Plastic or Live Plant

[Plecosterone]

Live plants are the way to go as long as your fish won't eat them. Just get used the fact that with live plants you will probably have to add nitrate which is always wierd when you start because most people are so used to trying to eliminate all nitrate in the water. Plants need nitrate to grow properly.

 

[vootsy]

0 nitrates

Does this also reduce water changes? What about gravel vacuuming?
Can anybody suggest which plants I should start with?

 

[TommyR]

Does this also reduce water changes? What about gravel vacuuming?
Can anybody suggest which plants I should start with?

IMHO it does NOT reduce water changes, fish still pee/poop so that needs to be cleaned out as will plant material that sheds from time to time. Yes, gravel vac every week to 2 weeks. Start with low light plants like Java fern and hornwort. They are really easy. Tie the Java fern to driftwood or rock with cotton thread or fishing line. Let the hornwort float. Get some Florish excel and regular Florish and maybe the Flourish iron too. I just got some from Dr. Fosters. People swear by the stuff!

Tom

 

[jgulecas]

It's not necessarily either/or.

A beautiful and easy to maintain tank can be created with a combination of plastic/silk plants and low-light hardy plants like java moss, java fern, crypts anubias and anacharis.

Live plants will help to eat up nitrates, but you still need to do water changes.