Research-driven reviews of freshwater planted-tank hardware. No livestock, no disease advice, no invented lab tests.
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) |
Guides Planted tank fertilizer: NPK and iron dosing, root tabs vs liquid, water-column vs root feeders, Walstad low-tech advice, and when dosing is wasted money.
CO2 Research-based answer: what CO2 changes (growth rate, species range, carpets), the three paths — low-tech, liquid, injected — and when gas is wasted money.
Filters Planted tank filter flow: the 6-10x turnover rule, too-much-flow symptoms, buffering for shrimp and bettas, and matching filters to tank size.
Guides Research-based photoperiod guide: hour ranges by tank type, the siesta debate, algae signals, and how to adjust the schedule without crashing plants.
Filters Glass vs steel vs PETG lily pipes for planted canister tanks. Hose sizing for Fluval 107, what a HOB cannot use, and listing checks.
Filters Research-based HOB vs canister guide for planted tanks. Fluval 107 and AquaClear 50 compared. Undergravel is not a recommendation.
Heaters Best aquarium heater for planted tanks by tank size: wattage math, Fluval E100 vs E50, and safe placement that shields plants and shrimp.
CO2 Best aquarium CO2 regulator and kit picks: dual-stage vs single-stage, DC solenoid reliability, and what a first pressurized setup costs.
Lights Research-based 2026 guide to Fluval Plant 3.0, Chihiros, Twinstar, and Hygger planted aquarium lights.
Guides A 20-gallon planted hardware stack: Fluval Plant 3.0 or Chihiros, AquaClear 50 or Fluval 107, plus heater placement. Cross-links the pillars.
Filters Named canister vs HOB compare for planted 10–20 gallon tanks. Fluval 107 and AquaClear 50, research-based, no undergravel.
Substrate Fluval Stratum vs aquasoil vs Seachem Flourite for planted tanks. Hardware and chemistry, not livestock angles.
Lights Named SKU compare of Fluval Plant 3.0, Chihiros WRGB II, and Twinstar A-Line for planted tanks. Research-based, not a lab PAR test.