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The Planting Process
Make sure you have 2-3 inches of substrate ready at the bottom of your tank, which is where you will be planting your Water Sprite. Choose its location carefully, to avoid having to re-plant or move it later on. The Water Sprite needs space to grow as its roots expand, so you will want to calculate and make sure it has some extra space, especially if you have bought it small.
The process of planting your Water Sprite is no different than planting any other plant; you make a hole in your chosen location, and you should ensure the whole is big enough to fit all the roots. Put your plant in there and gently cover up the roots and possibly a small part of the base of the stem, so that the Water Sprint does not tip over.
The roots should be completely covered with a substrate (gravel or sand) and they should not be exposed. If there is direct water flow anywhere in your tank – try to keep the Water Sprint away from it.
Where to Position the Plant
This is a mid-to-background plant, and this is not because they couldn’t do well growing in the foreground, and it is more a question of their leafy presentation possibly obscuring the in-depth view of your tank. When planted in the background, the one thing you need to take into consideration is the power filter water intakes.
Don’t place the plant too close to these as a leaf could easily get stuck, either damaging your Water Sprint or potentially even clogging the filter, which could quickly become problematic. An option is to add a pre-filter to prevent this from happening if you prefer to have the Water Sprint planted in the background.
If you would rather incorporate the Water Sprite as a midground plant – that works very well too, and here the main thing to consider is for it to have enough space to grow and expand, as they do tend to grow significantly once properly planted.
What Else to Put in the Tank?
So, now that you have the tank, you’ve added the Water Sprite and you are pretty happy with the outcome – what’s next? It is time to figure out what else to put in the tank, and what tank mates are suitable for a Water Sprite plant.
The one animal to be a little wary of is the snail, as some types of snails might resort to eating it, which would be an issue for obvious reasons. This can sometimes be prevented by making sure your snails are always properly fed, to simply reduce the need for them feeding off your new leafy plant.
Goldfish is another species to be a little cautious with for the same reasons, along with Cichlids that could potentially end up devouring the entire plant. Instead, consider getting fish that will enjoy the shade the water sprite aquarium plants provide, or fish that prefer to hide or lay eggs in a more sheltered environment.
Examples of great species to add to your tank when you have Water Sprite lace leaf plants are Killifish, Platies, Class Catfish (Clarias), Guppies, Tetras and more, as these are more likely to live in perfect harmony with your Water Sprite.
Caring for a Water Sprite Plant
Not everyone wants to spend a lot of time caring for what is in their fish tank, and the good news is that the Water Sprite care is surprisingly simple. It pretty much takes care of itself once you plant it or leave it to float, but you do need to pay attention to how large it grows, as it could sometimes start taking up a little too much space.
If this happens, you can trim the secondary stems (remove these afterward, to make sure they don’t start rooting and spreading), but you should never cut into the main stem as this could do serious harm to a Water Sprite, and eventually lead to it dying. Learning how to trim Water Sprite plants is not hard, and you will get the hang of it quickly.
Level of Difficulty
Buying, planting and caring for a Water Sprite aquarium plant is easy, so this is considered an easy level plant to have in your fish tank. It is a great beginner’s plant for anyone who is new to having a fish tank or to care for an aquarium, and it will start you off just right with a plant that pretty much takes care of itself.
As long as you check on your Water Sprites plant regularly, such as when you change the water in the tank, and remove any parts that are looking a little brown or decomposing, you will quickly notice how easy it is to care for.
Benefits of a Shade Providing Plant
Shade in an aquarium has a number of known benefits, and one of them is to keep the algae levels at a bay, which should always be a priority when you have a fish tank. By adding this kind of a plant, Water Sprite, and especially if you let it float – you will be providing natural shade for everything that lives in your tank, as well as for the water itself, which can become key when trying to keep algae levels under control.
Shade is also preferred by many fish, and especially the species known to be a little shy and almost “private,” because many fish species enjoy hiding away from time to time. By providing shade, your tank will become a more pleasant place for its inhabitants, allowing both animals and plants to thrive.
How Lighting Affects Growth
The amount of light a Water Sprite receives will have a direct impact on how much it grows, and how fast, and the more light it receives the faster and bigger it will grow. This knowledge can be useful both to figure out what to expect, but also if you would like to have a little more control of Water Sprite propagation and growth.
If it isn’t getting quite as big as you would have wanted – add more light or expose it to light for longer periods of time. Naturally, a floating Water Sprite receives more light as it is closer to the surface and closer to a light source, and this is why most plants grow larger when floating, compared to those that are planted.
It can be tempting to let your Water Sprite grow freely at a fast pace, but remember not to let it take up too much space, as a very large Water Sprite could possibly start stealing nutrition away from other living things in the tank, and in a case like this, you might want to either reduce its size or add additional nutrients such as the appropriate fertilizer.
Reproduction
When it comes to propagating Water Sprite plants are quite fascinating! Little plantlets will start growing on their own on the stems, and eventually – when they are ready – they will gently break off and separate themselves from the main plant. If you are not interested in having your Water Sprite plant turn into many little Watersprite plants, these plantlets will need to be removed.
Who Should Get a Water Sprite Plant?
The Water Sprite is one of those plants that you don’t have to think twice before getting, and it is one that most tank- and/or aquarium owners can benefit from adding their plant collection. Not only does it provide shade, but it also looks great with its many green leaves, and it is so easy to care for that it pretty much cares for itself, provided the tank is properly conditioned in terms of water temperature and PH
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