A. As always with this hobby, the look or design of the aquascape is a matter of personal taste. In terms of what would be more beneficial for a freshwater tank though by FAR! Live plants would be the way to go. Aquatic plants, like trees in the city act as environmental cleansers and purifiers, absorbing many contaminants, organics, and are just more aesthetic on the overall landscape. Having an aquarium full of live plants also pays dividends when dealing with the war on algae. Since plants feed off much of the same organics and minerals as algae do, a heavily planted tank will out-compete algae for these trace elements. Artificial plants on the other hand are purely for aesthetics although they do provide cover for fish, to algae they’re just another surface to propagate on, and prosper.