How to Grow a Cactus in an Aquarium

Cactus is a desert plant that thrives in dry and warm environments. Cacti are often grown as houseplants that last for years with the proper care. Many grow a grouping of cacti in special containers to create an indoor mini-garden, or dish garden. These are made with various shaped shallow containers although other containers will work as well, even aquariums. Most people think of using an aquarium to make a terrarium, but you can leave the top off and plant a cactus in one also.

Bleach
Gravel
Cactus soil mix
Gloves
Newspaper

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the aquarium with a mixture of 1 part bleach and 10 parts water. Rinse the aquarium several times to remove the cleaning solution and then dry the aquarium.
- 2
  Place the aquarium in a location with bright interior lighting, but not near a window. You must keep sunlight from reflecting through the sides of the aquarium, which can burn the cactus.
- 3
  Cover the bottom of the aquarium with 2 inches of thick gravel. Add a 2-inch layer of cactus soil or mix your own using equal parts of sand and potting soil, or 1 part sand to 2 parts potting soil.
- 4
  Create a hole the same size of the container or the cactus roots. Another option is to keep the cactus in the same pot and simply bury the pot in the soil.
- 5
  Wear gloves to transplant the cactus in the aquarium or use newspaper or cloth to wrap the cactus before moving it. Make sure that the cactus isn't planted deeper than it was growing in the container.
- 6
  Wait at least one week to water the cactus to allow any damage to the roots to heal. Don't water again until the soil nearly dries.

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