Live Plants...really Needed?

[Steffyboy]

I've got a few live plants in my 4ft tropical and i have to get the hardy ones so the fish don't wreck them and end up clogging my filters...so i wanted to know...do i really need them?
I know all the benefits that they have for the tank but the hassle of picking them out of my power heads all the time etc is getting to be a pain!
I have a big featherfin, a few large clown loach and an african clawed frog that love more than anything to wreck them.
My filtration is up to scratch now and i have lots of the Sertularia argentea all over my tank (the fish love it!), a big chunk of maple wood and a few bits of bogwood so would it be ok to just go with that?
Any advice would be great thanks.

 

[Robbo89]

Adding an air stone to your tank will do a similar (but less visually appealing) job to what the live plants do. Yes, they do more than just aerate your water but in terms of a necessity fish can thrive without them.

 

[techen]

Plants aren't needed. It's really up to yourself weather you keep them or not. They can be a pain when they get uprooted, need some deep substrate so the roots can hold it in place.

You could add stacks of rocks and wood so there's still decent cover for the fish :3

 

[Steffyboy]

I've got x2 8" air curtains running plus x2 powerheads for curculation so plenty for now.
I've got a great slate hideaway that i made plus a plastic cave and a skull plus the large piece of maplewood which the pleco's and syno adore!!
Plus all the Sertularia argentea I've plastered all over the tank. They love hiding in it and my two constantly mating golden panchax are in their element!!
It's nice to have the live plants for visual purposes but sometimes you just got to do what ya gotta do!

 

[techen]

I hate air filters but that's just me. Reminds me of boiling water under the sea and just seems strange

I have so many live plants in my tank its nuts, but with that I notice my fish are less shy and more active. More hiding places makes the fishes much happier I find.

 

[DreamertK]

Don't live plants also out-compete algae for nutrients?
 
Dont get plants if you dont want them so badly. Nobody's putting a gun up to your head and telling you to go to the LFS.

 

[wrightt3]

I prefer the artificial plants to be honest, live plants may look nice but a lot of unnecessary work and money is involved in maintaining them and they restrict you on what you can have in terms of fish and lighting.
Other than reducing algae growth and producing oxygen there aren't really any advantages of live over fake. But in a well maintained, properly stocked tank, algae and oxygen should not be a problem anyway...

 

[the_lock_man]

Adding an air stone to your tank will do a similar (but less visually appealing) job to what the live plants do. Yes, they do more than just aerate your water but in terms of a necessity fish can thrive without them.

 
Air stones don't oxygenate the water to any significant degree.
 

I prefer the artificial plants to be honest, live plants may look nice but a lot of unnecessary work and money is involved in maintaining them and they restrict you on what you can have in terms of fish and lighting.
Other than reducing algae growth and producing oxygen there aren't really any advantages of live over fake. But in a well maintained, properly stocked tank, algae and oxygen should not be a problem anyway...

 
In fairness, reducing algae growth is a pretty major advantage. Interesting, you're the first person I've come across who actually prefers fake plants over live. Other people who have fake have always said that they didn't fancy the challenge of live plants.

 

[DerpPH]

Anubias is one hardy species so is some java ferns and somejava moss.

 

[wrightt3]

 
 
In fairness, reducing algae growth is a pretty major advantage. Interesting, you're the first person I've come across who actually prefers fake plants over live. Other people who have fake have always said that they didn't fancy the challenge of live plants.
 

Whilst live plants are probably more attractive, i prefer the fish and lighting that you can have with fake plants. I really like the effect the juwel colour bulb gives on fish but because its quite dim, you can't really keep live plants with it.
Aside from that, there's no reason why you can't create amazing aquascapes using fake plants instead of live ones. Just look up how to set up an aquarium with plastic plants on Practical Fishkeeping (not sure if i'm allowed to put the link on here or not?)

 

[Sophie]

http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=4189
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/418872-plastic-and-natural-tank-designs-work/
 
 
The second link is my attempt at a planted fake tank with a little inspiration from the site wrightt3 suggests

 

[Arcticfox1977]

I started off with fake plants, but felt they didn't look right. I've now started buying hardy plants. I have 2 crypts, Java fern and Java moss on its way.

 

[Steffyboy]

I think the plastic plants look good when you first start off but now i much prefer to make my tank look and feel as natural as i can for the fish's benefit.
Some of the plastic plants are really tough and i don't like my fish swimming through them just in case they harm themselves.
I like the look of real plants and the Sertularia argentea i have all over the tank flows so good with the two powerheads going.

 

[wrightt3]

http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=4189
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/418872-plastic-and-natural-tank-designs-wor
 
 
The second link is my attempt at a planted fake tank with a little inspiration from the site wrightt3 suggests

Great tank! nice to see a goldfish in a decent sized tank too.

 

[Sophie]

http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=4189
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/418872-plastic-and-natural-tank-designs-wor
 
 
The second link is my attempt at a planted fake tank with a little inspiration from the site wrightt3 suggests

Great tank! nice to see a goldfish in a decent sized tank too.

Yeah as it says, in a Pets at Home store would you believe. I wouldn't let them put them in any other tank regardless.