| Factor | planted | fowlr | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | $400-800 | $800-1,500 | Planted |
| Monthly cost | $25-40 (CO2 + fertilizers) | $40-60 (salt + RODI) | Planted |
| Visual style | Nature aquarium, Iwagumi, Dutch | Reef-edge feeling without the coral risk | Subjective |
| Maintenance | CO2 monitoring + plant trimming | Salt mixing + skimmer + protein checks | Planted (slightly easier) |
| Species variety | Hundreds of plants + fish | 50-100 reef-safe fish | Planted |
| Upgrade path to next level | High-tech planted = same difficulty | FOWLR → reef = major upgrade | FOWLR (more progression) |
| Tank options | Standard rectangular tanks | AIO setups (Innovative Marine, Waterbox) | Even |
Pick based on aesthetic - if you love aquascape design, go planted. If you love marine fish (clowns, gobies, wrasses), go FOWLR. Both are great mid-tier setups.
Browse all decision guides, the step-by-step setup tutorials, or the cost-of-ownership analyses.