It is essential to have enough oxygen in your aquarium or pond because fish and other organisms depend on this oxygen to live; without the oxygen, they would die. There are several ways to ensure enough oxygen in the tank, but one of the cheapest and easiest ways is to add oxygenating plants.
Water in your aquarium or pond can run out of oxygen, and you need to replenish it of its lost value to keep the fish in it alive. One of the methods of adding oxygen to ponds or aquariums is to introduce oxygenating plants. Some of the best oxygenating plants to add to your water include hornwort, green Cabomba, dwarf Sagittaria, Rotala Indica, Anacharis, bacopa, etc.
Do Live Aquarium Plants Produce Oxygen?
Live aquarium plants are one of the best sources of oxygen for your aquarium water. The plants help you replenish the oxygen in the water by maintaining a constant exchange of gases. They also make sure your fish does not get deprived of oxygen or suffer from low oxygen in the tank or pond.
Unlike animals, plants do not breathe in oxygen; they breathe in carbon dioxide instead. After making use of the needed carbon dioxide, they release oxygen to the environment. This plant action is advantageous for fish as it will help them get rid of the excess carbon dioxide in the aquarium or pond and replace it with oxygen.
This activity ensures that the water in the pond or aquarium is full of oxygen and suitable for your fish’s healthy living. The only time these plants do the opposite of their respiration activities is at night. At night or in the dark, plants take in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide as there is no light for photosynthesis.
They might consume oxygen from the pond, but you can be sure they will replace it with a bountiful amount in the day. You can also use other means of producing oxygen at night while you depend on your plants in the day. Ensure you have a live aquarium plant in your aquarium to help you produce oxygen for your fish.
7 Oxygenating Plants for Aquarium
Oxygen is vital for your fish’s healthy living, so you must ensure to always have enough oxygen in your aquarium for your fish to live. The 7 oxygenating plants I recommend for your aquarium are
- Hornwort
- Green Cabomba
- Anacharis
- Ludwigia Repens
- Jungle Vallisneria
- Bacopa
- Dwarf Sagittaria
More on these plants below
Hornwort
Hornwort, also referred to as Coontail, is a common species of oxygenating plants that most aquarists place in their aquarium. It is very hardy and will survive in a wide range of climates, although it is best to keep it in cooler waters. Warmer waters cannot hold much oxygen that the hornwort produces, but cooler ones will retain more oxygen.
They can grow to about 10 feet, whereby you might have to press it down in the aquarium for your tank to get more oxygen. It also requires a large tank due to its large size and fast growth rate, which means it can outgrow its tank within a short time. Its growth rate depends on the amount of light it gets; the more sunlight it gets, the faster it grows.
Hornwort is available to buy on amazon
Green Cabomba
The green Cabomba is a common oxygenating plant that produces enough oxygen for your fish in the aquarium. The plant is a little bit complicated to handle and care for, so it is not suitable for new tank owners. This plant can come in green, purple, or red color; you only have to choose the one that suits you best.
They do not require much lighting and can grow to about 11 inches under appropriate conditions. You can place your Cabomba down in the substrate or allow it to float, but you should know they have a fast growth rate, so you might have to trim at intervals. Ensure you provide an ideal water condition and also make sure the aquarium is large enough to contain it.
Green Cabomba is available to buy on amazon
Anacharis
Anacharis, also referred to as waterweed, is an oxygenating plant suitable for your aquarium as they provide a large amount of oxygen for your waters. It is a lush tall plant that requires minimal care and handling, making it suitable for beginners. They grow fast and can tolerate a wide range of water temperatures.
They do not require much lighting, and they provide enough shade for your fish. The plant can grow to about 8 inches and requires neutral water with a slight deviation to grow. It does not require a specific substrate as it will grow in all but will grow faster in substrates with high nutrients.
Anacharis is available to buy on amazon
Ludwigia Repens
The Ludwigia Repens is a suitable aquarium plant that provides oxygen for tank organisms. There are two types of the plant; one with green color and the other comes in red. The red-colored Ludwigia appears more beautiful than the green, and its color becomes deeper with the increased intensity of the light.
The plant is suitable for beginners as it requires minimal handling and it is effortless to care for. It also can tolerate a wide range of temperatures, allowing it to thrive in water as cold as 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Aside from generating the needed oxygen, the plant also adds beauty to the aquarium.
Ludwigia Repens is available to buy on amazon
Jungle Vallisneria
The jungle Vallisneria, also known as eelgrass or water celery, is one of the best oxygenating plants for your aquarium. The plant provides enough oxygen for your tank organisms as it has a large surface area and long fauna. It is easy to care for and is the favorite of several aquarists.
It can grow up to 6 feet tall and requires medium lighting, so you do not always have to have it in the path of the sun. Eelgrass grows fast, and you might have to do some cultivation to prevent it from growing all over the tank. Too much eelgrass in the tank can cause a lot of trouble for your fish and other tank organisms.
Jungle Vallisneria is available to buy on amazon
Bacopa
Bacopa is a common aquarium oxygenating plant, and it requires little care and handling, making it suitable for newbies. It requires low lighting and does not grow fast like other plants; it is relatively slow in growing. It can grow to over 11 inches and requires a large tank to accommodate it adequately.
It is one of the most commonly identified plants in Aquascaping because of its suitable color. It has a natural green color that changes to a brownish or pinkish hue when introduced to high-intensity light. They are quite hardy and require a higher temperature of about 69.8 to 80.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bacopa is available to buy on amazon
Dwarf Sagittaria
The dwarf Sagittaria is a fast-growing aquarium plant that produces a substantial amount of oxygen for aquarium organisms. Dwarf Sagittaria is easy to care for and maintain, which makes it the right choice for beginners. It can grow to about 12 inches and requires a large tank to accommodate it.
It is a carpet plant that requires moderate lighting and grows in the fore and mid-ground of your aquarium. It can tolerate water with pH ranging from slightly acidic to slightly basic, with neutral waters as the best. For fast growth, you should keep it in a suitable substrate and under moderate to intense lighting.
Dwarf Sagittaria is available to buy on amazon
Best Oxygenating Plants for Aquariums
There are several oxygenating plants for your aquarium, but you have to go for the best. A good oxygenating plant will provide the needed oxygen for your tank and ensure its optimum condition. The best oxygenating plants for aquariums include
- Hornwort
- Vallisneria
- Eelgrass
- Anacharis
7 Oxygenating Plants for Ponds
If you are looking to get more oxygen in to your pond than plants are an ideal selection as they have lots of benefits for your pond, not just producing oxygen. The plants I recommend for ponds are
- Arrowhead
- Fanwort
- Red Rotala
- Eelgrass
- Hornwort
- Waterweed
- Water wisteria
More details about each plant below
Arrowhead
The arrowhead, also known as the dwarf Sagittaria, is an oxygenating plant suitable for a pond. It is effortless to care for and is appropriate for beginners or amateurs. It is suitable for your pond and has parts suited for the production of oxygen.
Arrowhead is available to buy on amazon
Fanwort
Fanwort is also a suitable oxygenating plant for your pond. They provide a high amount of oxygen and habitat for fish with their broad, fan-shaped leaves. They are suitable for ponds with docile or smaller fish because of their shape and structure.
It prefers a muddy bottom for its root and a large space to accommodate its growth. It can also produce flowers at the top of the water surface, creating beautiful scenery in the pond.
Fanwort is available to buy on amazon
Red Rotala
The red Rotala is a beautiful oxygenating plant that is suitable for your pond. It has robust leaves appropriate for the production of oxygen and requires carbon dioxide, light, and water to thrive. It also needs nutrients like phosphate and iron, as deficiency of this nutrient can cause the leaves to look dull.
Red Rotala is available to buy on amazon
Eelgrass
The eelgrass is one of the best oxygenating plants for your pond as they produce a large amount of oxygen for pond organisms. They have a large surface area and long fauna that make them suitable for large oxygen production. They are very hardy and will grow to a large size, requiring large space for their growth.
Eelgrass is available to buy on amazon
Hornwort
Hornworts are the most common type of oxygenating plants with very hardy qualities. They are fast-growing pond plant species as they will deprive other plants of accessing nutrients in the pond unless the nutrient is in excess. They can grow freely, or you can hold them down in the pond using substrates or structures.
Hornwort is available to buy on amazon
Waterweed
Waterweed is another plant that generate enough oxygen for organisms in the pond. Aside from being a good oxygenator for ponds, waterweeds also provide a good habitat and spawning site for fish and other organisms in the pond. It is easy to grow waterweeds, but you have to take care of it to prevent overgrowth.
Waterweed is available to buy on amazon
Water Wisteria
Water wisteria is a good oxygenating plant for your pond as it grows below two feet and about a foot wide. It has bright green leaves and is an effective oxygenator that is tough and easy to grow. It requires moderate lighting and a slightly acidic to slightly basic with neutral waters as the best.
Water Wisteria is available to buy on amazon
Best Oxygenating Plants for Ponds
There are numerous oxygenating plants that you can use in your pond, but you have to go for the best. All oxygenating plants are good and will provide you with the needed oxygen, but the best will provide you with conditions and benefits that suit your pond. The best oxygenating plants for your pond include;
- Eelgrass
- Fanwort
- Arrowhead
- Hornwort
- Waterweed.
How Many Oxygenating Plants Do I Need for my Pond
You will need to plant roughly 3 bunches of plant for every m² of your pond. If your pond is 2m x 2m that is 4 m² total so you will require 12 bunches of plant.
The larger the size of your pond, the more the number of oxygenating plants you will need. If you have a circular pond with a three-meter diameter or seven-meter square area, you will need about 21 bunches of oxygenating plants. You can also keep varieties of oxygenating plants in your pond for maximum diversity.
What Aquarium Plants Keep Water Clear?
To keep the water clear in your aquarium you should have some floating plants as this provides shade for the aquarium, then submerged plants like hornwort, Anacharis and duckweed are great at keeping the water clear.
Aquarium plants that help maintain clean water are floating plants like lotus and lilies and submerged plants like hornwort and Anacharis. The floating plants help provide shade, preventing the growth of algae. The submerged plants also help in providing the needed oxygen to the water.
What Pond Plants Keep Water Clear?
To keep the water clear in your pond you should have some floating plants as this provides shade for the aquarium, then submerged plants like hornwort, Anacharis and duckweed are great at keeping the water clear.
Adding lilies and lotus to your pond will help you keep clear water as it will provide shade that will prevent algae growth. Plants like hornwort and Anacharis will also provide your pond with the needed oxygen for your pond organisms.
Best Pond Plants for Algae Control
The best pond plants for algae control are floating plants. These plants will provide shade and prevent sunlight from getting into the tank, thereby controlling algae’s growth. Floating plants like lotus and lilies will do the job perfectly.
Conclusion
Ensure you get the best oxygenating plants for your pond and aquarium to maintain your fish’s good health.
Respiration is an important activity that all living things must carry out to stay alive and healthy. These living things include plants and animals, where animals respire by breathing in oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide, while plants do the opposite in the presence of sunlight. Fish are part of these animals, only that they are aquatic and breathe in oxygen dissolved in water.
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