What is a planted tank?

Everyone knows what a fish tank is, but what is a planted fish tank? Plenty of aquarium owners have at one time or another added a live plant or two as decoration into their tank, but a handful of plant inside a fish tank does not make a planted tank. A planted tank is a fish tank where plants occupy a significant portion of the tank, ofter the entire surface of the substrate. It is an important distinction, as a planted tank requires different maintenance and upkeep than a fish only tank, or a tank with a plant or two.

Why a planted tank?

The first reason is easy, tanks filled with plants look cool. A garden like arrangement has much more visual interest than a tank with few decorations. Many fish interact with their environments, and different behaviors can be observed in planted tank. Fish health is another benefit. Plants process fish waste and remove harmful chemicals from the water. Healthy plants equal healthy fish!

Is it difficult?

While any planted tank is going to require a bit of planning to be successful, there are ways to create planted tanks that actually require less maintenance than fish only tanks.
For those that enjoy more complexity, there are plenty of ways to make tanks that are time consuming and challenging as well.