Aquarium Plants for Hard Water

Hard water contains mineral salts that tend to raise the pH levels. With respect to plants, these carbonate salts tend to remove carbon dioxide from the water. If the carbon dioxide is going to the carbonate salts, then there isn't much left for the plants so they don't grow as well, if at all. There are some plants that are able to strip the carbon dioxide from the carbonate salts and still utilize it.

  1. Ceratophyllum Demersum

    • The Ceratophyllum demersum, or coontail, is a free-floating plant so it's submersed and without roots. Because it's free-floating, it's a great place for newborn fish if you have live bearers. This plant is a fairly easy one to keep. It's referred to as coontail because of the way that the leaves grow in a spiral up around the stem.

    Vallisneria Americana

    • Vallisneria americana, or eel grass, or tape grass, is submerged, has roots, and grows up in clusters. They have white flowers that are on long stems that reach to the surface of the water. These plants are among the most versatile aquarium plants, and very easy to obtain.

    Egeria Densa

    • Egeria densa, or common waterweed, is a fast-growing, sturdy plant. This is another submerged plant with roots and it's suited well to subtropical tanks. The stems are typically 1 to 2 feet long, but can grow longer. The leaves are about an inch long and a quarter inch wide.