Planted / aquascape: step-by-step setup
10 steps from choosing the spot to adding the first fish.
Choose the spot
Away from direct sun, AC and doors, near a socket, on a floor that takes the weight (about 1 kg per litre + 20%). The stand must be perfectly level.
Choose the tank
A bigger tank is easier to keep stable. 60–100 L for a beginner. Custom glass: up to 30 cm high 5 mm, 40–45 cm 6 mm, 50–60 cm 8–10 mm. Aquarium silicone only, cure 48 h and leak-test two days.
Pick a style
Nature, Iwagumi (stones and a carpet), Dutch (rows of coloured stems), Jungle, Biotope. Sketch it with the rule of thirds and a focal point.
Soil and hardscape
Aqua soil 5–8 cm at the back, 3 cm at the front. Seiryu (raises KH a little), dragon or lava stone; spider or manzanita wood. Fix the hardscape before water.
Light and CO2
Easy plants: PAR 15–30 without CO2. Carpets and red plants: PAR 50+ and CO2 20–30 mg/L (drop checker lime green). Start with 6 h light, build to 8.
Planting
Plant densely from day one to beat algae. Front: Monte Carlo/HC; middle: crypts, anubias on wood; back: rotala, ludwigia, hygrophila.
Fertilising
EI: macros three times and micros three times a week plus a 50% weekly change; lean dosing without CO2. Root tabs for crypts and swords.
Cycle the tank (the key step)
Fill with dechlorinated water, run filter and heater, add an ammonia source (a pinch of food daily or 2 ppm ammonia) plus bottled bacteria. Test every two days: ammonia rises, then nitrite, then nitrate. Ready when ammonia and nitrite read zero three times in a row and nitrate shows (2–6 weeks). Log the tests and Zajel shows the stage.
Algae crew and fish
Amano shrimp, otos, nerites. Small schooling fish: rasboras, ember and rummy-nose tetras. Avoid diggers and plant eaters.
Maintenance routine
Feed once or twice a day what is eaten in 2–3 min, one fast day a week. Change 20–30% weekly with matched, treated water. Rinse filter sponges in old tank water, never tap water. Test weekly. Zajel reminds you.