Thoughts on the differences between these plants???

Both of these tanks contain Chinese Evergreen, in the hang on pots… both were planted using the same methods, and were planted within a few weeks of each other, and are getting similar light… both have great vegetation growth, yet one has enormous root growth… both tanks have the same water parameters, and similar bio load… the only physical differences, is the tank on the left in this picture, all the roots are in the bubble waterfall… the tank on the right, the furthest left 2 plants are in a bubble waterfall ( no difference noted in that tank, between the ones in the bubbles and the ones not )

Maybe the tinfoil barbs are eating the roots.

I'm not sure there's a similar bioload when you have a few big tinfoils vs tetras and angelfish. The tinfoils have a much bigger bioload.

They have airstones bubbling away in hydroponic systems to keep the oxygen level up for the plant roots, so it shouldn't harm them or slow their growth.

Just an FYI... no Tetras in the one tank, the Acaras have some body mass, as does the earth eater, & the bigger giant Oto, and larger angel