How can I remove my plastic aquarium plants without emptying the entire tank?

Without a doubt, air operated aquarium ornaments will add some excitement to your tank. I have searched through plenty variations and come up with a few that I think are very eye-catching. Hope you like them too.

http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=535

http://www.shirleyaquatics.co.uk/aquarium-supplies/air-action-beetle-car/JKMS843

http://www.thatpetplace.com/h2show-deluxe-crystal-bubble-maker-colormix-led-light-kit

Although silk plants look more natural than plastic varieties, there are some types that can appear quite natural inside a tank. Take for instance an artificial Ludwigia plant, or a hygrophila/cabomba plant. These are all great examples of artificial plants that look great in home aquariums.

I will attach some links so that you can easily find more about these plants below.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18480

http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=7623

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19771

I prefer plastic plants since they are more durable; however it really comes down to personal preference. Some people like the look of silk plants better - they say that they appear more natural and sway with the motion of the water. Nevertheless, if you have either bettas/guppies you should definitely use silk plants. Plastic plants are too harsh for these breeds and can actual harm them.

My personal favorite is the Eco-Complete plant substrate. It is widely available in most chain pet stores.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9087

Here are a few other types of planted aquarium substrates for you to choose from -

http://www.aquascapist.com/substrates/choosing-a-planted-aquarium-substrate/

How many watts you need depends on the type of plants and the volume of the tank. Here is an excerpt from an article that will help you determine proper wattage.
Instructions

Identify the species of plants you have in your tank or that you plan to put in your tank and how much light that species needs. Each species of plant will have an optimal lighting requirements, from low light to bright light. To determine the plant species, compare photos on the Aquarium Plants Photos and Profiles page of the Aqua Hobby website, or take samples of the aquatic plants to your local aquarium store for identification.

Write down how much lighting each of the plant species in your tank needs. Give each plant a rating of low, medium or bright. The books "The Complete Fishkeeper" and "Freshwater Aquariums for Dummies," as well as your local fish store, are good sources of information for this.

Review your list and determine what type of plant dominates your tank. For example, if you have mostly plants that need bright light, then use a bright-light formula. If you have an equal mix of plant lighting needs, then use a medium-light formula.

Calculate a range of watts of lighting you need for your tank with one of the following formulas, depending on the amount of light you determined you needed for your plants. For low light, multiply one and two by the number of gallons. For medium light, multiply two and three by the number of gallons. For bright light, calculate three and five by the number of gallons. For example, for a 20-gallon tank with plants that need medium light, you would get a range of 40 to 60 watts (2 x 20 = 40 and 3 x 20 = 60).

Read more: How to Determine Watts Per Gallon for Aquarium Lighting ' eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_8014286_determine-per-gallon-aquarium-lighting.html#ixzz23KB8HErA

If you own a regular fish tank without any plants you only need enough light to be able to see your fish clearly and conveniently. To get that result you'll need about 0.75 watt per gallon.

It depends on the decoration but the general rule isno. I do not recommend using any plasticdecor in a saltwater tank because the salt will corrode it over time. Stick with ceramics because they are morelikely to withstand the damage done by salt water.

It sounds to me like you have an algae problem. You should make sure the filter isfunctioning and then replace the water in the tank. You should remove the plants from theaquarium and wash them off thoroughly, under warm water, before returning them.

Gravel or any other substrate is not required in everyaquarium. However, it can be verybeneficial. Here are a few reasons why:1. 1. Fish Habitat: The more comfortable your fish, the more likely they are to do well inan artificial environment. 2. 2. Biological Filtration: Gravel works as a filtration system tocollect any material that grows naturally in the water and to save it can bebeneficial to the habitat. This is truespecifically regarding different nitrates in the water.3. 3. Place for plants: Obviously live plants can't grow out of theglass of your aquarium. Therefore someform of substrate is required so the plants can root themselves.4. 4. Aesthetics: Without a substrate lining, unappealing gunkwill gather pretty quickly on the bottom of the tank. If nothing else, gravel acts as a concealerfor unappealing byproducts.