How to Get Your Aquarium Plants to Bubble

No matter what type of aquarium you have, plants can make it more interesting and more appealing to the eye. Whether you choose to grow live plants in your tank or opt for the convenience of the plastic variety, adding plants to your tank will give your fish a more natural environment and allow them to exhibit more of their fascinating natural behaviors.

Things You'll Need

  • Aquarium
  • Plants
  • Air pump
  • Air stone
  • Plastic tubing
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a good location for your aquarium plants. The corner of the aquarium is a good place to put those plants, as the corners of the tank will generally have deeper gravel that can be used to anchor the plants down and keep them in place.

    • 2

      Consider using your plants to hide unsightly but necessary parts of your aquarium, such as the intake tubes for power filters or in-tank filters. Using vegetation to hide these items will give your tank a more natural look.

    • 3

      Choose an aquarium air pump that is large enough for your tank. Air pumps are sized according to the capacity of the tank, but it is often better to buy a larger pump than you think you will need. For instance, if you have a 20-gallon tank you may want to purchase a pump designed for aquariums 30 gallons and up. This will reduce the amount of strain on the pump and help it last longer.

    • 4

      Attach a piece of plastic tubing to the air pump. Make sure the tubing is long enough to reach from your air pump to the bottom of your aquarium. Attach the other end of the tubing to an air stone.

    • 5

      Drop the air stone into the tank and hide it behind your plants. Make sure the air stone itself is completely hidden by the plants. Planting a variety of plants in a single location in the tank will provide a natural look and allow you to hide the air stone and the tubing from view.

    • 6

      Plug the aquarium pump in and watch for the bubbles to start rising from the hidden air stone. Keep an eye on the volume of bubbles--when the volume decreases, it is time to purchase a new air stone.