Any Bennafits to live plants?

[RyanR]

Hey All, i have a predator Community tank,
it has been running for a month+ a couple days ago i added a bunch of plants so that the sides and back are covered with a variety of plants so the Hujeta (freshwater baracuda) dont smash into the glass, and so they all have a place to hide,

well besides hiding places and looks to please me, are there any other good things plants do?

 

[iORi]

they help keep nitrate levels down and provide an alternative to oxygen

 

[AnDr3w]

 

[davo]

yup thats one reason why you get refrugiums. Floating plants are also more efficient at removing nitrates.

 

[RyanR]

All my plants are planted into the bottom,
i figured if i got floating plants that it would block the light to the ones underneath and they die?

If they would be fine mabey ill pick up a few floating ones too
going for the most natural look possible

Got all malaysian driftwood and some other wood.. sand and plants

 

[lemcc]

provide an alternative to oxygen

If done correctly (plants don’t die)
The benefits are enumerable
Your fish will be happier and healthier
All the worries about water parameters pretty much go out the window with a nice planted tank

 

[WyldFya]

Plants provide a lot for your fish. Removal of excessive toxins, including: ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphates. They also will use many other nutrients, however without the proper setup, these plants will do the opposite, and add to your bio load as they die.

 

[WyldFya]

If done correctly (plants don’t die)
The benefits are enumerable
Your fish will be happier and healthier
All the worries about water parameters pretty much go out the window with a nice planted tank

Quite the opposite actually, with planted tanks you actually need to worry more about your parameters.

 

[lemcc]

All the worries about water parameters pretty much go out the window with a nice planted tank

With respect to intended audience I fell this statement holds up

 

[WyldFya]

How so? In a planted tank you not only need to worry about the nitrate levels being too high, but also them being too low. Then you have to worry about potassium, phosphate, and iron, and that is just the ones that need to be watched closely. Then there are many others that also should be watched, but are not as dire in necessity.