Starting your first planted tank
Short answer: Start with a 30–45 cm tank, aqua soil, easy plants (anubias, Bucephalandra, crypts, mosses), a filter running from day one, and cycle for 4–6 weeks before adding livestock.
By Alfa Low, aquascaper. 2nd place, 2019 aquascaping competition (event name to confirm) · 2023 entry (result to confirm).
Details
- Pick a tank size you can maintain. A 30–45 cm tank is forgiving and affordable.
- Lay aqua soil (sloped back to front), place hardscape, then plant before flooding slowly.
- Run the filter from day one and cycle the tank for about 4–6 weeks before adding shrimp or fish. Test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
- Start with 6–7 hours of light a day and easy plants (anubias, buce, crypts, mosses).
- Change 30–50% of the water weekly for the first month, because new soil leaches nutrients.