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.

I had several questions about items in my order and they were answered quickly and all responses were very helpful

Always a good experience shopping with the Coop. happy to support this company as i feel they do their best to provide well tested and backed products.

1st time I've purchased from here. I find their selection somewhat limited but I have no complaints about their product or delivery.

Always a pleasure shopping with Aquarium Co-op
Great products and fast shipping!

Love ACO

Products were great and you guys took care of me really quickly. I will always purchase here for things I need.

Perfect experience. I got everything I ordered so fast.

A no-brainer for any fishkeeper.

I really like the expanded space, shopping was a pleasure. Everyone was helpful and there was adequate staff. I liked it.

I love how you offer so many wonderful products and at a reasonable price. Everything I ordered is as expected. Except one thing, I did get snails on a plant. I ordered three different Anubias plants and at least one had snail eggs becuase now every few days I am pulling a snail or two out of my community 30 gallon tank lol! Not the best thing but oh well. Other than that I am very happy. I already have PLENTY of snails though becuase of my pond having loads of Ramshorn snails. We aquired those from plants at Poor Boys. Now we have so many but it's not a bad thing they keep the walls and things cleaner. As long as we keep the population from getting out of control. I do not want them in my tank though and have to pull them out when I find them so they don't mate in there and lay eggs which they can do at a surprisingly young age!

My air pump from here is wonderfull! It's the dual outlet battery backup version which is amazing. Great air flow and adjustable, it's nice.

The plants seem healthy and are doing great! I wish you sold more heaters and Inkbird thermometer shut offs. A must have if you use a heater, to be on the safe side and not sorry.

I would recommend Aquarium Co-Op to averyone!

Thank you!

The CO - OP is always great . So many things you need and shipping is always quick . Everything well packaged.

Simply the best. Better than all the rest...

Best group, ever!

I really like Aquarium co-op generally, but will not be buying plants from them anymore. I purchased a batch of 9 plants including this Lindernia Rotundifolia 'Watermelon' plant that was advertised.

Ordered over the weekend, shipped the Monday and did not arrive until the next Monday. To be fair to Aquarium Co-op, the plants were packed very well, but almost all the plants were melted. Only the java ferns were alright.

I sent pictures and was told that the rest of the plants would be alright and to put the bulb in the tank. I didn't buy a bald bulb. I was issued a partial refund. about half.

Now a week later, all the watermelon plants are all melted and dead in my tanks, the Red Dwarf Aquarium Lily Bulb is still dead/bald. Only 3 plants of the 9 I ordered are alive. All 5 of the Lindernia Rotundifolia 'Watermelon' are dead.

Aqaurium Co-op needs to rethink shipping with Amazon. It doesn't take Amazon 1 week to deliver any of their items.

Aquarium Co op as usual came through again. Been a loyal customer for years. My nephew is setting up his first tank. I introduced him to aquarium Co op.
Highly recommend shopping here .

This is my go to place for aquarium shopping. I only go to other stores for supplies they don't sell. I know from watching all the videos and live streams how much research and care goes into their products. A true rarity in this day and age.
And if there is an issue, their customer service is top notch. They will take care of you.

After placing a decent number of orders and following the youtube channel, i can tell that all of the products are genuine and they truly care about the products they sell and the customers that they sell to. They take feedback seriously and have great customer service.

I have ordered from the COOP multiple times in the past when the warehouse was back in the northwest. Since moving warehouse shipping seems quite a bit slower taking normally 1 week+. I have ordered plants from them and they didn't arrive in a good shape. There was no insulation when the temp was hot outside. Don't know if it was an oversight or how they ship plants now. I will most likely only order plants when the temperature is mild moving forward.

Love ordering from the co-op great products at a great value rarely does anything go wrong but I know if it does customer service will cover it

Amazing products

Always quick and efficient and well packaged.

Orders arrive on time and without issue.

Easy install, works great

Excellent customer service stands by everything they
sell

I'm a very frequent shopper here on the Aquarium Co-op online store. Their plant selection keeps me coming back every month. Let alone the fertilizer, the fish food, and supplies! I've been supporting them for years now and don't plan on changing that!

Trusted and recommended!

I love Aquarium Co-op products!!

I placed an order Friday late morning and it arrived Sunday afternoon! That was their free shipping option. I wasn't expecting to receive the order until Tuesday maybe Wednesday. Not with the Co-Op! Box was perfect as always.

All-in-al, my experience has been excellent. The co-op is one of the best online aquatic stores. Good descriptions aid in product selection. Easy to navigate website design with great images. Highly recommended.

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