Planted Aquarium Glossary: 15 Terms Explained
The words that show up in planted aquarium specs, reviews and how-to guides, explained without jargon.
- Aqua soil
- A nutrient-rich baked clay substrate that feeds rooted plants and softens water.
- Related: Best Aqua Soil for Planted Tanks (2026) →
- Aquascaping
- Arranging plants, rock and wood in an aquarium to create a natural-looking underwater landscape.
- Canister filter
- An external filter under the tank with large media capacity and quiet flow.
- Related: Best Canister Filters for Planted Tanks (2026) →
- Carpeting plant
- A low plant that spreads across the substrate, like a lawn. Most need strong light and CO2.
- CO2 injection
- Adding carbon dioxide to the water for faster, denser plant growth.
- Related: Best CO2 Systems for Planted Tanks (2026) →
- Drop checker
- A small glass indicator whose colour shows approximate CO2 concentration.
- Related: Best CO2 Drop Checkers for Planted Tanks (2026) →
- Dutch style
- A layout of densely planted stem plants in terraces, with little or no hardscape.
- Fishless cycling
- Establishing beneficial bacteria with an ammonia source before any fish are added.
- Hardscape
- The rock and wood that form the structure of a layout.
- Related: Best Seiryu Stone for Aquascaping (2026) →
- Iwagumi
- A minimalist Japanese layout style built around stones, often with a single carpeting plant.
- Low-iron glass
- Glass with less iron content, giving a clearer, less green view.
- Related: Best Low-Iron Glass Tanks for Aquascaping (2026) →
- Nitrogen cycle
- Bacteria converting fish waste from toxic ammonia to nitrite and then to less harmful nitrate. A new tank needs weeks to cycle before adding fish.
- Related: Best Water Test Kits for Planted Tanks (2026) →
- PAR
- Photosynthetically active radiation, a measure of usable light for plants that is more meaningful than lumens.
- Photoperiod
- How many hours the light is on each day. Many planted tanks run about 6-8 hours to keep algae in check.
- Related: Best Aquarium Light Timers and Controllers (2026) →
- Water change
- Replacing part of the tank water, often weekly, to remove nitrate and excess nutrients.
- Related: Best Gravel Vacuums for Planted Tanks (2026) →