I will be new to aquascaping. I am afraid that I will make a mistake.

[shaft_29]

Hello,

I mention that I am a beginner, I had an aquarium when I was a child, but something very simple.

Now I want to buy an aquarium, which is why I have been documenting myself intensively for 2-3 weeks and I fell in love with how high-end aquascaping with bonsai looks.

I have attached the picture as an example.

I'm going to buy the following things and please tell me if I'm doing something wrong, because I don't want to make a mistake and get algae, or do other stupid things:

aquarium of 45x45x40 cm, 81 L (21 gallons) made of 8 mm thick ultra-clear glass (the space in the kitchen does not allow for a bigger one);

bonsai made of natural wood;

Christmass moss above the bonsai;

some gray stones;

granulation substrate 1-2 mm black and white arranged like a road (here I need to document myself for something of premium quality);

grass about half of the surface (I think Dennerle Micranthemum Monte Carlo);

some plants (green and red);

Eheim eXperience filter - 150 - 2406;

Chihiros WRGB II LED light 45-60cm 49W; (I won't keep it at 100%, probably at 70%)

complete CO2 system with solenoid valve, reducer plus other parts from the set;

aquarium heater;

thermometer;

and some tools for setting up and maintaining the aquarium (brush, scissors, hose to vacuum the soil, sponges and others)

I will cycle the aquarium for 2 weeks and then introduce the live animals (8 neons + other 4-5 compatible fish, 2 sanitarians, 4 shrimps, 2 snails).

I still don't know if I will have to spray some fertilizer solution for the plants

Is there anything else that needs to be done? Did I miss something?

Please help me.

I look forward to your advice.

Thank you.

 

[cdemoss01]

Hello,

I mention that I am a beginner, I had an aquarium when I was a child, but something very simple.

Now I want to buy an aquarium, which is why I have been documenting myself intensively for 2-3 weeks and I fell in love with how high-end aquascaping with bonsai looks.

I have attached the picture as an example.

I'm going to buy the following things and please tell me if I'm doing something wrong, because I don't want to make a mistake and get algae, or do other stupid things:

aquarium of 45x45x40 cm, 81 L (21 gallons) made of 8 mm thick ultra-clear glass (the space in the kitchen does not allow for a bigger one);

bonsai made of natural wood;

Christmass moss above the bonsai;

some gray stones;

granulation substrate 1-2 mm black and white arranged like a road (here I need to document myself for something of premium quality);

grass about half of the surface (I think Dennerle Micranthemum Monte Carlo);

some plants (green and red);

Eheim eXperience filter - 150 - 2406;

Chihiros WRGB II LED light 45-60cm 49W; (I won't keep it at 100%, probably at 70%)

complete CO2 system with solenoid valve, reducer plus other parts from the set;

aquarium heater;

thermometer;

and some tools for setting up and maintaining the aquarium (brush, scissors, hose to vacuum the soil, sponges and others)

I will cycle the aquarium for 2 weeks and then introduce the live animals (8 neons + other 4-5 compatible fish, 2 sanitarians, 4 shrimps, 2 snails).

I still don't know if I will have to spray some fertilizer solution for the plants

Is there anything else that needs to be done? Did I miss something?

Please help me.

I look forward to your advice.

Thank you.

I will say this is a REEF site but I have freshwater too so no shame to it! Personally just go with what looks right and trust yourself! Just don't hit the glass with rock or debris and be extra careful around corner seams!!

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

System sounds good. I have a couple planted tanks but mine are 2 and 3 gallon. There is a planted tank forum called Aquatic Plant Central. I DO NOT recommend the planted tank forum. You will find that APC is much more friendly and open to new ideas and variances in opinions allowed like this forum.

Still many members here do freshwater as well. I recommend also to have a CO2 checker. Buy and plant all your plants upfront. This will help you avoid algae issues. There is also root tabs, special dosing to feed plants that pull from water column and many other ways to feed. There is also powders that are added before substrate or top substrate to help with nutrients and such. I am not familiar with this.