Easy Plants to Use in a 10 Gallon Aquarium

Adding live plants to your aquarium is an excellent way to increase the oxygen saturation in the water and create a healthier environment for your fish. Live plants also can bring a natural beauty to your tank that their artificial counterparts cannot. While many beginning aquarium hobbyists might think they are not capable of growing live plants, there are a number of very hardy varieties that are perfect for those starter tanks. Choosing the plants for your 10-gallon aquarium is the perfect way to get your new hobby off to a great start.

  1. Java Moss and Java Fern

    • Java moss and Java ferns are the perfect choice for a 10-gallon aquarium. Java moss can simply be placed in the aquarium and used as a bedding plant, while a Java fern can be attached to a piece of driftwood and allowed to take root. Once the Java fern has taken root it will grow easily and can become quite tall. The Java moss will generally grow quickly as well. In fact, the Java moss might generate enough new material for another tank. Java moss is a particularly good choice for hobbyists who want to try their hand at breeding fish, since the fish fry will be able to hide in the moss to protect themselves from predators.

    Sword Plants

    • One of the most common problems beginners run into when working with live aquarium plants is a lack of suitable lighting. The florescent lights used for 10-gallon aquariums are often insufficient to keep more delicate varieties of plants healthy, so owners of 10-gallon tanks should look for hardy species with wide leaves. Sword plants are excellent choices for the beginner aquarium because their broad leaves allow them to make the most of available light. Sword plants are particularly useful as background plants, since they can grow quite tall. As these plants grow, they can be used to hide filter intakes, heaters and other unsightly hardware.

    Wisteria

    • Wisteria is another popular aquatic plant that is suitable for beginners. In addition to its beauty and usefulness as a background plant, wisteria also inhibits the growth of algae by competing for available nutrients. Hobbyists who use wisteria in their tanks should be aware that the plant does require a lot of nutrients, and if sufficient nutrients are not available some supplemental fertilization might be needed. If you notice pale leaves on the wisteria, the plant is not getting the nutrition it needs to thrive.