Getting Started with Aquarium Plants

Live plants add so many benefits to an aquarium, such as natural beauty, water purification, and enrichment for your fish. However, it can be a bit daunting to set up your first planted tank. Not to worry – follow our step-by-step guide to learn all about aquatic plants and how to care for them.

Step 1: Choose Your Aquarium Plants

We recommend that you start with easy, beginner-friendly plants that don't need a lot of light. These species are more forgiving of beginner mistakes and also require less maintenance in general.

Step 2: Choose a Light for Aquarium Plants

Once you have found your favorite plants, it's time to choose the light. Your plant selection will impact whether you need high lighting or low lighting, so research the needs of your plants and then watch the following video that explains how to pick the right planted aquarium light. We also have an LED Aquarium Lighting Guide that recommends specific products based on the size of your fish tank.

Step 3: Choose a Substrate for Aquarium Plants

Your plant selection also affects what type of substrate or ground covering you need for the bottom of your tank. Some plants like anubias and java fern don't require any substrate, whereas others like sword plants and cryptocoryne plants need nutrients in the substrate for their roots to consume.

Step 4: Set Up Your Planted Aquarium

Once you have finished the research phase and gathered the necessary materials for your planted tank, it's time to put all the pieces together. Before you get started, watch this video from beginning to end to make sure you have everything you need.

Step 5: Feed Your Aquarium Plants

Congrats on setting up your first planted aquarium. Now let's focus on what it takes to keep the plants alive. In general, plants need sufficient lighting and nutrients to grow, so learn how to create a happy and healthy environment for them to thrive.

Step 6: Minimize Algae in Your Planted Tank

Algae is a common issue that pops up in all planted aquariums, even those kept by the most veteran aquascapers. While algae is a natural part of the aquarium ecosystem, most people don't like the way it looks. Find out the best ways to get rid of algae and minimize its growth in the long term.

Step 7: Address Any Plant Nutrient Deficiencies

If you find that your plant growth is stunted, the leaves are discolored, or the stems keep melting away, your plants may be missing certain nutrients. Learn how to spot the symptoms and fix the deficiencies to grow healthy plants.

Always wonderful. The site is easy to use (a little too easy).

good

Great product perfect for my betta tank. doesn’t take ip much room, quiet and easy to assemble.

Had one plant not make the journey. Customer service was excellent and refunded immediately. Great company

I love shopping at aquarium co-op online! It was easy to navigate for someone coming into the hobby. Lots of great products with good descriptions to help me find what I need.

Aquarium Co-op is best in class with great selection, service and super fast delivery. Spend enough to get a free shirt as they’re great too!!!

I love Aquarium Co-op products!!! This is the best place for me in this hobby.

Aquarium Coop quality has been consistently good since they started, and still improving every purchase. Good for beginners and experienced hobbyists.

Aquarium Co-Op was my number one source for all things aquatic before I ever had a tank. The blog and YouTube channel were paramount to my research. When the time came to set up my kid's 30 gallon and then my own 75 gallon- Aquarium Co-Op was my first stop. I was able to get everything online that I needed (except the tank) and I've had phenomenal success with both tanks. I run their easy flow sponge filters and use several of their filter media options in my canister. I also use their magic feed food and easy green fertilizer. I swear by the measuring jar (looks like a glass you'd take a swig of your favorite fermented drink)- and I also love the dual ended scoop. Everything is easy to find on the website and their customer service is top notch!

I recommend it

Plants were packaged so nicely and suffered no melt in my tank. I was worried because it’s a long trip to WA state but everything arrived in good condition.

Great company. Just change main shipping company. Amazon is not keeping up with their volume as they grow..

Everything came healthy and well wrapped

You guys are great!! Not a fan of you using Amazon Delivery Service only complaint..

Ordered an Anubsis Berberi. It was beautiful, packaged well and great condition.

Always great staff and the best clean atmosphere

My first experience was great. 90% of the plants were delivered as expected. I was expecting to get submersed grown water wisteria, but got emersed grown instead, which is also not doing well converting. Some plants like anubias coffeefolia was heavily damaged during shipment, but it’s still hanging on. Overall, I’m a big fan of Cory and the Aquarium Co-op and just happy to finally get to support the brand.

No comments, love you guys!

Great as always! But the new location really delays shipping to California now. Plants sometimes do not arrive to nice but customer service always there to help.

I have been ordering from Aco. I have always experienced quality products and exceptional customer service.
Thank you !

A Great company that’s easy to work with, quick shipping, good packaging, very informative, Overall just a top quality company.

This is a good store.The live plants are great and are in good condition.I’ve ordered from here many times and will continue to.The shipping is fast.The YouTube videos are good also.

Super easy transaction. Will be back to get more.

Came in with a LONG shopping list! I was able to get food and other dry goods, very helpful ideas on plants, and some way cool fish. My tank looks awesome! Thank you so much for your friendly and patient help!!!

Easy

I love aquarium co-op. Super fast, great products, excellent service.

I was so excited to find a tank with young Dario dario and bought all you had. They are coloring up well in a 29g tank with a dense carpet of Crypts and a few chili rasbora and a couple chain loach tankmates. Hoping for at least one female in the midst....before this I've only had males (sigh). Thanks again!

Shopping the site is so fun. Always something new. Very clear where everything is as well.

Great plants and quick shipping!

Always quick shipping with fair prices! The plants are amazing too!

I'm not sure, so I defer to your great knowledge, but perhaps higher levels of some of the Trace minerals? Anyway, I'm happy and sticking with the All-In- One.

Great service and great products

Just an old man that loves aquariums

Order came quickly, no issues at all.

Excellent shipping and handling always on time products are getting better and better even with experts helping to go that extra mile to make it well worth being inside of that company

Made a purchase on the website last month. There was a bug about the free t-shirt and it charged me. I sent an email to customer service and Candi took care of it quickly! I love there personal touch to customer service and prompt response. I always look forward to my ACO boxes in the mail, well packed and fun to discover what sticker i get this time.

Easy peeze

Great quality and service

Aquarium CooP is a terrific company to do business with.. their products are high quality fairly priced and customer service is the best I’ve ever experienced from anyone..this is a company where ethical standards is not a goal but is apparent in every business transaction I’ve had with them..thank you Cory and your entire team for making significant contributions to our hobby and providing a very high standard of service to your customers…Will

The website is very easy to search

Easy to shop and quick delivery. And good quality products.

So thrilled about any donations! It's so generous! Great products!

customer service is excellent

Very professional company, I will definitely be ordering from you again. Thank you.

Literally the best fish store I’ve ever been to. Drove 2 hours because of people recommending it and I had a wonderful experience. The people that work there are super friendly and knowledgeable about fish. And their selection is amazing. I went in for some chili rasboras and Pygmy Cory’s (literally nobody by me had them and I refuse to even try Petco/petsmart) but aquarium co-op had both of them in stock. And they had a TON of them. I absolutely love the set up and the decor you can get for the tanks. Very nice store and healthy looking fish. I would definitely go out of my way to continue to go to this store.

Always pleasant to work with. If something goes wrong, the staff is always willing to help me out

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