OK, I'll take a stab at this one.
It depends on what you want to accomplish. I read an analogy recently that described three types of freshwater aqua culture.
1. Fish tanks - these are for fish only, the sterile plastic plant, and the bubbling treasure chest that opens and closes.
2. Aquariums - these are mostly fish only, with some live plants. Fish are the main focus.
3. Planted tanks - these are mostly live plants, with fish, snails, etc being a part of the ecosystem. The PLANTS are the main focus here. Most of the available space in the tank is for plants (like many environments in nature). If you can keep the plants happy, all the other life will be happy too. Of course, you have a smaller fish ratio here.
OK, if you keep reading (surprise, surprise) you see I like option three.
Planted tanks are very interesting. They are changing all the time. I have talked with people who have converted to planted tanks, and now want to add plants, or rearrange plants instead of getting more fish! Actually, I am finding myself liking several different snail species right now. SOME snails eat plants, but most do not. You have to feed snails too ya know. They like the algae wafers and bottom feeder tabs.
Best book I have ever read is Diana Walsted's Ecology of the Planted Aquarium. Sorry, no pictures here, just plain hard facts, science, and lots of good tips. It will open your eyes. You can get it at Amazon.com
My favorite web site is www.naturalaquariums.com
Plants in aquariums require several things.
1. Good lighting.. At least 2 watts per gallon. Lights on 10-12 hours per day.
The dark period is just as important as the light period. Most standard flourescent aquarium hoods with one light are not enough-just check the wattage on the bulb. You cannot leave the light on longer to compensate. You must have the intensity.
2. Good substrate. This one creates a lot of controversy. There is a ton of different methods that hobbyists use. Although I do have two older converted "fish" tanks with gravel substrates that are doing OK, I am an advocate of the "mud" method. 1.5 - 2 inches of plain topsoil, do not use stuff with any added fertilizer, compost or manure. Cover the topsoil 1 - 1.5 inches of fine gravel. If you use the mud method, you rarely have to use fertilizer. The fish food should do that for you. Many get by with plain gravel, but it should be of a finer consistency rather than larger pebbles. Gravel is inert - no organic compounds that plants like. Some people will place their plants with soil in clay pots. In gravel, don't use any fertilizer until the plant becomes established and seems that it is in need of it. You want the roots to spread out and look for some. Do not super clean the gravel. You are removing the stuff plant roots like. Lightly clean the surface only when needed.
3. Filtration. Plants are filters. They love ammonia. I am a "natural" aquarium hobbyist. I do not use any filters or power heads. I keep my tanks heavily planted. If you are going to use filters, do not use anything with air such as airstones or bubble walls. Plants need CO2 (carbon dioxide). They produce CO2 naturally 24 hours a day. During the "light" period however, they also use photosynthesis, which converts the CO2 to Oxygen (which fish like), but depletes the water of CO2 for the plants. This is why the "dark" period is just as important as the light period. Air bubbles cause the CO2 to escape through surface agitation. Many hobbyists like cannister filters, or the outside filters that you hang on the tank. It is generally not a good idea to use undergravel filters (especially with the mud method). If it were me, I would get a smaller filter so as not to disturb the surface too much. I do not use CO2 injection. Much of the filtration issues depend on how many and what type of fish you have. Some species of fish like a lot of water movement. If you have a "fish" tank with lots of fish, you will need filters. My current interest is in livebearers. And, believe me there are many more livebearers than just guppies, mollies, platies and swordtails, even though I like these too. It is such a diverse group, it keeps me very interested. Some are a little drab, some are colorful, but in a planted tank you should see how they all come to life! Even the drab ones are interesting since they are much happier darting about through the plants.
4. Patience ( I hate this part). In my experience, it takes a good 3 to 4 weeks for plants to show good growth and establish themselves. It is NOT unusual for plants to loose a lot of leaves. Many new plants that you buy in a store, including amazon swords are grown outside or in greenhouses with lots of natural sunlight. Then you put them in your relatively dark tank and expect miracles. Most plants will look very different after they become used to this new light level.
5. Fertilization. Hmmm.. With the mud method, I don't fertilize. The fish food, fish waste, snail waste, etc. keep things humming along. When I first started adding plants to my fish only tanks, I added the commercial fertilizers to the water. After all I had a gravel substrate right (no undergravel filters)? Wrong... Since the plants were not established, and really didn't need it yet, what I got was lots of green water. If you get green water, just be patient, in a couple of weeks, and enough plant material it will clear up. Do some small water changes during this time to dilute all the fertilizers you put in. Plants have an order just like animals. Algae is a simple plant and will eventually die out to allow the higher order plants to have the nutrients. This is why you only add fertilizer IF you think your plants really need it.
6. Water changes. Well, as with anything "aqua" these are important here too. Although using Diana Walsted's methods, she claims she only does water changes every 6 months. Of course, you need to replace water due to evaporation, so this adds fresh water. I have found that you need to do more water changes at the beginning of a new planted tank using the mud method. It takes 6 to 8 weeks or more for the topsoil to stabilize as a submerged soil. I monitor the nitrate levels (since I don't use filters) to see if a water change is warranted.
OK, enough for now. Now isn't this interesting? A whole new twist on aqua life. Fish don't always rule, in fact in many freshwater systems, they don't...
--Tim
Your post helped me alot, and break myths about planted tanks! Now, I'm converting my "aquarium" to part gravel(noplants) to mud substrate(planted parts. I've been thinknig doing so and Im really not sure. Also, I really don't know when to fertilize. Some people say not to, but most people say yes. Im confused. 
/www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/2...7/technicl.html
I used to live in Newport.....i miss it 
) It has been there now over a month. I was doing pruning today and noticed it. The plant is doing fine, but down at the base, it is looking kinda yuckey. Eventually the stems will break off.
