Underwater Garden Inside Dirt : Episode ISD-116 -- More Projects »
An aquarium without fish, turtles or other water-dwelling critters? You bet. Popular in Europe, underwater gardens let you create fantasy landscapes. Here's your opportunity to experiment with aquatic plants you might not be familiar with. Plus, you've got a garden that doesn't need to be watered! Robert Brynda, an aquarist (an expert in maintaining aquariums), shows how to create a beautiful underwater garden. - Use a large vase, a jar (figure A) or a fish aquarium (figure B) as a container for an underwater garden. If size and weight are considerations, remember that a 10-gallon aquarium, when full, will weigh approximately 100 pounds.
Choose plants for form, color and texture. For instance, group fine-feathered plants with large-leaved ones, bright green with dark green, or red rosettes with green, long-stemmed plants. To "plant" a water plant, trim its roots slightly to promote root growth (figure C). Then make a depression in the gravel in the bottom of your water garden container and put the plant in place, gently moving gravel around the base of the plant to support it (figure D).
Purchase small-sized aquarium gravel at local pet stores to place at the bottom of your garden as "soil." Small gravel does a good job of anchoring plants and gives roots something to hold onto. Variously colored gravel can become a design element (figure E). You can buy aquatic plants from pet stores or mail-order companies for anywhere from 50 cents to five or six dollars per plant. Accent your garden with driftwood, stones or volcanic rock. Create terraces by placing flat stones on their sides and pushing gravel against their backs. If you use driftwood, soak it in water for a while to ensure that it will sink and not float.
If the garden is large, use a filtration system to help remove dead plant material and maintain clarity. A canister system that fits on the outside of the aquarium pulls water through and returns it to the garden (figure F). In fishless underwater gardens, you don't want to aerate the water; instead, the plants need plenty of carbon dioxide in order to photosynthesize. Aquatic plants need plenty of light (12 to 14 hours a day) just as other plants do. Use a full-spectrum artificial light on top of the tank to light the garden sufficiently. Keep the water temperature between 70 and 80 degrees F. If necessary, use a small heater. Prune frequently as needed. Aquatic plants can grow quickly, the more vigorous types shading out the smaller ones. Root the pruned pieces in other areas of the tank. To ensure health and growth of plants, use a fertilizer regularly, either in liquid or slow-release tablet form. The product should be high in iron, potassium and ammonia and low in phosphates; fertilizers containing phosphates promote algae growth. Clean the tank as needed to remove algae from the glass and keep the water clear. Get creative and design a garden that reflects a certain region, such as the Amazon River, Southeast Asia or Africa. With more than 100 species of water plants to choose from, there are plenty of varieties available that will allow you to create a spectacular landscape.
Guests Robert Brynda
Aquarist, Colorado's Ocean Journey
700 Water St.
Denver, CO 80126
Phone: 303-561-4467
Email: rbrynda@oceanjourney.org
URL: www.oceanjourney.org
Also in this Episode
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