Make Your Aquarium a Success

Make your aquarium a success Let the dream of a well-functioning aquarium become true with just 3 basic steps! The right aquarium

Your aquarium or the aquarium, which you intend to buy, is crucial for the type of plants and fish you can choose from. Light - The better the light, the more plants you can choose between. You need to find fi nd ou outt ho how w ma many ny a att tts s yo your ur la lamp mp ha has, s, compared against Litres of water.

plant ants s ne need ed Fertiliser Fertili ser and CO2 - ll pl nourishment! You can offer nourishment from the bottom to the roots "substrate#, through the wat water er wit with h flue fluent nt fert fertilis iliser$ er$ how howe%er e%er,, the most important fertiliser for aquarium plants is added &'(. The fertiliser is added to ensure optimal plant growth, and minimal algae. aqua aq uari rium ums s Waterr Wate mov mo vem emen entt - ll bene be nefit fit fro from m wa water ter mo mo%e %emen mentt an and d fil filter terin ing, g, since sin ce it el elimi imina nate tes s ba bacte cteria ria an and d pa part rticl icles, es, which may be harmful to plants and fish. The right plants ith Tropica)s patented symbols - *asy, +edium and d%anced, you are sure to choose the right plants for your specific aquarium! ind the symbols on the labels inside the pot. e ha%e de%eloped this concept, since far too many people select plants that don)t thri%e in the aqua aquariu rium m aft after er pla planti nting. ng. +os +ostly tly bec becaus ause e peo people ple buy pla plants nts of the cat catego egorie ries s +ed +edium ium or d%anced without nowing that the light, light, fertiliser or &'( conditions of the aquarium mae mae the plants unable to grow! The plant will practically start decomposing!  decomposing plant adds large amounts of nourishment nouri shment to the water. ourishment ourishment,, which is norma normally lly not absorbed by other li%ing plants, creates a massi%e algae growth, resulting in se%ere aquarium problems. /n many cases, you will just gi%e up and lose interest in the hobby! Tropica supports you in succeeding with your aquarium. 0lease follow the guidelines for selecting plants here.

The right fish

1elect fish based upon the following 3 crucial factors2 Maximum cm fish per litre !ater .  full-grow full-grown n neon tetra tetra is for instance instance appro. 4cm long, so a 566 L aquarium should not eceed (7 fish. "se "s e al alga gae#e e#eati ating ng fi fish sh$$ sh shri rimp mps s and snails. 1elec 1e lectin ting g fis fish h is a mat matte terr of tas taste te,, •

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and op and optio tions ns are nu numer merou ous. s. %lease ask your dealer a&out the &ehaviour and needs of the fish , and when they should be put in the aquarium after planting. Li%ebearing fish such as the guppy and plat pl aty y ar are e mo most stly ly pe peac acef eful ul an and d br brig ight htly ly colo co lour ured ed.. Th The e fe fema male le gi gi%e %e bi birt rth h to th thei eir r young, which use dense plants 8 especially close to the surface 8 as a hiding place because the young get eaten. 1ome males fight o%er the females and the ones that lose lo se al also so hi hide de in th the e %eg eget etat atio ion. n. +o +ost st li%ebearing fish eat algae and can potentially damage soft plants and moss. 1hoaling fish such as tetras, rasboras and an d ba barb rbs, s, se see e re refu fuge ge in la larg rge e gr grou oups ps nown no wn as sh shoa oals. ls. 9e 9ens nse e pla plants nts will will gi% gi%e e safe sa fety ty to th the e re rela lati ti%e %ely ly fe few w in indi di%i %idu dual als s "howe%er, no less than :-56 fish# you ha%e room for. 0lants with delicate delicate lea% lea%es es are often used for laying eggs and therefore offer eciting breeding potential.

&ommunity fish are fish that can share the aquarium with many other inds of fish. &ommunity fish comprise primarily of li%ebearers and shoaling fish, but if you rearrange the aquarium afterwards, it will be able to accommodate e%en more inds of fish. &ichlids thri%e if there are holes and hiding places, and gouramis and angelfish see security amongst plants.

The right fish

1elect fish based upon the following 3 crucial factors2 Maximum cm fish per litre !ater .  full-grow full-grown n neon tetra tetra is for instance instance appro. 4cm long, so a 566 L aquarium should not eceed (7 fish. "se "s e al alga gae#e e#eati ating ng fi fish sh$$ sh shri rimp mps s and snails. 1elec 1e lectin ting g fis fish h is a mat matte terr of tas taste te,, •

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and op and optio tions ns are nu numer merou ous. s. %lease ask your dealer a&out the &ehaviour and needs of the fish , and when they should be put in the aquarium after planting. Li%ebearing fish such as the guppy and plat pl aty y ar are e mo most stly ly pe peac acef eful ul an and d br brig ight htly ly colo co lour ured ed.. Th The e fe fema male le gi gi%e %e bi birt rth h to th thei eir r young, which use dense plants 8 especially close to the surface 8 as a hiding place because the young get eaten. 1ome males fight o%er the females and the ones that lose lo se al also so hi hide de in th the e %eg eget etat atio ion. n. +o +ost st li%ebearing fish eat algae and can potentially damage soft plants and moss. 1hoaling fish such as tetras, rasboras and an d ba barb rbs, s, se see e re refu fuge ge in la larg rge e gr grou oups ps nown no wn as sh shoa oals. ls. 9e 9ens nse e pla plants nts will will gi% gi%e e safe sa fety ty to th the e re rela lati ti%e %ely ly fe few w in indi di%i %idu dual als s "howe%er, no less than :-56 fish# you ha%e room for. 0lants with delicate delicate lea% lea%es es are often used for laying eggs and therefore offer eciting breeding potential.

&ommunity fish are fish that can share the aquarium with many other inds of fish. &ommunity fish comprise primarily of li%ebearers and shoaling fish, but if you rearrange the aquarium afterwards, it will be able to accommodate e%en more inds of fish. &ichlids thri%e if there are holes and hiding places, and gouramis and angelfish see security amongst plants.

Territorial fish want to ha%e their own space 8 either all the time or only when they are young. &ichlids and belong to this group. You ca can n ob obse ser%e r%e %er %ery y e ecit citin ing g be beha% ha%iou iour r patterns when se%eral pairs are put together in a planted aquarium so that the fish can establish their territory.

'ne out of many eamples of fish that need ne ed hi high gher er te temp mper erat atur ures es ar are e 9i 9isc scus us.. 0eople often refrain from plants in 9iscus aquariums in order to facilitate the cleaning of the aquarium and the changing of water. /f you want plants for our 9iscus, howe%er, choose plants that grow naturally in places with wi th hi high gh te temp mper erat atur ure. e. &r &ry ypt ptoc ocor ory yne ne,, +icrosorum and *chinodorus are recommended. 9iggin 9igg ing g and he herb rbi% i%or orou ous s fi fis sh in incl clud udin ing g goldfish and some cichlids, and most algaeeating fish, eat moss as well. ith plant-eat plant-eating ing fish you can choose thic, tough lea%es "such as nubias# or plants with strong fla%our such as ;acopa. 9igging fish tend to get frightened by strong roots which must be mature before the fish are introduced! You can also co%er the roots with stones or wood, which should eep the fish away. lgae-eaters, lgae-ea ters, shrimps and snails are %ery popular, especially in the smaller nano aquariums. 1hrimps in particular lo%e moss. +any shrimp types are delicate, which is why Tropica has de%eloped a plant series calle ca lled d 55-(-< (-
Light

Choose the correct light source for your needs

The lumen, le%el of brightness, is always written on the pacaging. =ere, we show you how you can put the information from the pacaging on the fluorescent tube or bulb to practical use in the aquarium. 0re%iously, a light bulb or fluorescent tube lamp was classified by how much electricity it used "attage#. =owe%er, this maes it %ery difficult to compare different inds of light sources, because light bulbs, fluorescent tube lamps and L*9 lighting are not directly comparable on this point. /t is ad%isable instead to find the number on the pacaging which tells you how many lumens the light source produces. Lumens refer precisely tohow much light a particular light source gi%es off, rather than how much energy it produces. The %alue is written on pacaging for all light bulbs, fluorescent tube lamps, L*9s, etc. To mae it simple, we eplain here how many lumens we recommend per litre of water in an aquarium for a selection of plants from the *asy, +edium or d%anced category. 'o! much light is enough light(

That all depends upon which plants you ha%e chosen for your aquarium. /f you ha%e chosen nothing but >*asy> plants, 6.(7 to 6.7 atts per litre is adequate. or >+edium> plants, we recommend 6.7 to 5 atts per litre, while >d%anced> plants require more than 5 att per litre. The picture series shows the same aquarium "74 litre starter set# with # standard T: tube of 57 atts, ;# T7 tube of (4 atts, and &# (  T7 tubes with (4 atts per tube, in order to %isuali?e how much more light is gi%en off by using a T7 tube rather than a T: tube, the same amount as you get from switching from one tube to two tubes.

 simple and cheap way to use the light optimally is by always using a good reflector "read more about reflectors here# as well as by ensuring that the temperature especially during summer - does not get too high inside the lamp "read more about the amount of light gi%en off and temperature here#. 'ur recommendations, in atts per litre, are gi%en based upon many years@ eperience using T7 fluorescent tube lighting.

The table shows the amount of light "lumens# from one 57 att T: tube in a starter set compared with sunlight, typically that found in the li%ing room - there is more light in the aquarium than in the li%ing room, but considerably less than plants would eperience under natural growth conditions. )emem&er to use reflectors in your lamp so as to get up to 4  better use out of the light!

+any cheap starter sets are deli%ered with a standard lamp without reflectors. Lucily, it is possible to buy reflectors separately and mount them afterwards in the %ast majority of lamps. 'ur calculations show that a good reflector can gi%e up to 4 times better utili?ation of the light. ote that there is a large difference in the quality of reflectors - we ha%e tried to illustrate this with a photo series! /t is easy to ascertain in the shop which reflector is best. +ount the reflector on a fluorescent tube lamp and loo at the reflection of the tube in the reflector. /f there is no blac band %isible in the reflection, the reflector is >perfect>. /f blac stripes appear in the reflection "see the eample on the right in the top picture#, it means there are areas of the tube from where the reflector cannot catch the light - which reduces the utili?ation of light. s a rule of thumb howe%er, e%en a poor reflector "e.g. Type 5# is far better than no reflector at all "one#!

The amount of light decreases considerably with the distance from the light source to the base of the tan, and from the centre out to the corners of the aquarium. /n daylight, this distance doesn@t mean anything, as the distance to the sun is enormous. ;ut from the artificial light source, the distance is much less and therefore critical for how much light the plants recei%e.

e ha%e constructed a simple light calculation using a plate to represent the base of an aquarium, with the light source 36 cm o%er the plate. e ha%e measured from the centre of the aquarium out into the corners, and the same at 56 cm in height "liewise, from centre out into the corners#. s is e%ident from the table, there is considerably more light just under the light source in the centre of the aquarium while the light decreases drastically in the corners. ;y lifting the plant a mere 56 cm up towards the lamp, it will get 46A more light. This effect is not found in the corners, due to the poor spread of the light from the source "the fluorescent tube#. The plants can easily be lifted up towards the light by placing them on a rod or a stone. The most light-demanding plants can always be placed ad%antageously in the centre of the aquarium, preferably lifted up towards the light - while plants from the *asy category such as +icrosorum and &ryptocorynes grow just fine along the edges. There are many different types of light source availa&le$from the oldfashioned light bulb and metal halide lamps to the modern types of L*9 lights.

The figure below shows how much light is gi%en by the different types of lighting "B---B gi%e off the entire inter%al, the bo gi%es out 76A of the obser%ations and the small hori?ontal line is the median %alue#. The figure clearly shows that the light bulb "incandescent# is the light source, which gi%es off least light per att it uses "lumens per att#. /t also shows that the old-fashioned T: tube gi%es out almost as much light per att as the more modernT7 tube. hy do so many plant aquarists then switch to T7 tubes, when the T7 came out about (6 years agoC /t is because a T7 tube gi%es out far more light per cm of tube than the T: tube. 'ne 57 att T: tube is suitable for a 74 litre starter set and gi%es out just D66

lumens, while a T7 tube of corresponding length uses (4 atts, but gi%es out 5E66 lumens. inally, the figure shows that metal halide lamps are the light source that gi%e out most light per att, but they are closely followed by the modern, high output L*9 lights. The biggest ad%antage with the two light sources is howe%er that they tae up %ery little space, so it is possible to use a lot of units in an indi%idual lamp, and in this way create an armature that can pro%ide a large amount of light. /f you consider howe%er how many lumens you get per att, the difference is not actually great enough on its own to justify changing changin g your armature to an L*9, for eample - but if you are already planning to buy a new lamp, it is perhaps worth considering an L*9 solution. Fead more about L*9 lighting here! The different types of energy-sa%ing light bulbs "L*9 and fluorescent# actually gi%e out considerably less light per att, but they can still ha%e their ad%antages, for those wanting to play around with light in the aquarium. These lamps are bought as spotlights and can pro%ide some nice effects if you add more lights locally to a lightdemanding plant group. Lumen$ lux and photon flux are the most usual units for measuring the amount of light - here, we eplain what the different units quantify.

Lumen sp Lumen speci ecifie fies s how much a lig light ht so sour urce ce gi% gi%es es of offf - wh while ile lu lusp spec ecifi ifies es th the e amount of light per area "the same as lumen per cubic metre#. Lu is therefore used to describe how great an amount of light is a%ailable for a plant in a gi%en location in the aquarium. 1tandard light measurements specify the amount of light in lu. 0hoton flu is the scientific term for the amount of light per area, and it specifies the number of photons per cubic metre per second "Gmol per m( per s#. The photon flu is often gi%en in wa%elength areas of 466 to H66 nm only, which is precisely those wa%elengths plants are able to use "see more under hat light do plants useC#. 0hoton flu can be con%erted to lu by multiplying the photon flu by H4 for a coolwhite fluorescent tube light. The factor %aries, howe%er, from 33 to 56E according to what ind of light source you ha%e. /t is ideal to tal about the plant@s light needs in lu or photon flu, as this is most rele%antt for plants in terms of how much light rele%an reaches their lea%es "lu# - and not so much in terms of how strong the light source is "lumens#. *actly how much light plants ha%e a%ailable is howe%er primarily controlled by the th e di dist stan ance ce fr from om th the e li ligh ghtt so sour urce ce$$ th the e

greater the distance, the less light reaches them "1ee more under 9istance from light source#. The picture here sho!s the spectral division of daylight . 9aylight is generally made up of equal parts blue green and red light.

0lants 0lan ts on only ly us use e bl blue ue an and d re red d li ligh ght, t, ho how we% e%er er "s "see ee th the e fi figu gure re sh show owin ing g th the e absorption of chlorophyll at the different wa%elengths#. There are therefore more and more pot plants being grown in modern nurseries with the use of blue and red diodes, as this is precisely the light spectrum plants use for their photosynthesis photosynthesis . The plants do 'T howe%er use the green light which is simply reflected - which is why we see plants as green. s aquarist aquarists, s, we also need green light in the aquariu aquarium, m, howe% howe%er, er, in order to recreate the correct colours - without the green light, the aquariu aquarium m would appear %iolet. e therefore recommend light sources which remind us most of daylight, with a colour temperature of 7766 to E766IJ2 Fead more under &olour temperature and &F/.

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specifi cifies es the Colour tem Colour tempera peratur ture e is ind indica icated ted in deg degrees rees *el *elvi vin n +,* +,*-- and spe colour of the light. 9aylight has a colour temperature of appro. E766IJ, which is why we recommend light sources with a colour temperature in the area 7766 to E766IJ.  high colour temperature "K :666IJ# gi%es off a bluish tint, and should only be used for saltwat salt water er aqu aquariu ariums, ms, whi while le a col colour our temp tempera erature ture und under er 466 4666IJ 6IJ gi% gi%es es a yell yellowy owy or reddish tint, corresponding to an old-fashioned light bulb. The colour temperature also decides to a certain degree how well the plant@s natural colours are recognised. +any light sources ha%e a &F/ %alue printed on them "col "c olou ourr re ren nde deri ring ng in inde de# #,, whi hich ch ha has s a maimum %alue of 566. The inde indicates how well the lamp can render a stan st anda dard rdis ised ed ro row w of co colo lour urs. s. &h &hoo oose se a lamp with a &F/ %alue of at least D6 in order to get the most natural colours of animals and plants in the aquarium.

/mage  sh /mage show ows s a pla plant nt aq aquar uarium ium,, where the light source has a high &F/ %alue "day "d ayli ligh ght# t#,, an and d he here re,, th the e pl plan ant@ t@s s co colo lour ur recognition recogn ition is ecellen ecellent. t. /mage ; has a light sourc so urce e wi with th a low lower er &F &F/, /, an and d the plants plants appear grayer in this picture.

ertiliser and &'( Lie fish, plants need care and maintenance, which is why we ha%e de%eloped %arious fertiliser products that add the required nutrition. You can add &'(, nitrogen, phosphor, iron and micronutri micro nutrients ents in diff different erent ways, and only fertilising fertilising will result in optim optimal al growt growth h and beautiful plant colours inside your aquarium. quarium plants require nutrients to grow. The main nutrient is &'(, which is also the main inhibitor of growth in the plant aquarium. /f you don)t add etra &'(, plants ha%e to do with what is naturally released by fish and bacteria inside the aquarium, which is inadequate for plants of the categories +*9/+ and 9M&*9. 9M&*9. 'ther than &'(, plants also need nitrogen "#, phosphor "0#, iron "e# and manganese "+n#. These substances are referred to as macronutrients, since the plants require relati%ely large amounts. quarium plants can absorb all macronutrients both %ia roots and lea%es, which is why the fertiliser can be added as fluent fertiliser to the water or as capsules to the substrate. /f you add fertiliser to the water, it requires frequent dosage "daily or weely# and o%erfertilisation may result in algae problems, if the plants are unable to absorb the fertiliser as it is added. =owe%er, it is the only way to add fertiliser to e. g. moss, floating plants and plants on rocs and tree roots, since their roots aren)t located in the bottom layer. utrient capsules are ideal for large and sturdy plants or wellestablished carpets of front plants. Tropica)s utrition &apsules release their nutrients o%er a period of E-D months. The third nutrient category is micronutrients such as copper, molybdenum, ?inc and borate. These substances are part of %ital en?ymes, and when micronutrients are deficient, plants grow slower slo wer and sta start rt to sho show w def defici iciency ency symptoms symptoms.. You can add mic micron ronutr utrien ients ts bot both h in for form m of 0remium and 0remium and 1pecialised ertiliser and and as utrition &apsules. &apsules. What is CO2( &'( is the most important nutrient for the plants$ without &'( the plants are unable to perform a photosynthesis, which is the first step in a long range of processes that lead to growth.. 'o! do . supply the CO2( You can supply the &'( in se%eral ways. Tropica recommends that you use compressed &'( "see our systems here here#. #. Then you add the &'( until you ha%e reached reached the requi required red p= in the table, and the required p= depends on the carbonate hardness of your water and on how much &'(

you wish to ha%e in your aquarium.  bit of &'( "e.g. 3-7 mg per L# is better than nothing. 0lants that are mared >+edium> require about 56-57 mg &'( per L, but >d%anced> plants require 57-36 mg &'( per L. What is CO2$ d*h and p'( 9o / need &'(C /f you wish to ha%e plants that are mared >+edium> or >d%anced> in your plant aquarium, you need to add &'(. /f you only ha%e plants mared >*asy>, you need not add etra &'(, but the plants will do better, if you choose to add just a bit.

What is p'( p= is a figure that epresses the acidity of the water.  low p= is acid, and a high p= is basic, while a neutral p= is defined as the area from E to D "the whole scale goes from 6-54#. What is d*h( dJh is the carbonate hardness of the water and is epressed in
What is the relationship &et!een CO2$ p' and d*h( The relationship is partly illustrated in the figure to the right. ;y a low p=, the bicarbonate "=&'3# and carbonate "&'3# are con%erted into &'(. ;y a neutral p=, most of it is con%erted into =&'3, while &'3 dominates by a high p=. 1o by adjusting the p= %alue, you can control the amount of &'( in your aquarium.

ater circulation The pump and filter must create water circulation in the aquarium, clean the water for fine particles and create the micro biology, that brings the aquarium in a biological balance and by that maes it stable.

The pump consists of a small, electrically-dri%en propeller that pumps the water around. The capacity is stated in litres per hour. e recommend that the water is changed 3-7 times per hour "576L aquarium - capacity 476 to H76 litres per hour# in order to achie%e a good cleaning and not least to ensure the water circulation in the aqaurium.

The filter is often installed as an integrated part, in front of the pump. The filter consists of a layer of %ery fine cotton wool "often made of a plastic material#, that catches the fine particles and therefore must be rinsed manually from time to time. ;ehind or below this layer, you will find the coarse material "made of plastic or ceramics# which creates a large surface, where the micro biology can assume definite form in the streaming water. cti%e materials can also be added "e.g. crushed la%a and organic coal#, which may ha%e an impact on the chemistry of the water.

The pump and filter can be purchased for installation inside the aquarium "internal# or installation outside the aquarium "eternal# e.g. in a cupboard below. 1ome aquariums ha%e a built-in filter and pump in the bac wall or corner panel. Fegardless of which filter you use, the filter material must be cleaned regularly "once a month or a little more rarely#. This is done by washing the filter sponge under luewarm water$ mae sure it is not too hot, as this will ill the useful bacteria. /f your filter uses cotton wool, you only need to change the cotton wool.

Water change The purpose of changing the water in the aquarium is to remo%e waste products and surplus of nutrients accumulating in the water. These substances come from feeding, ecrements, dead

material and fertili?er and imbalance in the aquarium.

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9uring the start-up, the aquarium is especially %ulnerable towards the accumulation of waste products and nutrients. p to 76A change of water twice per wee in the first 3 wees ensures clean water. Later when a biological balance is achie%ed in the aquarium, the aquarium is less %ulnerable towards accumulation. Therefore, a weely change of water of appro. 36A is adequate, and during holidays, the aquarium will also be able to handle (-3 wees without water change.

This is how it is done2 5# &lean the glass with a soft sponge andNor a squeegee. (# 1witch off the pump and heater. 3# =a%e a bucet ready, into which the water can run "e.g. directly into the outlet#. 4# 0ut the other end of the hose into the aquarium and suc! fter that, the siphon principle will do the rest.  piece of garden hose can easily be used. 7# dd fresh water from the cold tap either with a hose directly from the tap or with a large water jug. /t is important that the water is poured into a saucer or something similar in order to a%oid that the gra%el whirls up. E# 1witch on the pump and heater again and chec that the pump is running "it often needs help to get started, if it has suced in air#. =ere is our %ideo about easy water change. Temperature

The temperature in the aquarium is decisi%e for the metabolism of the animals and plants - and by that for their well-being. Too low temperatures reduce the life processes while too high temperatures increase their pace. ;oth are harmful and the temperature must therefore be controlled and regulated.

There are se%eral heat sources in the shape of e.g. cables in the ground layer or heaters "e.g. integrated in the pump#. +oreo%er, all traffic, e.g. light sources and pump, liberates heat to the water, just as the room temperature has a great impact on the water temperatute in the aquarium.  thermostat in the heat source is necessary, so that the required temperature in the aquarium can be maintained. There are cooling de%ices which correspondingly can reduce the temperature. +ost of Tropica@s plants thri%e at ((-(4 degrees "which is the most frequently recommended temperature for aquariums#. ;y higher temperatures, e.g. for the sae of the fish, only a limited selection of plants can be used. ;y increasing temperatures, the amount of oygen in the water is reduced, which is harmful to the fish, and most of the plants will not thri%e. The algae may howe%er generally benefit from this and will indeed thri%e, and just a couple of days with higher tempetatures can produce planton and thread algae in the aquarium.

5.

irst, place all decoration material "such as stones or roots#, if you intend to use it. Then spread out a 5 cm thic layer of substrate where your plants should go and co%er it with at least 4 cm of gra%el. (. &arefully pour water into the aquarium, and wet the bottom layer. se a plate or sift to slow down the water jet, in order to a%oid maing a mess of the bottom layer. 3. 0repare the plants2 Femo%e plastic pot and stone wool. 1horten the roots and di%ide into smaller plants, suitable for groups of plants. se twee?ers for easy planting.

4. 7. E. H. :. D. 56. 55.

Femember to spray with water e%ery now and then, to eep the plants moist at all times. 9rying may harm the lea%es. &arefully fill the aquarium with water. +ae sure that the water jet does not hit plants or the bottom layer directly. The water may loo a bit cloudy for a few days. 9on)t worry 8 it will get better. /nstall a timer watch to turn off after E hours of light e%ery day for the first three wees. Then increase gradually to ma. : hours of light e%ery day. Too much light may result in problems with algae growth. Femember, maimum : hours of light per day. 9ownload Tropica)s pp. /t will remind you to change water, add fertiliser, and ensure that you get well through the first three months with aquarium. fter D6 days, the aquarium will ha%e grown to2

=ardscape and substrate 0lanning your aquarium is a prerequisite for achie%ing good results.
=ardscape is an aquarium layout with gra%el, rocs, tree roots and other decorations - but no plants. &reating a hardscape is entirely up to your imagination. 1ome find it etremely interesting, others do not lie it so much. You can compare this acti%ity to standing before an easel and woring with the paint brush. +ost of us try to do their best, whereas diligent artists understand the colour setting, depth and perspecti%e. +any competitions are arranged around the world to determine the aquascaper who can create the most impressi%e aquarium design. e can recommend that you start with hardscapes, no matter whether you ha%e the talent of an artist or notO! 5.

ind the appropriate pieces of wood, rocs, stones and other decorati%e elements you want to use in your hardscape. /f you choose hea%y stones, we can recommend adding polystyrene at the bottom in order to protect the glass. (. dd about 5 cm substrate in the places where plants with strong roots will be planted. e recommend Tropica@s 0lant
The substrate retains the plant roots, ensures a good water circulation around the roots and binds the nutrients, which the roots can absorb.

9ifferent inds and colours of gra%el with a grain si?e from 6,:-4 mm will ensure a good water circulation, but mae sure that the ground layer does not liberate harmful substances into the water. nder the gra%el, a layer of P-5 cm substrate is added, which binds nutrients for the roots. 1ome products combine gra%el and a nutrient medium in one and the same product, other products are concentrated substrates. &ontrary to the gra%el, the substrate offers nutrients in the form of minerals, which contribute to creating an acid and highly nutritious en%ironment to the benefit of the root de%elopment and nutritious intae of the p lants. ;y the start-up of the aquarium, the substrate is spread with the main part into places, where plants with strong roots are to be planted later. fter that, the gra%el is distributed o%er the entire ground of the aquarium. The gra%el is di%ided sloping upwards and bacwards with at least 3-4 cm in the front and E-: cm in the bac. /n places where big rocs are to be placed later, a thin styrene plate can be placed before the substrate and gra%el in order to protect the glass bottom.

0lanting The easiest way to plant in the aquarium is at a water le%el of just a few centimetres from the bottom. +any aquarists traditionally plant their plants when the aquarium is full, but this way it can be difficult to orient yourself in the water an d to plant properly in the gra%el. &arefully pour the water down a saucer when refilling in order to a%oid stirring up the bottom until the water le%el is appro. ( cm abo%e the gra%el. =a%e a spray-mister ready in order to eep the plants damp while you are woring. The plants can easily get by when they are ept wet! /tem "*geria, =ygrophila, LudwigiaO#

/f necessary, cut off the o%ergrown roots so that the pot and stone wool can be remo%ed and the roots trimmed to appro. 4 cm. /n case of bundle stem plants with a ceramic ring, remo%e the ceramic ring and the bottom lea%es. 0lant the stems one by one in a group.

)osette "*chinodorus, &ryptocoryneO# /f necessary, cut off the o%ergrown roots so that you can remo%e the pot and mineral wool. Trim the roots at appro. 4 cm. 9i%ide into single rosettes and remo%e the oldestNoutermost lea%es. 0lant alone or in a group.

Carpeting plants "*leocharis,
Femo%e the wool. &ut off the appro. ( cm under >anchor> when portions and plant

pot and the ecess mineral mineral wool chun at plant le%el to use it as an planting. 9i%ide into 4-56 e%enly o%er the area you wish to co%er.

)hi0omes "nubias, +icrosorumO#

and mineral wool. co%er the rhi?ome plant can be tied on or roots.

/f necessary, cut off the o%ergrown roots so that you can remo%e the pot hen planting in, do not or the plant will rotten. The or squee?ed between stones

Floating plants "Limnobium, &eratophyllumO# You can cut the %ery long roots and &eratophyllum can be di%ided into small pieces. The plants are placed on the surface. ote the shading effect they ha%e further down in the aquarium.

Moss "Taiphyllum, +onosoleniumO# The portion can be di%ided into smaller portions. sed >loosely floating> in the aquarium or attached to stonesNroots. Mery small moss tufts can be inserted into the bottom layer to co%er the bottom.

1ul&s and tu&ers "&rinum, ponogetonO# Femo%e the pot and the mineral wool. &ut any strong roots at appro. 4 cm. /f there are se%eral plants in the pot, separate them from each other. 0lant &rinum with appro. P of the bulb o%er the bottom layer. Tubers can be co%ered completely, but the shoot must be abo%e the bottom layer. /tolons "Mallisneria, LilaeopsisO# Femo%e the pot and the mineral wool. /f applicable, trim the roots at appro. 4 cm. Femo%e the ceramic ring from the bundles. 0lant the stems one by one in a group. Lilaeopsis, howe%er, in small portions.

#2#ro!3 is stems, mosses, and floating plants.

a plant range including rosette, stolons, carpeting

These plants are %ery small, supplied in closed cups with growing medium. 1ee the handling and planting of these here.

hen introducing a new aquariu m, the first D6 days are critical. To put it simply, the aquarium and the aquatic en%ironment must be in balance with regards to plant growth, fish population and filtration. The plants ha%e to adapt to the new conditions at a time where algae can thri%e. We advise you to follo! the steps &elo!4 5. (. 3. 4. 7.

E. H. :.

1et the lighting time to E hours a day in the first (-3 wees. Then you can increase to :-56 hours a day. /t is a good idea to pro%ide &'( from day 5. &hange the water (7-76A a couple of times a wee in the first 3-4 wees. fter that, change appro. (7A of the water once a wee. o fertiliser or a limited amount of fertiliser during the first 3-4 wees. The plants contain plenty of nutrients already from the nursery, which is sufficient to establish a root networ. ast-growing plants such as *geria and Limnophila, can be planted permanently or remo%ed at a later date once the aquarium is balanced. ast-growing plants absorb the ecess nutrients and therefore minimise the growth of algae. /ntroduce algae-eating snails and shrimps as soon as possible after start-up. e recommend that the introduction of fish is delayed for 3-4 wees until the plants ha%e established. /n other respects, follow the fish stocing guidelines for new aquariums. &hec the equipment - does the plug-in-timer operate the lighting effecti%ely, is the &'( supply sufficient, is the filter running, is the temperature 'JC

9ay 5. The aquarium is planted 9ay (6. The plants ha%e taen and filled with water. 1tart with hold - but the aquarium is not balanced yet. ;eware of possible E hours of light a day. algae growth.

9ay D6. The desired result good plant growth, great colour and transparent water - is achie%ed.

1upporting plants 1upporting or auiliary plants are etra p lants that help you get your aquariu m started quicly and safely and they further help a%oid algae.  newly established aquarium has to de%elop the right microbiology "bacteria#, ensuring correct function of the aquarium. ater bacteria perform decomposition and transformation of harmful substances$ howe%er, it taes time before the bacteria concentration is adequate. ew plants ha%e %ital influence on microbiology and water quality, but they require time to de%elop roots, adjust to life under water and grow bigger.  newly established aquarium is sensiti%e, and many things can go wrong 8 often resulting in hea%y algae growth. /mplantation of etra auiliary plants increases the plant %olume in the aquarium and helps absorb nourishment from the water, in order to pre%ent algae from absorbing nourishment for their growth. ll auiliary plants are sturdy and resistant to %arying water quality. =owe%er, they are primarily fast-growing and able to consume the fertilising substances in the water. uiliary plants require regular pruning, so they don)t o%ershadow slow-growing plants and impede with their growing conditions. 'nce the actual plants are growing, and reach good si?es, remo%e the auiliary plants from the aquarium, possibly stepwise. 5xamples of appropriate auxiliary plants4 1undled stems !ith ceramic ring4 &abomba caroliniana$ *geria densa$ =ygrophila difformis .n portions4 &eratophyllum demersum #2#ro!3 cup4 =eteranthera ?osterifolia .n pots4 &eratopteris thalictroides$ Limnophila sessiliflora$ Ludwigia repens )Fubin)$ +yriophyllum mattogrossense %lease remem&er4

part from auiliary plants, changing water is important for a good start without algae. =ere@s a lin to a %ideo showing an easy way to change water. 0lease chec our pp for further information.

&abomba caroliniana

&abomba is a %ery popular aquarium plant from 1outh merica owing to its beautiful foliage. /t reaches 36-:6 cm and each stem can become 7-: cm wide.The least demanding of the &abomba-species, but still causes problems in poorly lit aquariums. /f there is not sufficient light, try Limnophila sessiliflora, which requires less light. +ost decorati%e when planted in groups. *aten locally as a %egetable.

%lant info Type2 'rigin2

1tem 1outh merica

&ountry or continent where a plant is the most common. &ulti%ars arise or are bred in culti%ation.
=igh

(6 36Q

-

%erage height "cm# of the plant after two months in the tan. Light demand2

+edium

The a%erage or medium light demand of an aquarium plant is 6,7 NL. &'( 2

Low

 medium need in &'( is E-54 mgNL.  high demand in &'( is appro. 57-(7 mgNL.

*geria densa

The cosmopolitan *geria densa is a good plant for beginners, and its rapid growth helps create a balance in the aquarium from the start. 1tems grows fast to 46-566 cm and becomes (-4 cm wide. *geria helps pre%enting algae because it absorbs a great number of nutrients from the water. The plant secretes antibiotic substances which can help pre%ent blue-green algae "a type of bacteria#. The growth rate depends largely on the amount of light and nutrition a%ailable.
%lant info Type2

1tem

'rigin2

&osmopolitan

=igh

(6 - 36Q


Low


Low


=ygrophila @raguaia@

RraguaiaS is a ri%er system in ;ra?il and it is under this name that the plant has become nown. There are many signs, howe%er, that the plant is a =ygrophila lancea from apan and =ong Jong. The stem becomes 56-(6 cm tall and E-57 cm wide. /t has compact, tight-sitting lea%es and grows branches easily. 0inching of the stems maintains a bushy loo. The plant is reddish brown to purple in colour and is promoted by good growth conditions. The growth rate is a%erage for a =ygrophila.

%lant info Type2

1tem

'rigin2

sia

+edium

56 (6Q

-


+edium


+edium


=ygrophila difformis

=ygrophila difformis from sia is beautiful and undemanding. 1tems becomes (6-36 cm tall and E-5( cm wide.  plant for beginners which can help create a balance in the aquarium from the start. /ts rapid growth helps pre%ent algae because the plant absorbs a great number of nutrients from the water. The shortage of micronutrients leads to pale lea%es, which may be an indication that the aquarium needs fertiliser. /n large aquariums its lobed lea%es can create a distincti%e group.

%lant info Type2

1tem

'rigin2

sia

=igh

(6 36Q

%erage height "cm# of the plant after two months in the tan.

Light demand2

Low


Low


=ygrophila pinnatifida

=ygrophila pinnatifida originates from /ndia. /t obtains brown, patched lea%es on the surface with a distincti%e burgundy colour underneath. /t creates hori?ontal side shoots and the top shoots should be pinched out in order to maintain compact and attracti%e growth. The hori?ontal side shoots easily attach to both wood and rocs.
%lant info Type2

1tem

'rigin2

sia

+edium

57 36Q

-


+edium

The a%erage or medium light demand of an aquarium plant is 6,7 NL.

&'( 2

+edium


=ygrophila pinnatifida and moss

=ygrophila pinnatifida and moss on mangro%e wood. =ygrophila pinnatifida originates from /ndia. /t obtains brown, patched lea%es on the surface with a distincti%e burgundy colour underneath. /t creates hori?ontal side shoots and the top shoots should be pinched out in order to maintain compact and attracti%e growth. The hori?ontal side shoots easily attach to both wood and rocs.
%lant info Type2

1tem

'rigin2

sia

+edium

57 36Q

-


+edium


+edium

 medium need in &'( is E-54 mgNL.  high demand in

&'( is appro. 57-(7 mgNL.

&eratophyllum demersum @otail@

Layouts containing this plant &eratophyllum demersum @otail@ was found in a smaller tributary in ;oli%ia during an epedition to Fio
%lant info Type2

1tem

'rigin2

&osmopolitan

=igh

7 - 36Q


Low


Low


=eteranthera ?osterifolia

=eteranthera ?osterifolia from 1outh merica is an etremely beautiful plant which forms a lot of side shoots and thus quicly forms a bushy plant group. 1tems can become 36-76 cm tall and E-5( cm wide. /n strong light growth is intensi%e, and the plant must be pruned before it becomes so compact that no light reaches the lower lea%es. ater roots often form on the stem. /n open aquariums it forms small blue flowers if some shoots are allowed to spread on the surface.



=igh

(6 36Q

-


Low


+edium


&eratopteris thalictroides

This plant normally grows fast, but the addition of &'( may be necessary to promote growth. /n small open aquariums it can grow out of the aquarium and form beautiful surface lea%es. The

finely branched lea%es are %ery decorati%e and pro%ide good contrast to other leaf shapes. /n good light &eratopteris thalictroides grows fast and helps pre%ent algae by consuming large amounts of nutrients. This maes it a good starter plant in small aquariums.

%lant info Type2

1tem

'rigin2

sia

=igh

57 36Q

-


+edium


Low


Limnophila aromatica

There are se%eral %arieties of this plant. The %ariety proposed by Tropica is said to come from +alaysia. /t is characterised by its narrow green lea%es, which are purple underneath. Lie most other red plants, the colour depends on a supply of intensi%e light. &'( addition promotes growth significantly, and it also thri%es in hard water. Limnophilla aromatica is easy to propagate by cuttings.

%lant info Type2

1tem

'rigin2

sia

+edium

(6 36Q

-


Low


Low


Limnophila hippuridoides

Limnophila hippuridoides is originally from sia and the stals grow to be (6-76cm high and E-56cm wide 8 often with beautiful outwards crooed shoot tips.  simple plant, able to adjust to %arious conditions. The lea%es are green with a red-%iolet underside, and the whole leaf turns red-%iolet under ideal growth conditions. /t is a %ibrant growing plant, which willingly creates new, solid shoots from the base. Thinning of the oldest and longest shoots is recommended, in order to mae room for such new shoots.

%lant info Type2

1tem

'rigin2

sia

+edium

(6 36Q

-


+edium


&'( 2

Low


Limnophila hippuridoides

Limnophila hippuridoides is originally from sia and the stals grow to be (6-76cm high and E-56cm wide 8 often with beautiful outwards crooed shoot tips.  simple plant, able to adjust to %arious conditions. The lea%es are green with a red-%iolet underside, and the whole leaf turns red-%iolet under ideal growth conditions. /t is a %ibrant growing plant, which willingly creates new, solid shoots from the base. Thinning of the oldest and longest shoots is recommended, in order to mae room for such new shoots.

%lant info Type2

1tem

'rigin2

sia

+edium

(6 36Q

-


Low


&'( 2

Low


Limnophila sessiliflora

Limnophila sessiliflora is a good and undemanding plant from 1outh-*ast sia which is a good alternati%e to &abomba, which demands a lot of light. 1tems grows fast up to 46 cm long and becomes 3-4 cm wide. The plant often grows leggy in poor light, but this can be counteracted to some etent by stimulating growth by &'( addition. +ost beautiful when planted in groups. /n good growing conditions it sends out runners and spreads across the bottom. Limnophila sessiliflora used to be called >mbulia@@.

%lant info Type2

1tem

'rigin2

sia

=igh

57 36Q


Low


Low




%lant info Type2

1tem

'rigin2

sia

=igh

57 36Q


Low


Low




%lant info Type2

1tem

'rigin2

sia

=igh

57 36Q


Low


Low


Ludwigia repens @Fubin@

Mariety of Ludwigia repens from orth merica with striing dar red lea%es and stal. 1tems from (6-76 cm and 4-E cm wide. /t maes a fine colour contrast to the green shades in the aquarium. 0lant in large groups to enhance the decorati%e effect, and prune regularly to encourage bushy growth. The plant maes few demands, but if light is insufficient the lower lea%es tend to fall off. /n strong li ght the colour becomes more intense.


1tem orth merica

+edium

(6 36Q

-


+edium


Low


Ludwigia repens @Fubin@

Mariety of Ludwigia repens from orth merica with striing dar red lea%es and stal. 1tems from (6-76 cm and 4-E cm wide. /t maes a fine colour contrast to the green shades in the aquarium. 0lant in large groups to enhance the decorati%e effect, and prune regularly to encourage bushy growth. The plant maes few demands, but if light is insufficient the lower lea%es tend to fall off. /n strong light the colour becomes more intense.


1tem orth merica

+edium

(6 36Q

-


+edium


Low


+yriophyllum mattogrossense

+yriophyllum matogrossense originates from +ato
/n good light conditions the lea%es spread out in a fan shape. +yriophyllum is relati%ely easy and is suitable for the bacground. /t needs to be pruned frequently to maintain its bushy form. /t is fast growing and requires a good deal of nutrition.  good starter plant.



=igh

(6 36Q

-


+edium


+edium


+yriophyllum tuberculatum

The orange-red %ariety of +yriophyllum from 1outh merica demands high light and nutrient le%els to de%elop optimally. /t becomes (6-E6 cm tall and each stem 3-4 cm wide. +yriophyllum should be planted in the center or bacground of the aquarium, and as a contrast to green plants. The %ariety is fast growing and must be trimmed often to eep a dense, compact growth. &utted stems can be planted net to the group to obtain an e%er denser group.



+edium

(6 36Q

-


+edium


=igh


0roserpinaca palustris @&uba@

0roserpinaca is a stem plant, 56-46 cm tall and 7-56 cm wide. &ulti%ated in closed cups and deli%ered with sawtoothed lea%es, which after a transitional period in the aquarium de%elop into long, finely denticulated, needle-lie lea%es. /n good light conditions it turns a beautiful copper colour and its characteristic appearance is a pleasing contrast to the other plants. 0roserpinaca palustris %aries in form according to its origin. The Tropica culti%ar is found on the /sla de la u%entud off &uba. /n the 1 the plant is commonly nown as >mermaid weed@@.



+edium

=eight2

56 36Q

-


=igh


=igh


Tropica app •

You can download the app to your smartphone or tablet if you scan the below UF code. ;elow you can see the content of the app.

elcome to Tropica@s D6 days 1tartup-ser%ice. ollowing the instructions in this guide gi%es you guidance to ensuring success with your aquarium. 0ress >1tart> to begin the D6 days ser%ice, where you will recei%e messages when it is time to tae care of your aquarium. >List> gi%es you the full guide at once and allows you to scroll bacwards and forwards through the messages, as it suits. inally, you can press >Feset> if you wish to start from the beginning. e hope you enjoy this ser%ice and your aquarium! 6ay 4 You ha%e followed our instructions on start-up and planting "clic on each to see more#, and the aquarium is filled with water and the technique is connected. &hec the technique "is the pump running, does the switch onNoff cloc worC#. e recommend that you start with only E hours light per day. /f your lamp pro%ides a lot of light, you should settle for 6,7 att per litre. e recommend that you add &'( to the aquarium, as this is the most important nourishment for the plants, and without the supply of &'(, many aquarium plants do not grow sufficiently. 9epending on which plants you ha%e chosen, we recommend different solutions "see &'( solutions here#. ast-growing plants ensure a good start-up and pre%ent algae problems "see list of supporting plants here#. /f you ha%e not already bought some of these plants, we recommend that you do so within the first couple of days. 0ostpone the supply of fertili?er, as the plants ha%e brought their own >lunch pac> for the first (-4 wees. 6ay 74 &hange up to 76 A of the water "see guidance in water change#. 0ut shrimps and snails into the aquarium to pre%ent algae problems. e recommend 5 mano shrimp per 7 litres of water in the start-up period. You might also add e.g. posthorn snails and other shrimps that also eat algae "see list of algae eaters here#. ;e aware that the legislation in your country perhaps prescribes that you cannot put animals in the aquarium until later after the start-up. 6ay 84 &hange up to 76 A of the water. &hec the technique "is the pump running, does the switch onNoff cloc wor, is the &'( running#. Femo%e any old or damaged lea%es. 9ead plant material may increase algae growth. 6ay 94

&hange up to 36 A of the water. /t is now time to put algae-eating fish into the aquarium. The fish will eat other algae than the shrimps and snails, and in this way you will ensure an efficient pre%ention of algae problems "see list of algae-eaters here#. /f the water is green and cloudy "see eample of green water here#, chec that the filter is running and perhaps rinse the filter sponge "see more about filters here#. You also ought to change up to H7 A of the water e%ery second day until you ha%e clear water again. /f you still ha%e green water, an efficient solution is to turn off the light for ( days and change H7A of the water before and after. Feoccurring problems with floating algae are usually due to o%erfeeding. 6ay :4 &hange up to 36 A of the water. &hec the technique "is the pump running, does the switch onNoff cloc wor, is the &'( running#. You might cut your supporting plants to pre%ent them from shading the other plants "see more about trimming here#. 6ay 84 &hange up to 36 A of the water. /f you are able to see thread algae "long, thin threads#, this is best remo%ed with a rough woodstic "flowerstic#, which is lead through the thread alga e while rotating the stic "see eamples of filamentous algae here#. dd e.g. more algae eaters$ mano shrimps, the siamese algae eater "&rossocheilus siamensis# and odessabarber "0untius padamya# are particularly good at remo%ing thread algae "see list of algae eaters here#. +ore supporting plants will pre%ent the thread algae from appearing again. 6ay 24 &hange up to 36 A of the water. fter 3 wees, it is enough to change the water once per wee, pro%ided you see no signs of algae problems. &hec the technique "is the pump running, does the switch onNoff cloc wor, is the &'( running#. /t is now time to increase the light period to : hours per day. /t is also time for fertili?ation. e recommend that you start with a fertili?er that does not contain nitrogen "# and phosphorus "0#, e.g. 0lant
&hange up to 36 A of the water. &hec the technique "is the pump running, does the switch onNoff cloc wor, is the &'( running# and rinse the filter sponge "see how#. dd the fertili?er$ e still recommend P a dose. &ut the supporting plants so that they do not shade the other plants "see more about trimming here#. /f you are now able to see signs of coating algae "see here#, this is remo%ed mechanically with a brush or sponge "many people use a toothbrush#.  hea%y growth of coating algae can be due to ecessi%e fertili?ation, or nourishment from dead plants or fish. 6ay 7<4 &hange up to 36 A of the water. &hec the technique "is the pump running, does the switch onNoff cloc wor, is the &'( runningC#. dd the fertili?er$ we still recommend only P a dose. /f you see no signs of algae problems, you can start remo%ing the supporting plants to pro%ide space and light to the other plants in the aquarium. 6ay :24 &hange up to 36 A of the water. &hec the technique "is the pump running, does the switch onNoff cloc wor, is the &'( running#. dd fertili?er$ we still recommend only P a dose. /t is now time to increase the light period from : to 56 hours per day. /f you are able to adjustNturn up the light, you can now also gi%e more than 6,7 att per litre. +ore than 56 hours light per day often results in increased algae growth. e recommend a totalNcoherent light period, i.e. a%oid e.g. turning on the light for ( hours in the morning and then 56 hours later in the day "see more about light o%er the aquarium here#.

6ay :=4 &hange up to 36 A of the water. &hec the technique "is the pump running, does the switch onNoff cloc wor, is the &'( running#.

dd fertili?er$ e stil recommend only P a dose. 9epending on which inds of plants you ha%e in your aquarium, it is time for the first actual cutting "see more about trimming here#. 4 &hange up to 36 A of the water. &hec the technique "is the pump running, does the switch onNoff cloc wor, is the &'( running# and rinse the filter sponge. /t is now time to increase the fertili?ation to a full dose, pro%ided you see no signs of algae problems. /t is also time to consider using a fertili?er that contains nitrogen "# and phosphorus "0#, especially if you ha%e many plants in the aquarium. /f you add  and 0, we recommend that you again start with P a dose and follow the effect carefully. 6ay >74 &hange up to 36 A of the water. &hec the technique "is the pump running, does the switch onNoff cloc wor, is the &'( running#. dd fertili?er. &ut the plants as required "see more about trimming here#. 6ay 894 &hange up to 36 A of the water. &hec the technigue "is the pump running, does the switch onNoff cloc wor, is the &'( running#. dd fertili?er. &ut the plants as required "see more about trimming here#. *stimate the %arious elements in the aquarium$ do they li%e up to the epectationsC +any plants ha%e now spread all o%er the aquarium and a more etensi%e cutting may be required, so that the indi%idual groups still appear as one unit. You may also replace plants that do not thri%e or fit your ideas in terms of the layout. 6ay 884 &hange up to 36 A of the water.

&hec the technique "is the pump running, does the switch onNoff cloc wor, is the &'( running#. dd fertili?er. &ut the plants as required "see more about trimming here#. The time has now come for you to estimate e%ery wee if there are p lants that need cutting$ remember that it is best to cut frequently in order to maintain the balance in the aquarium. 6ay ;:4 &hange up to 36 A of the water. &hec the technique "is the pump running, does the switch onNoff cloc wor, is the &'( running# and rinse the filter sponge. dd fertili?er. &ut the plants as required "see more about trimming here#. 6ay =94 The aquarium is now in full balance. /f you ha%e a foreground co%er, this will be completely dense by now. The stem plants ha%e been through se%eral cuttings and re-plantings and are showing to the best ad%antage in terms of colour and shape. The water is completely clear. You ha%e probably acquired the taste for it, so get some inspiration for how to proceed. +aybe you are %ery fond of the present layout and wish to eep it as long as possible, or maybe you just want to replace a couple of plants. +aybe you feel lie trying something different and start up a completely new layout. You can get inspiration for new layouts "see here#. Femember to enjoy and appreciate all the details in the aquarium, see how inspiring this may beO

&are

'nce you get going and the aquarium is de%eloping properly, you ha%e to start with more general maintenance2 5# &hanging appro. (7A of the water e%ery wee pre%ents the accumulation of ha?ardous substances in the aquarium and limits the algae growth. (# aste products in the form of dead plant matter etc. should be remo%ed as soon as possible. Their breadown uses oygen and produces nutrients that destroys the balance and promotes algae growth. 3# &hec the aquarium equipment regularly in order to mae sure that any faults and defects will be rectified and that a stable en%ironment will be maintained. 4# The plant growth is now in full swing and a liquid fertiliser has to be added. 1tart carefully and with a dose smaller than the recommended. /ncrease the dose gradually according to the plants@ reaction to the fertiliser.  good rule of thumb is that lea%es or plants become lighterNtransparent when they lac fertiliser. 7# &hec for algae on a regular basis. The first sign is unclear water, accumulations on the glass, lea%es or decorati%e materials, or possibly fine threads. /f the algae become %isible, it will be much more difficult to suppress them! lgae are reduced by changing the water, reducing the amount of fertiliser, introducing more fast-growing plants and algae-eaters. You can find more information at tropica.com. T/0! '%erfeeding your fish is the most common cause of algae problems. ollow your dealer@s instructions.

Trimming

The growth rate of the plants is %ery different and so is their trimming. *tensi%e trimming can disturb the balance in the aquarium, which is why little and often trimming is preferable. This way the aquarium will loo presentable all the time.

Trim stem plants "5# by regularly cutting the longest shoots right abo%e one of the bottom lea%es and then re-plant the off-cut in the group. ew shoots will emerge from the trimmed stem. The bottom layer and moss "(# are trimmed lie a lawn, in bacward direction, in order to achie%e fast new growth. *chinodorus, bulbs and tubers "3# are trimmed by remo%ing the outer lea%es of the rosette andNor lea%es that cast shadows o%er the surface. or &ryptocoryne "4#, remo%e the yellow or damaged lea%es. hen the group becomes too dense, remo%e whole plants. 1tolons "7# are trimmed if they in%ade the surrounding plants. The oldest plants can be replaced with stolons from time to time. Fhi?ome plants "E# are slow-growing plants. The rhi?ome stem itself is trimmed between a bunch of lea%es when the plant becomes too big. ew shoots will form from the leaf base.

lgal control

Tropica@s recommendations for algae control are based on the abo%e-mentioned ad%ices on pre%ention. /f you get problems anyway, then try2 5.

+ore algae eaters "F*+*+;*F, the more, the better and the more different inds, the better#. (. +ore frequent change of water "36A e%ery (. day for a period - especially by green algae#. 3. Light control - does the sun shine directly on the aquarium, or is the turn onNoff cloc defectC 4. 0otential blac-out "co%er the aquarium in blac plastic and eep it dar for (-3 days# especially by green water.

The picture abo%e shows how efficient the mano shrimp is when it comes to eeping a plant aquarium free from algae. The aquarium to the left had 3 shrimps, the one in the middle had none, while the one to the right had one shrimp during the start-up. They were all planted in the same way2 3 nubias barteri %ar. nana and 3 *leocharis par%ula. The picture has been taen 3 months after the start-up. /t is eperiments lie these that mae Tropica recommend 5 mano shrimp per 7 L water during the start-up of a new plant aquarium. 'nce a biological balance has been achie%ed in the aquarium, you can easily settle for fewer shrimps - e.g. 5 per 57 L water. =owe%er, if you ha%e many fish that you feed, then we recommend that you maintain the population of 5 mano shrimp per 7 L water.

Types of algae 0lanton algae "green water, or phytoplanton# is a mass occurrence of small one-celled algae and is normally caused by too high nutrient concentrations in the water. Treatment2 requent change of water. 0lanton algae often appears in new aquariums or in aquariums in which a new layout has been made recently. /t can be hard to get rid of, but a well-functioning filter with plenty of fine

filter material can clear up the water again. 'ften a M-treatment may be required, but Tropica does not recommend M-treatment as a standard aid, as the M-light also ills the useful bacteria. ;iological control is difficult, as only a large population of filtering shells can remedy the problem. 'ften the planton algae disappears of itself after repeated water changes. ilamentous algae are colonies of one-celled algae, that stic together in long green threads. Treatment2 requent change of water and a large population of algae eaters, primarily mano shrimps. ilamentous algae can be %ery hard to get rid of, as there are types of it that neither shrimps nor algae-eating fish lie to eat. /n difficult incidents - and especially if it is a matter of the troublesome red algaeNdulce - it may be necessary with a chemical treatment. ;* &F*L, as some preparations are also harmful to your aquarium plants. Tropica generally recommends not to remo%e thread algae with chemical preparations. Try instead to change the water more often than usual and put in a large population of mano shrimps$ p to ( shrimps per 7 L water may be required for a transitional period. lgal layers are thin coatings of one-celled diatoms, red algae and green algae. Treatment2  large and %aried population of algae-eating fish and shrimps and cleaning the glass with a soft sponge. &oating algae is rarely a big problem, if you ha%e a good population of algae-eating shrimps and fish in your aquarium. There are howe%er inds, which may be troublesome, and these are the blue-blac coatings that are formed by bluegreen algae, but they usually only appear by ecessi%e feeding in fish aquariums. Less intense feeding usually maes the bluegreen algae disappear again.

0re%enting algae ?lgal eaters - mae sure that you always ha%e a %aried population of algae eaters in your aquarium. The different inds of shrimps, snails and algae-eating fish prefer different inds of algae, and the more different inds you ha%e, the less the ris of a specific ind of algae taing o%er your aquarium.

Water change - one of the most efficient mediums against algae. The water change ensures that a surplus of nutrients does not accumulate in the aquarium. Light control - Tropica recommends that you do not ha%e more than 56 hours light o%er your aquarium per day. se a turn onNoff cloc, so that you need not remember each day to turn the aquarium on and off - and re member to chec regularly that it actually wors. Moderate feeding - cause no. 5 for algae problems is o%erfeeding or a too big population of fish. Tropica recommends that you ha%e no more than 5 cm fish per L water in the aquarium and preferably less. ?void a too high temperature - temperatures abo%e appro. (E I& almost always gi%e cause for algae problems. *specially thread algae lies the heat, so if you ha%e problems with algae, try to lower the temperature to (( I& or less.

Test of algal eaters This is ho! efficient the various algae eaters are according to our test The upper part of the illustration "# shows the relati%e efficiency of the 7 tested species2 The mano shrimp, &herry shrimp, ?ebra snail "eritina#, 'dessa barb and the 1iamese algae eater. The illustration shows that the mano shrimp is appro. twice as efficient as the ?ebra snail and E times as efficient as the cherry shrimp. 0art of the difference is howe%er due to the fact that an mano shrimp is much bigger than a cherry shrimp, which is why

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