The Things You Must Know Before Start Aquascaping

 
 Creativity of Aquascaping is Out of The Limit

~ You can scape whatever You want ~

When you want to start Aquascaping, there is some very important criteria that you need to take into consideration and understand so that you can have a successful, beautiful planted tank. To make it simple, I will share the basic things that required to know before actually start scape a tank. Below requirement I am refering more towards freshwater planted tank which I get to know more than saltwater tank.

Aquarium & Aquascaping Accessories

1. Aquarium. It's the most important you must have an aquarium, for advice, beginner should start with a smaller size aquarium to learn and experiment before you get into a big aquarium.

2. Filter system. Then, you must at least choose a type of water filter to give water flow and filter the water. There is many type of aquarium water filter, such as hanging filter, internal filter, external filter and others. Its important to improve your aquarium water condision.

3. Lighting system. Most of the normal fish keeper do not really think that lighting system is important because it just to light up the aquarium. But for planted tank, lighting system is one of the most important part that cannot be neglect because the lighting system will give the plant, leaf perform photosynthesis and grow. Without proper lighting system, some of the plant will not be able to survive.

4. CO2 system. When there is lighting system, leaf can perform photosynthesis, during photosynthesis process, leaf, plant needs CO2 (carbon dioxide). To be simple, some of the freshwater aquarium plant required more CO2 in the water, so CO2 system are required to be install. CO2 system consist of a gas tank, co2 regulator and some accessories, you can also use DIY CO2 method at the beginning to save cost.

5. Water chiller. Water chiller is to keep your tank water temperature to be cool, but it's not the most important accessories because most of the plant can survive in the temperature below 30 celcius. However some of the livestock such as CRS (crystal red shrimp) cannot survive if water temperature too high.

Aquarium Plants, Substrate, Fish and Shrimp

1. Aquarium Plants. Definately you need to get some plants to start scaping your tank. However, freshwater aquarium plants have more than thousands type, therefore at least you need to know your plant requirement, to keep your plant growth healthy. Freshwater plant do have many types, which growth differently and different care are needed.

2. Substrate. If you decide to plant freshwater plant in your aquarium, its the same with normal plants in pot, there need substrate to grow in the tank as well. There is specialize substrate for aquarium, but you also can use sand, natural soil to start your aquascaping, however the result will be different because of the fertilizing issue.

3. Fish. There is many type of fish suitable to keep in planted tank. Most of the smaller size fish will be fine, while bigger size fish you have to make sure whether they will mess up your tank before you put them into it.

4. Shrimp. Most of the people will keep shrimp in planted tank. From my point of view, even though shrimp is small, but they are very nice looking small species inside the tank. There are many type of shrimp such as cherry shrimp,  crystal red shrimp, yamato shrimp, and others.

Aquarium, Water Condition

1. Algae Problems. When you already get excited with your new scape freshwater tank, always do not forgot problems will come in later that is algae problems. It's time to learn the maintaince part so that your aquarium always look clean, crystal clear so that you can enjoy looking at your aquarium. There is many reason will cause algae problem, I will describe into detail in mainly algae topic.

2. Water Condition. Even though water looks white all the time or slightly turn yellow or green, actually the water have many different condition. Water PH level and GH level and influence your water condition as well. To keep your water condition to be good, it's advice that water change regulary once a week or depends on situation. Pipe water that contain clorine is harmful to fish so it's advice to be left few day before you actually use it.

What I share here is just some sort of idea that you need to ready to know when you start your tank so that you will not face many problem. For more detail information, please check each important topic.