Making 3 Easy Aquarium Bonsai Trees For Your Planted Tank

Aquascaping is a soothing experience for those who love nature and likes to create spaces. The main aim of Aquascaping is to create an artistic landscape underwater in an aquarium. Bonsai trees, rocks, cave work, driftwood, stones, and other aqua plants are used to design this aquascape. It is more like gardening under water and giving aquariums a more pleasing and artistic look.

Many people enjoy fish-keeping as their hobbies and the more devoted ones take it one step further and design a planted tank setup. A planted tank is one of the most alluring freshwater aquarium setups. It also works as experiment ground for Aquascaping métiers. They love to design and redesign their aquarium to add a more natural artistic feel to their living rooms. Unlike normal aquariums, planted tanks need careful consideration and right supplies like a filter, CO2, aqua plants, substrate, and light to establish a charming and long-lasting planted tank.

In this video, Marimo Moss Balls, Monte Carlo, and Java Moss are used to create 3 different nano-size bonsai trees for your aquascape. 

Let us introduce these green beauties to you so that you can understand these live aquatic plants, create your Bonsai trees and can manage their maintenance well:

Marimo Moss Balls:

This fluffy looking velvety green ball is algae rather than moss or plant. Its scientific name is Aegagropila linnaei. It gets its ball-like shape from tumbling at the bottom of freshwater lakes. It is also known as “Marimo” which can be translated in English as “water plant that’s kind of like a bouncy ball.”

If you want to place these bouncy balls directly then you can just rinse it with aquarium water and drop it to sink in the tank. Once it gets waterlogged it will sink at the bottom. For growing moss balls at home, you need to keep them in low light and keep them at around 80°F temperature in betta tanks as many hobbyists successfully grew moss at this high temperature. To not lose their shape, roll the balls in your hands every time you change the water of the aquarium tank. You have to keep flipping it over after a certain period so that all parts of algae can get equal light which will stop it from browning. 

 For placing it over bonsai driftwood, soak it well in water and then open and start spreading it over the branches. Make sure it covers the branches well.

Monte Carlo:

 This plant is a recent discovery and is known as Micranthemum Monte Carlo. It soon rose to fame because it's easy to grow and is adaptable. In Aquascaping, this plant is normally preferred to use as a carpet for planted tanks, but it works perfectly well on aquarium Bonsai trees as well. 

Its carpet looks beautiful and gives the feeling of being in nature. It can grow well in any light setting high or low, in CO2 or non-CO2 tank. But for better results, we suggest keeping in high lighting setting and in high tech CO2 tank to cultivate it at home. A large amount of Monte Carlo will be needed while wrapping it over Bonsai driftwood.

Java Moss:

Java moss, or scientifically known as Vesicularia dubyana. This plant is of invasive species as it is very difficult to remove it once its roots are set. This aquatic plant is commonly used over driftwood, rocks or walls in the planted tanks. This plant grows easily and is cost-effective. It also helps to improve the water quality, provide protection and food for breeding fish, and reduce algae growth. It can spread quickly in the wild. If you are using it over driftwood, then it might require maintenance over time.

Hope this video and article help you renovate your aquarium in the most beautiful ways!