Opinions live vs plastic plants

[Skittle]

Planning on a 100-120 gallon amazon biotope tank and deciding on plants will be an important step, it will influence my substrate lighting and fish choice. I was hoping to use pool filter sand. I was wondering what you would use, live or fake plants. Occupants would be royal and common pleco and sa cichlids. Theres definetly pros and cons for each.
Plastic pro: cheaper, no trimmin or maintainin, dont need special substrate or lighting, can use with any types of fish, not a problem if they get uprooted
Plastic cons: dont look as good, difficult to make look like theyre growing out of wood

Live pros: look great, can hqve them growin out of wood, still not super expensive
Live cons: more delicate, need special lighting and substrate, fragile, might have to trim back evry once in a wile, cant have certain fish with them

So which would you do, and which would workbetter with the fish i am planning to have? Thanks


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[Skittle]

No opinions


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[tomomothy]

lots of cichlids like to eat live plants

 

[Tyler2012]

I go with plastic plants because they won't die.


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[Jacunaba]

Real plants are hard to beat IMO. I have yet to find a fake plant that looks real enough for me. After having many planted tanks, I'm just too picky now.

If you have the necessary things to keep your plants healthy already, go for it. if not, I'd just stick with fake.


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[PDRed302]

Depending on what cichlids you go with you may just be throwing your money away buying real plants; as some/most cichlids will just use them as toys.

As far as plants growing out of driftwood (java moss, ferns, anubias) why not give it a shot, they are hardy plants and not too expensive, plus most of the time they won't require the expensive lighting and c02 other plants do. No one said you couldn't have a mix of both real and faux plants.

In the long run though I'd have to recomend plastic plants, too many pro's, with the only main con being about their looks. Just take your time and pick out some nice ones, you're bound to find something that looks nice/realistic in your setup.

 

[mopani]

I am always 50/50 some tanks i love with fake, then some just glo with planted

 

[Skittle]

Thanks guys i guess i will stay with fake, so i dont need to change up substrate, but probalbly will try some plants on the wood. Can amazon sword grow on wood?


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[Deubie Doo]

My piranhas ate both real and fake plants no joke. and the stuff that you mix in with the water for the plants always tints the water. but if you have the time and grom the live plants, have it down on the back of your hand then go for it.