Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants :: Education by Design Store

Customer Reviews

Everything you could ever want to know about aquarium plants

2008-05-15
I loved this book! It has very in-depth information. I've always had problems with algae in my planted aquarium and this book explains several reasons why this occurs and how to prevent it. It explains, in detail, nutrient requirements, lighting options, ways that fish and invertebrates interact with plants, and which plants are best for beginners. It explains complicated information with clear diagrams. Finally, there is a great list of plants with photos and info.

The only negative thing I can say is that this book is probably not the best for someone who only wants one or two plants in their aquarium and is looking for a simple introduction. This book isn't very simple, but it does offer clear explanations of many topics relating to growing plants in your aquarium.

Review: Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants

2007-12-27
I found this book very informative when I was setting up my 75 gallon Discus aquarium. Thanks to the information, pictures and various expamples it gave, I gained the knowledge to pick the way I wanted to set up my aquarium and what plants would be the better choices for the lower ph, higher temp. water used for Discus. Very good read.

What a waste of money

2007-07-23
Don't purchase this book unless you are a botanist. It is very difficult to understand and the layout impossible to follow.

Good book but some questions remain unanswer.

2007-06-29
This is a beautiful book with many high quality pictures of the plants. Overall it has well organized content but some informations are just not specific enough. For example, how much CO2 to dose to your tank is appropriate? How much Gh is a water soft or hard? How much time it normally takes to "cycle" a tank? No introduction on the pros and cons of different CO2 reactors types. Some answers may not be trivial but at least general guide line should be provided to be any useful.

A great all round book for aquatic plants

2007-06-02
This is a very good all round book for aquatic plants from the substrata , to light requirments etc etc. This book even give basic gardening requirments and arranging to have a healthy and attractice garden in your aquarium .

A great plant book

2007-01-28
The ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AQUARIUM PLANTS

Great introduction to aquatic plant care

2006-08-03
If you are new to planted tanks, then this is a great book to have. It discusses all of the relevent topics ranging from tank setup to pruning and proprogating to nutrients and equipment. The first half of the book is a guide to all of the aspects of caring for aquatic plants. There are a few places where a little more thorough discussion would have been valuble, but for most cases the book does a good job covering the topics. The second half of the book lists many of the plants that you can keep emersed or submerged in an aquarium. There are very nice pictures to go along with the descriptions, making it a useful reference for most plants you will find in your LFS.

In short, I'd say this book would be a nice addition to any planted tank enthusiasts library.

Excellent Book!

2006-04-23
Just what I needed. Perhaps not complete in terms of covering every plant you could want, but covers so much more. If you're just starting out, want more than just the basics, then this IS your book.
I'm the kind that likes to really know how things work. This is the book for people like me. If you just want pictures of plants, there's plenty of TFH books out there.

great but somewhat disappointing

2006-04-12
This a great introduction piece to plant aquarium and all should read it. Beginners will benefit immensely with many tips on starting a plant aquarium. Also the photos on the plants were excellent.
However on a critical note the author has given us a limited range of plants as compared to other books. So to claim the book as an encyclopedia is a misnomer. Secondly as an academic it would be nice to admit that one has changed one's opinion in the search for truth. In his previous book[I forgot the title..I've given it away]it was stated dogmatically that snails must be removed indiscriminately but in this book this animal retains some redemptive value as an algae eater. And there are a few more examples where the author apparently has been converted to another view....perhaps of Diana Walstad?
But overall this is still an important contribution to the plant aquarist hobby.

User Friendly and Informative Guide!

2006-03-20
The name "Encyclopedia" implies a far more extensive listing of plants than this book actually provides, but what Hiscock lacks in the plant listing he makes up for in other ways. The majority of the book is actually comprised of plant care facts, design tips, and aquarium setup and maintenance, all of which is presented in a very accessible format for novice to intermediate freshwater aquarium plant enthusiasts. It's a great guide for those thinking about setting up a new system or for those with existing aquariums who (like me) are wondering why plant growth has stalled (or is declining). Hiscock does a great job of explaining, in layman's terms, the biological processes and requirements of the aquarium's environment.

Despite my initial disappointment over the paucity of plants listed in the second section, the listing is still quite helpful. Hiscock presents information in a very clear and concise way that quickly identifies the necessary lighting, the space requirements, the difficulty level of growing the plant, and more. The listing is a good place to start for plant selection, and can be supplemented by more advanced books (such as Kasselmann and Kotlenga's "Aquarium Plants").

The book as a whole is brilliantly illustrated and the pictures of plants and aquariums are both beautiful and helpful. I have been quite pleased with the book and recommend it to others. I only hope that Hiscock will publish another book dedicated to plant listings.