Freshwater planted-tank hardware
Lights, substrate, CO2, filters, and heaters — researched, not invented.
Planted Tank Reviews is a research-based guide to the hardware that actually runs a planted aquarium. We compare named SKUs, publish affiliate links with a disclosed Associates tag, and stay off livestock, disease, and medication topics.
Start here
Pick the hardware job you actually have, then open a guide that already exists. Sibling links only — no new directories.
| Need | Start with | Next published page |
|---|---|---|
| A planted light for a standard rim | Length, spectrum, and control | Best Planted Tank Lights 2026 |
| Fluval vs Chihiros vs Twinstar | Three named SKUs | Fluval Plant 3.0 vs Chihiros vs Twinstar |
| Soil vs inert planted substrate | Stratum, aquasoil, Flourite | Best Substrate for a Planted Tank |
| A first pressurized CO2 kit | Regulator plus solenoid | Best Aquarium CO2 Kit (Regulator + Solenoid) |
| HOB vs canister for plants | Filter type, not brand loyalty | Best Filter for a Planted Tank (HOB vs Canister) |
| Fluval 107 vs AquaClear 50 | 10–20 gallon named compare | Fluval 107 vs AquaClear 50 for Planted 10–20 Gallon Tanks |
| A heater that will not cook plants | Placement and wattage by volume | Best Aquarium Heater for Planted Tanks |
| A 20-gallon hardware stack | Light plus filter in one order | Best Light and Filter for a 20-Gallon Planted Tank |
| Lily pipes on a canister | Glass, steel, or PETG plus hose size | Best Lily Pipe for a Planted Tank (Glass vs Steel vs PETG) |
Eight hardware pillars
These first guides cover the hardware that actually runs a planted tank: lights, substrate, CO2 kits, filters, and heaters. Each article is a research-based buying guide, not a thin listicle or a hands-on lab report.
Best planted tank lights 2026
Fluval Plant 3.0, Chihiros, Twinstar, and Hygger compared by spectrum, control, and tank length.
Read the guide →
Best substrate for a planted tank
Fluval Stratum vs aquasoil vs Flourite — active soils versus inert clay gravel.
Read the guide →
Best aquarium CO2 kit
Regulator plus solenoid kits, dual-stage stability, and what to skip on a first cylinder.
Read the guide →
Best filter for a planted tank
HOB vs canister for planted hardware. Undergravel is not a recommendation.
Read the guide →
Best aquarium heater for planted tanks
Planted-safe placement, wattage by volume, and electronic vs analog heaters.
Read the guide →
Fluval Plant 3.0 vs Chihiros vs Twinstar
Named SKU compare for the three lights people actually shortlist.
Read the guide →
Fluval 107 vs AquaClear 50
Canister vs HOB on 10–20 gallon planted tanks.
Read the guide →
Best light and filter for a 20-gallon planted tank
A 20-gallon hardware stack that cross-links the other pillars.
Read the guide →Hardware only
Lights, substrate, pressurized CO2 kits, hang-on-back and canister filters, and heaters. We do not sell or review livestock, live plants as products, or medications.
Named SKUs
When we recommend a light or filter, we name the current model and, when we can verify it, a real Amazon product ID. We do not invent ASINs.
Affiliate disclosure
Amazon links use the Associates tag plantedtankreviews-20. You do not pay more. See How We Make Money, the affiliate disclaimer, and the editorial policy.
Latest on the site
- Guides Aquarium Plant Fertilizer: Macros, Micros, Root Tabs, and When Dosing Is Wasted Money
- CO2 Do Planted Tanks Need CO2? What Actually Changes With and Without
- Filters Planted Tank Filter Flow Rate: How Much Flow Your Tank Actually Needs
- Guides Planted Tank Light Schedule: How Long Should Aquarium Lights Stay On?
- Filters Best Lily Pipe for a Planted Tank (Glass vs Steel vs PETG)
- Filters Best Filter for a Planted Tank (HOB vs Canister)
- Heaters Best Aquarium Heater for Planted Tanks
- CO2 Best Aquarium CO2 Kit (Regulator + Solenoid)
- Lights Best Planted Tank Lights 2026
- Guides Best Light and Filter for a 20-Gallon Planted Tank
- Filters Fluval 107 vs AquaClear 50 for Planted 10–20 Gallon Tanks
- Substrate Best Substrate for a Planted Tank
- Lights Fluval Plant 3.0 vs Chihiros vs Twinstar