Check out the book, Ecology of the Planted Aquarium: A Practical Manual and Scientific Treatise, by Diana Louise Walstad. I have decided to try her methods on my big tank when I am ready to set it up. She claims that with 1 inch organic garden or potting soil free of non-organic fertilizers followed by 1 inch gravel or 0.75 in sand, she has tanks that only require replacing evaporated warter, cleaning the mechanical filters every month or so, no gravel cleaning, and a 25-50% water exchange only every 3-4 months. She also does some plant up keep, feeds her fish two time per day and gives a little extra for the plants, she uses natural lighting as well as artificial and chooses not to use CO2 injection but does admit there is a place for it if one chooses to use it. The book is full of resources and research. Now, I'm not saying that everyone should drive to Walmart buy potting soil to dump in there aquariums add a little gravel and plants and throug in some fish turn on the filter and a complete harmonious ecosystem will happen. But it is quite a bit different than all the ultra high tech aquascape tank setups you can find.
