and believe me, it’s much more interesting than buying a factory-made version.
A few years ago, eco-men or herbalists appeared in many flower shops and children's departments. When packaged, the souvenir simply resembles an interior toy. This is a small figurine of a man, a fairy-tale character or an animal. Often grasshoppers look like just “weirdos” or can be just bags with eyes glued on. The essence of the game-experience is simple - inside the grass box, in addition to the main filler, there are grass seeds. It must be soaked or sprayed generously with water and placed in a bright place. Very soon you will be able to watch how green “hairs” will begin to grow on your “pet”.
Before discussing how to make a grasshopper with your own hands, let’s see if you have all the materials for this toy? The craft consists of a bag for stuffing, filler, seeds and decorative elements. You can use nylon socks or tights as a basis for the herb. If you want your handmade grass to be bright, try using children's knee socks. There is no need to make any special holes; through the fabric of the tights, the grass sprouts will independently find their way to the light. You can use sawdust, padding polyester or cotton wool as the main filler.
Invite your child to make such a toy together. This work can be entrusted to three-year-olds. Prepare nylon socks in advance if the craft is being done at all Small child, it is best to choose something soft as a filler: cotton wool or padding polyester. Advice - if you want the grass to grow in a certain place, place the seeds there. However, many people like grass plants whose green sprouts grow in a chaotic manner. In this case, the seeds should be mixed with filler. So, your goal is to fill the sock with padding polyester or cotton wool. Don't forget to add seeds, arranging them according to your idea. Sew the bag, you can form a circle or an oval. In fact, making a herb with your own hands is very simple, you have almost completed this task, all that remains is to design the craft. Glue the eyes onto waterproof glue; you can also draw something on the figure, but only if you are sure that the paint will not run when in contact with water.
The point of the herbalist experience game is to germinate grass seeds. To do this, you need to immerse the finished craft in a container of water and leave for 5-10 minutes. Then take out the toy and place it on a saucer or some other stand. Now all you have to do is wait for a miracle - in 5-7 days the first shoots will appear. Knowing how to make a grasshopper with your own hands, if you wish, you can assemble a whole green zoo or a family of eco-men. Try experimenting with shapes and sizes of figures.
Travyanchik is a long-lasting craft. The child will receive a lot of positive emotions during its production and will be able to show taste and imagination during its design. After finishing the work, a hand-made grass toy will not become another useless souvenir. After soaking, you can observe the appearance of the first shoots. From time to time it is also useful to spray the grass, and you can even gently water it. But the game with the eco-figurine doesn’t end there either. If you decide to make your own grass grass, be sure to try cutting it. This game will bring a lot of positive emotions to any child. What is especially interesting is that the “hairs” will grow back and, if desired, they can be cut again and again.
An interesting and unusual craft - a hedgehog herb. You can make it with your own hands according to the same principle as simpler toys of this type. The animal can sit upright or stand on four legs. Your craft will look most interesting if grass grows only on its back and head, representing needles. Accordingly, when filling the stocking base, arrange the seeds accordingly. It is most convenient to make the paws separately in the form of small balls. They can also be tied with threads to form fingers. Sew them to the hedgehog's body using threads. A little secret- nylon, heavily stuffed with padding polyester or cotton wool, is a very plastic material. It can be given the most interesting shapes, securing them with simple stitches of thread and tightening well. You can work out the features of the animal’s face in detail, give it plump cheeks and a pronounced, sharp nose. How to make a grass-hedgehog with your own hands, what details will help emphasize the image of this animal? In addition to the eyes, sew a nose from a large bead onto the toy. If you have paint that is not afraid of water, you can draw eyebrows, a mouth and blush on the cheeks.
One of the most popular questions among those who make eco-toys for the first time is where to get grass seeds and which ones are suitable? You can use lawn mixture. However, this only makes sense if you are planting such grass in your dacha, since they sell it in large packages. If your own personal plot If you don't have it, buy a small bag of grass seeds for domestic cats at the pet store. Almost any agricultural crop is also suitable: oats, wheat, rye. Interesting idea- seeds can be placed in grass boxes herbs: dill, parsley or basil - in this case you will get not only a beautiful toy, but also a constant source of fresh herbs in your own kitchen. It is possible to make a craft using the described technique even more complex. An interesting idea: sew a doll and place grass seeds in only one of its elements. Don’t be afraid to stuff each element of the toy tightly enough, observing this simple rule will help keep the figure in shape. When making a souvenir, remember that it will have to be soaked and sprayed with water. Accordingly, you should not use elements made of cardboard, paper and other materials that are susceptible to high humidity for decoration. Be sure to try making herbal teas with your own hands. The master class given in our article will definitely help you with this and you will succeed!
Before you create a herbal aquarium at home, you need to prepare, at least theoretically.
Dutch style aquariums are most suitable for the “herbalist”. The main emphasis in these aquariums is on rare, collectible, expensive plants, so there are very few fish in them. For successful maintenance, plants need certain conditions and more complex care, so aquariums of this type are equipped with optional equipment.
The concept of “Dutch aquarium” appeared in the mid-70s of the last century, with the advent of a new direction in foreign aquarium farming. The Dutch Aquarium is an Underwater Garden, an aquarium with mainly live plants, planted mainly in groups, with the exception of the so-called “middle points”, which are the focus of the review. There are either no fish in such an aquarium at all, or they are in small quantities, and they are necessarily selected for compatibility, both in relation to each other and to the plants.
In terms of technical and biological features, the Dutch type aquarium is one of the most complexly organized artificial freshwater biotopes. In recent years, they have begun to develop rapidly various styles and directions in this area of aquarium husbandry. Most famous example for the Russian audience is the direction of the Japanese Takashi Amano, who creates truly fantastic underwater landscapes, each of which is a work of art in its own way. Unfortunately, for the most part, “pictures” created artificially are short-lived and they have to be constantly adjusted, and sometimes “redrawn” again. Well, the most majestic “artist,” of course, is nature, and the better we learn to understand it, the more joy we can offer everyone from contemplating it.
When charging a new aquarium, the question of selecting and combining plants for planting in a new reservoir is not an entirely simple task, especially since the choice in color, size, shape of leaves, and other characteristics is very diverse. You need to think through this question carefully and imagine what you want to create for yourself, comparing your idea with the view of the aquarium of your comrades and friends. Appearance The maintenance of an aquarium requires slightly different care than, say, its repair and the technical serviceability of all its attributes. An aquarist who has chosen his hobby as a way to spend his free time uses every opportunity to make his brainchild look elegant and impressive. This can be called a manor under water, as the Dutch say about their aquarium. In it, colorfully colored tropical fish swim among thickets of decoratively growing aquatic plants. If we want to have a beautifully planted aquarium, we cannot contain a single fish in it that digs up the soil or feeds on plant foods. A pond well planted with aquarium plants requires, first of all, a suitable bottom substrate saturated with air - soil, which we obtain by mixing coarse sand with a grain size of 2-3 mm, with a small amount of garden clay, peat crumbs and a few grains of river silt. Most aquarium plants grow well in this soil. Special attention You need to pay attention to creating favorable lighting for the aquarium. Most aquarists use incandescent lamps or a combination of them with fluorescent lamps. To calculate the lighting in the herbalist, you need to divide the total power of fluorescent lamps by the volume of the aquarium. There should be approximately 0.5-1.6 watts per liter of water. For example: volume - 200 liters (useful volume of water - 180 liters), 5 fluorescent lamps of 20W = 100w. + 2 energy-saving lamps on the sides, 20w = 40w - total 140w divided by 180 liters - it turns out 0.78w per liter of water.
For deep aquariums, metal halide (HQI) lamps are preferred, but it is also possible to install special fluorescent phytolamps distributed along the entire upper perimeter of the aquarium. Daylight hours: 10-15 hours.
To filter an aquarium, it is necessary to use an external biological filter designed for the given volume of the aquarium, but filtration is also possible using a false bottom, which has both many supporters and opponents this method.
To heat the aquarium, you can use underground flexible heaters that enhance the convection of water through the soil, which has a beneficial effect on plant growth. It can also be heated using standard aquarium heaters with a thermoregulation function. In the aquarium, it is necessary to maintain the temperature within 25 - 26 degrees C.
In Dutch-type aquariums, UV sterilizers are often used to suppress the growth of microalgae and pathogenic bacteria. UV sterilizers must be used at the outlet of the biological filter. The power of the UV lamp must correspond to the volume of water being treated. The operating mode of the sterilizer is 12 hours.
To dissolve carbon dioxide in water, a pH / CO2 control system is needed, which supplies CO2 to feed plants during photosynthesis. The system includes - a CO2 cylinder with a reducer, solenoid valve, bubble counter and CO2 diffuser.
A Dutch aquarium requires a variety of both light-loving and shade-loving forms. Small, gregarious, not herbivorous, with the exception of some species that feed on undesirable lower microalgae (fouling). Mostly, “Dutch aquariums” contain characin fish (Characidae); Labyrinthidae (Belontiidae); Viviparous carp-toothed (Poeciliidae) and Loricaridae (Loricaridae).
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 asked myself, is it possible to create a beautiful aquarium - “herbalist” at home, on my own? An aquarium that you could be proud of, admire and tirelessly admire! So that it looks at least a little like 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?!!!
One day I came across a video interview Takashi Amano, where he, answering the question: “Where does a natural aquarium begin?”, answered: “From an idea.” This answer was probably the starting point for me.
My initial thoughts were like this.
Everyone, both beginners and experienced aquarists, looks at the work aquascapers, admire them and think: “How beautiful, great, I want that too!” Then, after the first impression, they say: “This is unrealistic, difficult, very expensive, and also, probably, such an aquarium is difficult to maintain...”.
Is it really possible that the pinnacle of aquarium perfection – a dense “herbal” – can only be achieved by professionals and people who have the means to do so? Why are only a few creating such aquarium beauty?
Probably because they don’t know how to dream! Or these dreams, like many others, drown in the abyss of everyday life.
Amano is right! Any human achievement begins with an idea. An idea that captivates you so much that you can no longer eat or 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 at home I will not just have a jar of fish, but a beautiful aquarium picture.
Here's what I got. Please watch this mini-film about my “herbal” aquarium, preferably in HD and with sound. I shot a video with a digital camera, made a video and put music on it.
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'd 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, where I freaked out, and where I was happy 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 some aquarium experience. However, I did not have the slightest idea about ground cover plants or the subtle principles of constructing an aquarium composition. I didn’t 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 reading articles, forums on the topic, watching thematic videos on the YouTube channel, master classes and webinars of aquascapers.
This process took me two weeks. After it, my head was a complete mess!!! However, the entire 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 would be needed for it.
It seems to me that it is at this stage that it is very important to imagine the final result. Visualization is a very powerful tool. This is the transitional stage of materializing 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 of them, but I settled on this option.
This concludes the virtual stage of conceptualizing the idea and its rough visualization. The material side of the issue began to emerge. The prices were scary, there was a fear of making a mistake and taking the wrong thing. But it was necessary to decide and act!
You won’t believe it, but my visualization worked, and... free money appeared that I could safely spend on my favorite hobby.
Taking into account the huge markups on goods in pet stores, the modest range and incompetence of sellers, I decided to purchase most of the necessary goods on the Internet. So an external filter, soil for plants, chemicals, a diffuser, a drop checker, etc. were purchased.
While the order was being processed and was coming to me along long postal roads, I began to thoroughly study the issue of lighting, because... without due and proper 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 heat up very much and can only be installed on a stand, so the aquarium must be open. But I want the aquarium to have a lid. What to do?"
I found out that LED spotlights are no less efficient than MG ones, but they heat up much less. It was decided to take and install them. But the question is, which ones to take? How many Watts, Lumens, Kelvins... The frantic reading of information on the Internet began again. The trouble is that there is a lot of unverified, outdated and incomplete information on the Internet. Nevertheless, I dug through everything I could and realized what kind of spotlights I needed.
I will not further fool anyone with a description of the lengthy process of selecting lighting for the “herbalist”. I’ll just say that after a two-week run through “electrical stores”, the necessary LED spotlights were found, purchased, and a week later installed together with a T5 lamp and coolers in the lid.
While solving the problem of lighting, I, along the way, read information about the plants that are used in aquavaping, including ground cover. I put everything into one list and declared a hunt for them. And then another disappointment awaited me; in my city I somehow found only hemianthus kubu. The pathetic bunch cost 200 rubles! I bought it, but realized that things wouldn’t go any further. You can go broke on grass alone. A solution was found, all the rest of the herb was purchased from the Arovana online store (Ukraine), where the prices are simply pleasing. For little money I collected a whole herbarium! They sent it quickly, and the plants came to me almost alive.
However, they were not enough. Therefore, in the old aquarium, all the Vallisneria, crypts and echoes were pulled out, and under the new lighting a growing bed was built - a vegetable garden from various plants for scape.
I specifically pay so much attention to plants because many aquarists are faced with the problem of where to get a huge number of plants without going broke? In my opinion, buying a small amount of varied grass and growing the required amount yourself is a good solution to the problem. Moreover, during the growing process you will be able to understand how the plant behaves, how it feels in a given situation, under what light, with what fertilizers, how it lays down, spreads or stretches... In general, you will be able to get to know the plant better, what will eliminate unwanted situations with transplanting and adjusting an already finished aquascape.
Time passed, the bed grew... But I didn’t sit around waiting. All my attention was focused on UDO (fertilizers), in particular, on studying 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, and 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 “herbal” you definitely need to buy an expensive CO2 cylinder, reducer, magnetic valve, etc.
Issues with micro and macro fertilizers for plants, in principle, were also resolved quite simply. Homemade paroles (so-called self-messes) were immediately rejected as a stupid exercise for alchemists. I chose the brand “UDO Ermolaev”, in particular the drugs “Algicide + CO2”, “MICRO”, “MAKRO”, “Iron”, “Potassium”. Additionally, I decided to use tourmaline.
Finally, two months later, the culmination came - the garden was pulled out, the can was washed... pleasant minutes, hours and days of creativity began. Laying the substrate, soil, adding biostarters and tourmaline, installing stones and forming hardscape. Then an equally exciting event - planting plants according to the planned pattern.
When everything was finished, there was no limit to the joy! I was already anticipating: “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 popped thread, so much so that, let alone a scape, there were no plants visible, they were withering, wasting away... and the thread was pearly and pearly!
While frantically reading 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, “finger in the sky.” One thing was clear, that something was “wrong” and this “wrong” needed to be urgently eliminated.
Having gathered the last of my strength and passion, putting on a rubber swimming cap, I dived into my jar for a whole month... and during the breaks I sat by the aquarium with a stingy man's tear, which flowed down onto the rubber cap that had already been removed from my head... gray hair was visible on my head))) All gone...
What have I not done this month! I collected filament every day mechanically, used algaecide, played with the amount of lighting, water and water changes. A crowd of cods (SAE), otocinclus, snails were planted in the aquarium... The filament did not retreat, the plants did not grow, but withered away.
And then, at the suggestion of our Esta website moderator (Natalia Polskaya), it was decided to introduce “heavy artillery” - Amano shrimp.
But, bad luck, in my city it’s a real problem to get amanoks! In the end, I still found a dozen, planted them, and in addition to them I 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 above my scape, the fish merrily scurried here and there, and the shrimp chirped together about something on their favorite snag.
I performed unprecedented African dances around the aquarium!!!
This is such a Happy End)))
Now let's talk about more mundane things and the technical side of the issue. Here are my notes.
This issue is a priority, and without solving it, we cannot 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. “The legend of the almighty lamps for aquarium plants” is circulating on the Internet. It's about about fluorescent lamps with a special spectrum, with peaks of red and blue light. These lamps are presented as a panacea and easy way solving the issue of growing aquarium plants. However, it is not!!! It’s 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 violet, plants need a full spectrum, and not a reduced 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 the red and blue spectrum more, but this does not mean that they do not need the other spectrum!!!
Now imagine, a newbie has replaced the standard lamps with special ones and is waiting and waiting... for his plants to grow! But they don’t grow... And, as luck would have it, instead of plants, they squashed algae. There is a lot of frustration: the money has been paid, but there is no effect! And why all? Because there are not enough watts, the spectrum is not complete, 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. Such lamps can only be used in combination with other lamps, for example, with fluorescent lamps marked “full spectrum”.
Regardless of which lighting source you choose: fluorescent lamps, LED lightening or metal halide, carefully study its qualitative characteristics - not only Watts, but also lux, Kelvin, spectrality, Ra, etc.
More. Be critical of information on the Internet and double-check it. For example, you can often read online that LED lighting is not suitable for aquarium plants. However, it is not! Look at the publication dates of articles. Technical progress does not stand still and powerful LED strips and spotlights have already appeared that meet necessary requirements. See more details. LED Strip Light in aquarium.
Try to think through the lighting of your aquarium so that it imitates the actions of Mother Nature. Namely: it imitated the dawn, zenith and sunset of the sun. For good growth and the well-being of plants, there is no need to “fry them under monotonous lighting” for eleven hours. It is enough to provide 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 lighting sources. For example, Amano uses a metal halide lamp in combination with fluorescent lamps in its ADA lamps. In my “herbalist” I use two LED spotlights of 30 Watt + LL T5 24 Watt (full spectrum).
Also, pay attention reflectors.
I outlined the main points of using soil in an aquarium in articles SOIL FOR AQUARIUM PLANTS, TOURMALINE IN THE AQUARIUM.
Let me draw your attention to the fact that there are a great variety of substrates and primers 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 growing. This is good feeding and excellent health of plants in general.
I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that the thickness of the soil in the aquarium should be approximately 5-7 cm. In order for colonies of nitrifying bacteria to develop well in such soil, so that there are no oxygen-free zones (which leads to acidification of the soil), you need to select a light, porous and rounded soil. Unfortunately, heavy, angular soil cakes over time, which impedes the circulation of water in the soil and leads to dire consequences.
At the same time, I note that light, porous soil for aquarium plants (for example, Aquael Aqua Grunt and/or Aquael Aqua Floran) has a certain drawback - it is impossible for them to form slides or hills in an aquascape; with the addition of water, the entire landscape blurs. Therefore, if you experiment with soil topography, I advise you to mix light soils with heavy ones (for example, quartz chips, which must first be checked for hissing).
Even though your aquarium already has a nutrient base, you should also use liquid fertilizers containing micro- and macroelements. In this case, it is advisable to have separately not only complex drugs, but also preparations containing individual elements. At the moment I have a separate bottle of Parole Ermolaev iron and Iodinol, which contains potassium.
While studying information about setting up a “herbal tank”, I read somewhere that such an aquarium should not have strong filtration. Why exactly was not specified. Thinking through the idea, I came to the conclusion that strong streams of water will carry away the plants, and, in addition, a dense “herbal plant” needs nitrates, but if filtration removes them, the plants will “starve”.
Taking this into account, I'm at 110l. the aquarium took an external filter JBL CristalProfi e401 greenline - 450 l/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, hemianthus cube and other ground cover do not grow.
It is worth noting that at night my small internal filter also turns on. It mainly works as an aerator, but it also helps a little with filtering the herbalist. Therefore, the recommended filter power range is 450-600 l/h for a 100 l herbalist.
Once the biobalance is established in the herbalist, caring for it becomes simple:
Every day you need to apply liquid fertilizers and monitor the supply of CO2
Every week you need to lightly clean the aquarium, trim the plants and change 1/4 -1/2 of the water.
All this is not difficult and not troublesome!
I described my vision of this issue in the article AQUARIUM DESIGN, ORDER IN CHAOS.
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 something, and even to bring it to life, 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. We can talk about “herbalism” and aquascape for a very long time, but the New Year is coming and I promised the guys on the forum to post this article this year))) I propose to discuss the unsaid in the forum thread IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF AMANO.
Keeping aquarium fish at home is not so much hassle and problems as it is relaxation and a passionate activity. Watching them, it is impossible to take your eyes off, and against your will, your imagination draws all sorts of options for designing landscapes in the aquarium. Choose an aquarium, pour water into it, add a few fish - that's all? This is too little - an aquarium should not only be liked, it should lift your spirits, bring joy and aesthetic pleasure. 
An integral part of aquarium keeping is aquadesign. The design of a small underwater world reveals inner world and liberates a person. You can create mangrove forests, mountain valleys, rocky, sea or fairy-tale scenes. First of all, you need to understand how to properly decorate an aquarium. Aquarium fish are also alive, with their own fauna and flora, they need their usual habitat. The presence of fish is of great importance: if there are already fish, then the design needs to be created according to the existing ones, if not, then taking into account the characteristics and needs of future inhabitants, a composition for them must be created.
For fish that like to hide in the sand, you need a design with a sandy bottom and minimal vegetation. Guppies, on the contrary, prefer small thickets, snags, and other shelters to make it convenient to swim in and hide. Fish placed in an environment that is unacceptable to them will die.
Decorating an aquarium with aquatic plants
To create a masterpiece of aquarium design, a creative approach is required. In addition, knowledge of caring for aquatic plants is required, so that the overgrowth is not easy, but a work of art. Fast-growing plants require frequent thinning and trimming. You can put anything into the aquarium. Coconut shells, all kinds of clay and porcelain figurines. Sunken galleons, treasures, driftwood, stones, peculiar soil. 
The choice of design for a small underwater world should be based on the existing design of the room where it is installed, because it is a habitat and a decorative element.
At the moment, there are 2 main and popular schools for aquarium design: “Natural aquarium” and “Dutch style in an aquarium”. But one should not confuse natural with pseudo-natural - this is a form of approach to aquarium maintenance, but not design.
It is not for nothing that it is called an underwater garden: this style uses color variations of plants, generalization in size, texture to create the effect of depth. Architectural forms, such as stones and driftwood, are present in very limited quantities. The only things that matter here are aquarium plants, their beauty, texture, and color.
This design style is based on copying the most striking natural landscapes, both underwater and terrestrial. An aquascape can look like a miniature mountain range with grassy slopes. Small architectural forms in this style have great importance. The design uses 3 concepts: convex, concave, triangular.
Convex shape - otherwise called an “island”, here the plants go down from the center to the edges, forming an island in the center of the aquarium.
Concave shape - involves reducing the size of stones and plants towards the center from the edges of the aquarium, towards a specific intended focus.
The triangular shape is called the golden ratio of design. The focal point is shifted by 2/3 to any side of the aquarium.
It should be noted that a home pond stuffed with plastic plants is of absolutely no value to many aquarists. A completely different look emerges – it’s like plastic products on the kitchen table. Try to create a miracle from living vegetation and living organisms. First you need to understand that the entire composition, the entire design should not only look beautiful, but also look natural.
It is best to select elements for aquarium design of natural origin. The river landscape can be recreated by laying out round pebbles, small driftwood, onto which aquatic plants can be tied using fishing line. From several such snags you can make an impenetrable jungle; large stones of various shapes can imitate rocks. By combining stones of various shapes and sizes in one composition, you can get a beautiful grotto or a mysterious cave. To lay out stones beautifully, you need to constantly experiment, create shelters for fish that like to hide and lay eggs in stones, decorate the devices in the aquarium, and strengthen the walls of the terraces.
There are quite a lot of options, but it is best to experiment not in the aquarium itself, so as not to break the glass walls, but on the table. To do this, you need to spread out a sheet of paper, mark rough plan and practice on it in construction various options. The most suitable for these purposes are basalt, granite stones, porphyry, and gneiss. For hard water good option there will be limestone, sandstone, dolomite. First, the stones need to be thoroughly cleaned. But first carefully examine the material for the content of foreign particles - metals, resins, paint.
As an option, you can create aquadesign using aquarium vegetation. An egg capsule would look very nice in the center of the aquarium; along the edges, place ribbon-like algae: crinum, hygrophila, urut, fern, elodea. It is better to place the highest ones in the background: sinema, ambulia, vallisneria. It is undesirable to use plants floating on the surface - although they look beautiful, when they grow, they greatly shade the bottom. Small bottom hfcntybzvb various shades you can lay out magnificent carpets and decorate the terraces.
A distinctive look is created with the help of driftwood. For this purpose, an already dead tree without signs of vital juices is required. It is better if these are the roots of trees that have lain for several years in a peat bog: alder, willow, ash, beech, maple. Samples with signs of rot or mold are immediately rejected. The driftwood is cleaned of dirt, the existing bark or its remains are peeled off, boiled with added salt for about an hour and treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.
Afterwards, the snag is placed in running water for a week or in any container, but changing the water more often, which should only be cold. Thanks to careful processing, the wood is disinfected, its structure becomes denser and heavier. If necessary, you can secure the snag so that it does not float up with a stone. A large and branchy snag will look great.
As an option, you can purchase fine soil or sand in a special store. If you take colored sand, then the bottom of the aquarium can be beautifully lined, creating patterns around plants, stones, and driftwood.
When you are in a strong mood to create a unique design in an aquarium, you cannot do without a special background. Decorative film, adhesive to the back panel – perfect option. A variety of designs will simplify the task of choosing. The most experienced aquarists create the drawing themselves, continuing the design of the aquarium with a kind of panorama.
Understanding the balance in the aquarium is the first and foremost key to creating and maintaining any herbal tank. Any successfully developing aquarium that is planted with plants is balanced. These are the postulates that many aquarists often hear about, but not many of them understand their meaning. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to familiarize the reader with how to correctly establish balance in an aquarium, explain why this is so important and how to maintain it.
First of all, you need to decide what exactly the balance consists of. In reality, balance is the proportion of light, carbon dioxide and nutrients. For the successful development and growth of plants, these three components are required. In addition, so that plants can successfully receive nutrients The aquarium must have lighting and a CO2 supply. If at least one of these track components that make up a single whole is below normal or does not exist at all, you can forget about the beautiful herbalist. Accordingly, if the plants in your herbalist do not want to grow, check whether all the components are balanced correctly. The level of nutrients and CO2 should depend on two things: the level of lighting and the number of plants, based on this we must understand that the required level of CO2 and lighting will be calculated differently in each aquarium.
Let's move on to point two. Why is balance so important? Plants, unlike plants, need carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, and in the absence of CO2, plants cannot absorb the nutrients they need for development; accordingly, all nutrients begin to be absorbed by algae, which successfully reproduce in such an environment. Light also plays a big role, because the more intense the lighting, the faster the process of photosynthesis takes place. Therefore, if the lighting for your plants is sufficient, the issue of CO2 and nutrients becomes even more important. Now the most important thing is to decide on the ratio of these three elements, since if there is more of one of the elements, the others will accordingly be lacking. For example, if there is a low level of lighting, there will be an excess of carbon dioxide and nutrients in the aquarium, and the plants will deteriorate and die. If the level of nutrients is too low, a situation will arise that the plants will not have anything to eat. In this case, as a reward for his efforts, the aquarist will receive development in his aquarium.
Now let's talk about how to achieve this balance. This is very important information for the aquarist who wants to get a beautiful herbal. It should be understood that the problem in plant growth is primarily the result of insufficient lighting levels. Therefore, immediately select those plants that are suitable for the level of lighting in your aquarium and that need approximately the same level. Regarding nutrients and carbon dioxide, these two issues will require the aquarist to pay attention to his aquarium every day. For example, based on your observations, if algae growth increases, it is necessary to either reduce the level of nutrients (amount) or increase the level of CO2. Conversely, if the problem is with insufficient nutrients, raise the level of carbon dioxide. In addition, even if the nutrient level in the aquarium is normal, it is recommended to lower it slightly. There are several controversial situations regarding the dosage of nutrients as part of the balance. Firstly, in order to achieve complete balance of all components, the aquarist must accurately calculate and dose the CO2 level and the amount of nutrients. I think this is not entirely correct. The most important thing to remember is that CO2 levels only depend on the number of plants in your aquarium. If intensive lighting is selected in the aquarium based on the plant species, but these plants have only a few bushes, they will not require a large amount of nutrients, and vice versa. We should also not forget that the result of the vital activity of fish is also nutrients and CO2.
When an aquarist understands what a balanced herbalist is and understands the importance of establishing such a balance, the result of his activities is an excellent aquarium, densely planted with well-growing and beautiful plants. This helps both the novice and experienced herbalist improve in their work (or hobby).
I would like to say that if you don’t have CO2, then you are doomed - this is far from an axiom, there are simply a number of plants that want, and some need, CO2 to thrive in an aquarium. The only thing to remember is that if you don't have CO2 and powerful light, you can still make an amazing herbalist, just with slightly different plants. - approx. N.M.
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