An empty aquarium is a shame to leave unused in storage. With a few accessories and pretty cacti, the glass box can be transformed into a decorative eye-catcher for creative living space design. Find out how to do it here.
How to plant cacti in the aquarium?
To plant cacti in the aquarium, you need an empty aquarium, thorn-proof gloves (€15.00 on Amazon), clay granules, cactus soil and decorative elements. Place a drainage layer of clay granules and arrange decorations before placing the cacti in the soil and finally covering them with a layer of granules.
Material list and preparatory work
If you already own an empty aquarium, you don't need to dig deep into your pockets for your glass cactus garden. These materials are required:
- Cacti of your choice
- Thorn-proof gloves (€15.00 at Amazon)
- Empty aquarium
- Clay granules for drainage
- Succulent or cactus soil
- Decorative stones in different sizes or dry roots
Please clean all materials with hot water before they come into contact with the cacti. Please place the cactus soil in a fireproof dish on the middle shelf of the oven for 20 minutes to sterilize it at 150 degrees.
Planting cacti in the aquarium - How to do it right
If all the materials are ready, including the cooled cactus soil, planting is child's play. How to proceed:
- Pour a 5 cm high layer of clay granules into the bottom of the aquarium as drainage
- Arranging the decorations in the glass box
- Now fill in the cactus soil to a depth of 5 to 10 cm, tailored to the size of the root balls
- Dig small planting holes with a spoon
- Put on the gloves to pot the cacti
Place the cacti in the small pits and press the soil down a little so that no air holes form. Finally, spread a thin layer of clay granules, small pebbles or grit over the cactus soil. Place the aquarium in a sunny, warm location where it cannot come under the blazing midday sun.
After the cacti have recovered from the stress, they are watered for the first time with lime-free water after 5 to 8 days. Since commercially available substrate is usually pre-fertilized, the nutrient supply only starts after 6 weeks at the earliest.
Tip
Caring for cacti in the aquarium is no different from cultivating their counterparts on the windowsill. Only pour lime-free water onto the soil when it is almost dry. To ensure the nutrient supply, add liquid cactus fertilizer to the irrigation water every 14 to 21 days from March to September.
