I admit it, plant friends; I was totally unaware of a total subsect of the plant community: the planted aquarium world. There is a whole corner of the plant world dedicated to elevating our common fishtanks to living, growing underwater worlds that look like art. Aquatic gardeners are using aquatic plants to aquascape insanely beautiful aquariums. It is biophilia in the highest sense because you have so many aspects of the natural world indoors, and you even get to keep cute fishies! I had many of you request this episode but, to be frank, I've only health with above-ground houseplants so I was totally out of my depths. I figured I’d turn to Karen, an avid aquatic gardener who has written a step-by-step tutorial on how to assemble planted aquariums for a chat about the basics of aquatic plants. Get ready to dive into the wild world of aquatic plants and gardening!Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party!Join us in the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet: our private community platform and app with dedicated conversation topics, quarterly meet-ups, regional groups and the ability to find plant friends near you and so much more!Join the Garden Party and become a Plant Friend!Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast,so you don't miss the amazing episodes we have coming up!In this episode we learn:[01:06] Introducing Karen[03:33] What to expect from this conversation[05:20] How Karen became the plant lady she is today[07:40] The importance of knowing your plants’ natural habitat[08:42] Why are planted aquariums becoming popular again?[10:33] Basic houseplants vs. aquatic plants[12:04] How do you trade aquatic plants?[13:33] What are aquatic plants and how do they grow underwater?[15:04] The different types of aquatic plants[19:48] How are emersed and submersed aquarium plants different[21:24] The basic requirements for a planted aquarium with live plants[23:43] What does ‘cycled’ mean?[25:57] Why do you need to let your plants settle in the aquarium before introducing fish?[28:43] Where to get bacteria that your aquarium needs[30:04] Three uses of filters in your aquarium[33:07] How to prep your plants for winter[34:51] Learn from a horticulturist![37:06] What water to use in your aquarium[38:31] How to figure out the water you have at home[39:52] Troubleshooting your aquarium water[42:03] Why do you need to change the water in your aquarium?[43:17] Using fertilizer in your aquarium[45:08] What type of substrate works best for your aquarium?[50:23] Aquarium lighting and the basics[53:26] The most important lighting factor for your aquarium[56:56] Karen’s aquarium supply recommendations[58:26] How to transition to a bigger tank[01:00:11] Are CO2 systems worth it?[01:03:14] How do you select plants for your aquarium?[01:05:24] Top 5 best aquatic plants for beginners[01:11:41] Maria’s plans for her own planted aquariumMentioned in our conversation:Sunken Gardens: A Step-by-Step Guide to Planting Freshwater Aquariums, book by Karen RandallFlorida Aquatic NurseriesAquatic Gardeners AssociationGH Kit & KH KitFluval Plant and Shrimp StratumSafe-T-Sorb Absorbent ClayKaren Randall's ScrapScapeThank you to our episode sponsors:SolTech SolutionsSoltech Solutions recently launched the Greenfit™ bundle with their new Vita LED Grow Bulb: a bulb that screws into any light fixture. Greenfit your home and get four Vita Grow Light Bulbs for the price of 3, no coupon code necessary! Head over to soltechsolutions.com and check out their bundles of lights and lighting accessories for up to 20% off!Follow Karen:Planted Aquarium WebsiteVivarium/Terrarium WebsitePlanted Nano and Betta Tank Facebook GroupFollow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio:Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet!Take the Bloom and Grow Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon