Are your aquarium plants melting, stalling, or turning into sad, algae-covered twigs?
Fear not, young aquarist — today we unveil The 5 Sacred Aquarium Plant Laws beginners should never break.

These laws are simple, effective, and designed to save you from the most common plant disasters.
If you’re starting a planted tank, struggling to keep plants alive, or just tired of buying things that immediately decide to die… this video is your new holy scripture.

Learn how to choose the right plants, avoid beginner traps, prevent algae, and build a tank that actually thrives — all told through a lightly medieval lens, because why not?

🪨 Plant Commandments — For the Medieval Aquarist.

In this video:

The Plant Commandments: Keeping Your Aquarium Thriving

Keeping your aquarium plants alive is easier said than done when you're a beginner.

Back in my time as a plant manager at Australia’s largest aquarium store, I witnessed plant fails worthy of their own cautionary tales. Most of the time, it’s not because people are doing anything wrong — it’s because they tragically chose the wrong plants for their setup.

Different plants have different needs, and beginners often grab whatever looks pretty on the shelf, not realising that some plants basically need CO₂, a nutrition plan, and a full gym membership just to survive.

So, allow me to introduce the Plant Commandments: simple laws to keep your kingdom thriving. Break them at your own risk.

Commandment #1 — Thou Shalt Not Stock Thy Tank with Epiphytes Alone

Epiphytes are plants that grow on surfaces like rocks or driftwood. They grow slower than a peasant waiting for payday. Think Anubias, Java Fern, Bucephalandra, and Bolbitis — the leafy, slow-moving monks of the aquarium world.

They look amazing, but if your tank is filled only with epiphytes, your kingdom is undefended — and algae will march in to take the throne.

If you must use epiphytes, fill at least half the tank, but pair every slow-growing epiphyte with a fast-growing stem plant. Stem plants suck up excess nutrients, oxygenate the water, and outcompete algae. They are the guardians of the realm. Fast, strong, and always ready for battle.

Commandment #2 — Thou Shalt Not Covet Red Plants Without the Holy Trinity

Red plants are the ultimate temptation for beginners. You see the reds, you want the reds, you crave the reds — but you cannot have them yet.

Red plants require a tank that has earned its stripes: CO₂ injection, strong lighting, and food on tap.

Some beginners try to shortcut this with liquid CO₂. Let me stop you right there — liquid CO₂ is basically diluted algicide. It will not magically turn your tank into the king’s royal garden. Real CO₂ injection is non-negotiable. You have been warned.

Commandment #3 — Thou Shalt Not Judge a Plant by Its Farm Form

When you buy aquarium plants, some are grown immersed, meaning above water. Once submerged, they go through a “great shedding”: leaves drop, colours fade, and the plant may look like it’s dying.

This is completely normal. The plant is shedding its farm-grown leaves and growing new ones adapted to underwater life.

If you cannot handle the sight of a plant melting, ask the store which plants are immersed-grown and avoid them until you’re ready. If you do purchase them, do not despair. Give them time — they are simply changing form.

Commandment #4 — Thou Shalt Honour Thy Weeds

Some plants are considered “weeds” by professionals because they take over everything. They spread, climb, crawl, and send runners into neighbouring tanks.

For beginners, these weeds are a blessing. They teach you how water, algae, nutrients, and maintenance all sway the balance of the aquarium.

Plants like Vallisneria, Water Wisteria, Ambulia, Pearl Grass, and Hydrocotyle tripartita are excellent for beginners. They loudly show what’s working and what’s not.

Commandment #5 — Thou Shalt Research Before Purchasing

Some plants are booby traps for beginners. They look incredible in the shop — glowing under perfect lights, hydrated, seductive — but some are high-maintenance or slow-growing.

For example, Simolus parviflorus ‘Red’ grows slowly, is highly susceptible to algae, and costs $30–40 per plant. A very expensive mistake for the uninitiated.

Research is your shield. Without it, every plant purchase is a gamble. Read, consult, and learn before committing coin to a plant. Ignorance leads to melted stems, empty purses, and algae-overrun kingdoms.

Conclusion

These are the Plant Commandments — sacred laws to keep your tank balanced, your plants thriving, and your sanity intact.

If these commandments have saved your wallet or your plants, bestow a like and subscribe to the channel.

May your waters stay clear, your stems grow tall, and your wallet remain unpunished.

Thanks for watching.