I heart plants.

Since I happen to live in an apartment with zero ventilation, I have to open the window several times a day, even when it's cold outside. I don't mind the cold, but my plants do. So they don't survive or they simply suffer.

Which is why I adore my aquarium plants. I need plants to take care of, to give some green lushness to my winter days. I love seeing plants grow and prosper.

Back when I still had my Rainbow cichlids, I couldn't grow any plants in the tank because those terrorists would eat them within a week. That's the main reason I got rid of them and got some new cute fishes (check them out in this post).

I had an algae problem initially, but ever since the aquarium shopkeeper told me I probably change the water too much and too often and don't fertilize enough, and then acted in the opposite manner to salvage the situation, my plants have been positively thriving.

Look!

It's full of plants! The fish can barely swim around! Such a happy sight.

These plants, whatever they are, like to grow out of the tank towards the lamp:

Ever since I bought these lamps six years ago, I've been wanting to get plants that grow out of the tank. With regular aquarium lamps, that's impossible. But it was only now that I accidentally managed to choose a plant that to my surprise likes to grow up up and away!

Those small spots are Lemna minor, or common duckweed. Aquarists usually hate them because they multiply really fast and look kind of untidy. It's hard to avoid getting them along with other plants that you buy and it's hard to get rid of them as well. As for myself, I didn't mind at all getting these plants for free. I like how they complement the overall lush verdancy (I hope that's a real word), plus they were helpful in overthrowing those nasty algae. Fast-growing plants are essential in harvesting extra nutrients from the water, so they won't be utilized by algae instead. They did their job and now I keep only a small smattering of duckweed to give some variety to the mix of plants.

I also have these Pistia stratiotes growing on the surface. I like how they create some shadowy areas for the fish to feel safe in, and they just look pretty. Their leaves are covered with white hair, which helps keep them from getting submerged.

They are still fairly small - they can grow even five times this large over time with good lighting and fertilization! I hope they will. I like seeing plants grow BIG.