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Can anyone tell me why planted aquariums are so big across the pond (Europe)?

-because we are repulsed by orange or blue gravel, plastic ruins and shipwrecks
-because plants are a part of the underwaterworld, and in many -but not all- biotopes they're part of the "furniture"
-because a tank with a healthy plantgrowth (green algae count here too) is much easier to maintain than a tank without
-because it certainly looks better than plastic!
-because a tank with live plants, stones and/or bogwood and a background (!!) certainly looks a lot better than seeing wallpaper, plastic plants, bungling wires and hoses or the pump and heater smack in the middle......
-because keeping live plants is dead easy, you just need 2 things: proper lighting* and a sandy substrate
-because many popular catfish (L-numbers!) are much easier to maintain when they have live plants to scrape, clean or chew up in between feedings.
-bewcause plants soak up CO2 and nitrates and give off oxygen......



*proper coloration, duration, quantity/wattage.

Planted tanks are big in the US, too, and for most of those same reasons. All of my catfish are in heavily planted tanks, with plenty of wood, and the right tankmates, if any.
Lots of people have planted tanks.

Additional reasons for a planted tank.

Higher plants, if enough are present, will outcompete the lower plants (algae) for nutrients every time.

Plants can complete the nitrogen cycle in an aquarium so you're not just diluting nitrate with water changes.

By the way, Sid, although plants do give off O2 as a waste product of their metabolism, the reverse is true when the lights are off, driving the pH down and limiting the O2 available for the fish. It is advisable to aereate when the lights go off, especially in the case of the fish we keep with high O2 demands.


Dave

I agree with Sid and Dave. When I made the switch to live plants, the difference was quite noticible. Hiding places appeared where I never imagined. The fish taught me what a good hiding spot would be! I live in an area where the winters can be awful. Having bright, cheerful fully alive tanks indoors when the weather is miserable outdoors helps me feel better. I don't feels so bad about the weather. I also don't have to worry about the tanks going without food for a short spell. The driftwood and plants are there. The Cories are also content to churn up the substrate(if it's soft enough). I have a 10 gallon tank where the water never quite seems crystal clear, no matter how often I change the water. The Aeneus continuously churn up the bottom looking for tidbits. They're quite successful, too. (Adding some extra filter floss to the filter has helped clear the water.)
Amanda

<An American who completely agrees with Sid. Live plants are big everywhere, not just in Europe. In fact, I can't think of one regular customer of the LFS where I work that uses artificial plants.

Fake plants...