Planted Aquarium – How to Set One Up

It can be a bit confusing to set up a planted aquarium, more so for beginners. If it were a simple gallon tank, then it is fairly easy putting it together. All you need is gravel and cheap decoration.

Planted tanks, on the other hand, are a bit more complicated. They have a unique set of requirements that must be met with precision. Some can be tricky but doable.

The beauty of an aquarium filled with luscious green plants is indeed something to behold. It is like having a tranquil running river right in your living area.

So how can you set up the aquarium to such a standard? Read on to find out.

What you need
 LED light
 Substrate
 Heater
 Filtration system
 Test kit

After collecting everything, it is time to start the process.

Step 1: Choose the substrate
This is a natural step for non-planted tanks. But for planted tanks, not just anything will work. The reason is, plants need nutrients to survive, which gravel cannot hold very well. Plain gravel is not the best idea for in this situation.
However, there are a number substrates that can help facilitate the plant needs in a planted tank. Use:
 Fluorite and
 All-in-one Substrate
Now, before you use any of these choices, make sure to rinse the substrate. You can use a five-gallon bucket and rinse until the water is clear.

Step 2: Light choices
Getting your hands on a good light fixture is vital. You can use LED or fluorescent bulbs. Most fish tanks come with these. Some of the recommended fixtures include:
 Beamswork EA timer
 Finnex FugeRay
 Finnex Planted+24/7

No two tanks are the same when fitting the lights. Some may require up to 10 hours of light while others may need less.

Step 3: Picking the filtration
This might be the most tiring part of the process yet very important. But you don’t have to over-think filtration.
Consider the following options.
 For smaller tanks under 50 gallons. These are perfect for hanging on back filtration units. They may not be as powerful, but HBO is convenient all the same.
 Bigger tanks 50+ gallons. Canister filters are better for such tanks. They can process much more water.
Before using the filtration, be sure to get rid of any activated carbon.

Step 4: Plants
Live plants are important for speeding up the cycling process. But you have to choose wisely. Start with easy-to-keep plants. Consider plants like:
 Java moss (carpet)
 Anubias Nana (Foreground)
 Cryptocoryne (mid-ground)
 Amazon sword (background).

You will need:-
 Carpeting plants
 Foreground plants
 Mid-ground plants
 Background plants

Take good care of the plants with stable temperatures, and trimming. Make sure that you check the preferred temperature of the plants before you buy them. Some plants are meant for warm water discus tanks while others are meant for cooler water.

Step 5: Now the fish
This is always a big milestone whether planted aquarium or not. Once the tanks are cycled completely, you need to add the fish. Some of the most popular fish choices include:
 Discus
 Tetras
 Corydoras
 Gouramis
 Swordtails
 Angelfish

Now you have your planted aquarium going. It may sound hard, yet it is quite doable and rewarding.

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