How To Grow Grass In A Fish Tank

Step 1

Empty the aquarium and clean it with soapy water. A clean terrarium will grow grass better than one full of leftover fish scum. Scrub the sides with a clean sponge or rag to remove the remaining dirt and let it sit in the sun to dry for a few hours.

Step 2

Pile enough gravel or pebbles in the bottom of the aquarium to cover it, but do not build up the layer too much. A 1/2-inch to 1-inch coat of pebbles will serve as the bottom level of filtration.

Step 3

Place a layer of charcoal over the top of the pebbles. You can find this at a plant store, or use old aquarium filters broken up in pieces. Again, do not build up the layer too high as this is a lower level of filtration but not a primary growing layer.

Step 4

Step 5

Put sphagnum moss on top of the charcoal. This will serve as a bed for the soil and will enrich the roots of the grass plants.

Step 6

Place soil on top of the moss. This layer should be built up a few inches so the roots of the grass plants can grow deep enough to support a taller plant.

Step 7

Plant the grass seed in the top layer of soil by sprinkling the seeds on top and gently pressing them into the soil. Do not cover the soil with a thick layer of seeds; leave enough space for the seeds to germinate.

Step 8

Set the aquarium in a place that receives partial sunlight and rotate it every few days so the grass does not grow slanted into the sun. Do not place it in direct, all-day sun as the glass sides of the aquarium will raise the heat and you could scorch the young grass plants.

Step 9

Step 10

Spray the seeds with a light mist of water from the spray bottle every twelve hours while the aquarium sits in the sun. The glass sides will incubate the interior of the aquarium and provide a lot of heat for the seeds, so they must be misted often to maintain hydration.