Customer Reviews

Aquarium Plants (Mini Encyclopedia Series for Aquarium Hobbyists)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is a great buy for the price. It has the most recent information (2005 edition), is nicely organized and formatted, and the illustrations and descriptors are very good. The sections on individual plants is very helpful with most popular plant types illustrated and described. I especially like the fact that the decriptions, while brief, are very to the point and provide essential information in a clear concise way (plant height, light and other requirements, overall ease of maintenance, growth rate, suggested placement in tank etc). Not as comprehensive in listing species as some other books, but more than enough for most avid aquarists (I have had aquaria and live plants for over 25 years!). If you buy only one book, make it this one!

I bought this book specifically because it has a guide to diagnose plant problems. The leaves are turning yellow? That means something specific! There are holes in the leaves? That means something else entirely! Well worth the price if you're having problems growing healthy plants or are just starting out in the hobby.

Hiscock's book is correctly titled a "mini" encyclopedia. For first-time planted tank owners, it is a godsend. It describes in detail the lighting, CO2, and substrate issues every planted tank has. It then shows layouts for many types of tanks, and how the plants might be placed in them.

He explains that there are hundreds of plant species available, and that he has hit on the most common ones.

The back part of the book, with the plant species, is the first place I look when I'm considering a new plant. Each plant is shown and a chart is given describing the growth conditions required, how fast it grows, and how to propagate it. With Hiscock's help, I have planted 5 tanks so far, with plans to expand to my others soon.

This book provides an excellent start for anyone who wants to start using real plants in an aquarium. Part 1 of the book covers: plant biology and photosynthesis, water quality/filtration, substrates, planting, lighting and feeding, propagating, and aquarium maintenance. His explanations are clear English which do not require an M.S. in botany to understand. He gives you enough information to help you understand what is happening "behind the scenes" in your tank regarding your plants' growth and how light, substrate, water quality, food, and dissolved gases in the water all influence plant health and growth.

Part 1 also includes a few sample biotopes with suggested types of fish for each one (unlike one review that claims this book is solely for planted aquariums sans fish). He also gives a brief introduction to placement of your plants.

Part 2 covers over 150 aquatic plants (after all, it's a MINI-encyclopedia). He presents both Latin name as well as the common name of the plants. Each plant is accompanied by a short narrative about the plant plus data: origin, maximum height, growth rate, area of placement, light needs, temperature, how to propagate, and difficulty of maintaining.

The book includes excellent photos and diagrams to better illustrate the points he makes. If you are an aquatic botanist this book probably won't tell you anything new. If you have or are starting an aquarium and want to go beyond some Java Fern and don't want to toss money in the trash by buying plants not suitable for your setup, then I believe this book is an excellent choice.

It is a great book.
I have had problems keeping plants alive in my aquarium. With this book I found out why. Most tank lights don't produce enough light for most plants.
This book told me what plants would work and now I have a nice display of living plants in the tank.
I love the pictures in the book and the text is very well done.

this book is more than a paperback of color plant profiles, it touches on all the basics of fresh water chemistry, plant keeping, layout and maintenance, using short paragraphs and nicely illustrated pages. it lost a star for not elaborating more on the wide variety of fish, shrimp and snails that are often used to keep a planted aquarium clean.

I find the title containing the word encyclopedia a little deceiving. The back of the book describes the book a little better as "Wide-ranging selection of the most common plants". Though this book has many listings of aquarium plants I would not use this book to identify a plant because it is highly abridged. The advice on how to setup a planted tank is geared towards a plant only tank and would be atypical for a aquarium where the main focus is tropical fish. Maybe just me but I was looking for a book about having ornamental plants in my tropical fish tank. Still useful, Easy read, I would suggest this book to someone who doesn't know much about aquarium plants but wants to get a good foothold in the basics. Keep in mind that this book is about a plant tank not a fish tank.

I thought this book is great for a person who is new to the planted aquarium. Lot's of useful information, but I did find places where information is just not as comprehensive as I would like. Great for new aquarists. Basic, easy to understand language.

Basically a good book. Pictures are nice and I couldn't find many faults. Book could be more extensive.