I get the question “How do I set up a planted tank?” a lot, so I figured I’d write this guide for anyone who wants to learn how! Overall it’s pretty easy, depending on what kind of plants you get.
Decide: High Tech or Low Tech?
In general there are two types of planted aquariums. For the beginner I would highly recommend starting out with a low tech tank because it is less maintenance, requires less knowledge, and is generally cheaper!
High tech tanks are aquariums that are fertilized heavily, use strong lighting, high light and difficult to maintain plants, a nutritious substrate, and pressurized CO2 or a liquid equivalent. These tanks cost more money, but can be breathtaking to look at.
Low tech tanks are aquariums that only require light fertilization, an inert substrate or a nutritious one, low light plants, and low to medium lighting. Typically the plants in these tanks grow slower, but this gives you time to understand how to prune them and replant them correctly and also leaves much more room for error. They’re also much cheaper!
Tank size also plays a role, setting up a 5 gallon planted tank is worlds cheaper than setting up a 55 gallon, even if it’s low tech!
Plants
Plants are, of course, the backbone of a planted tank! The plants you choose will define what your tank looks like and what you need to buy to prepare for them. We’ll go over different types of plants as well as their general care.
Swords
True swords belong to the genus Echinodorus. These plants are native to South and Central America and are very hardy. They have large broad leaves, a large root system, and are considered low to medium light plants. There are many varieties ranging from 3" tall to 24" tall! They reproduce by adventitious plantlets. Eventually you may see a long stem grow from the center of the plant and several small swords will grow from this. They can simply be plucked from this stem once they start to grow roots and then planted like the adult plant. To trim them, simply follow the leaf you want to trim down to where the plant comes from the substrate. Using scissors or your fingernails, snap it off. Trimming weekly will encourage new growth and they can survive a heavy trimming!
Echinodorus barthii
Echinodorus bleheri
Echinodorus cordifolius sp. fluitans
Echinodorus osiris
Echinodorus ozelot
Echinodorus quadricostatus
Echinodorus rose
Echinodorus rubin
Anubias
Anubias are plants in the genus Anubias. They are native to Africa and are considered extremely hardy low light plants. Typically they have large broad leaves and all of them grow on a rhizome. They reproduce by flowering and can also be propagated by splitting them on the rhizome. Always keep the rhizome above your substrate, as it needs to photosynthesize. Burying it will kill the plant! Burying the roots is optional, as they do not feed heavily from their root systems. You can easily tie them to a piece or rock or driftwood with sewing thread or fishing line and they will attach themselves. These plants are very slow growers, but exceptionally hardy and can bounce back from even the most rigorous trimming. Old and yellow leaves can be trimmed when you see them by snapping them off where they meet the rhizome.
Anubias hastifolia
Anubias heterophylla
Anubias barteri
Anubias afzelii
Anubias gigantea
Anubias gracilis
Ferns
Java fern (Microsorum pteropis) has many variations. It is a beautiful plant that grows in low light conditions with no added fertilizers. It grows on a rhizome, similarly to anubias, and this must not be buried or the plant will die. They are easily tied to driftwood, rocks, or other decor and the roots will attach the plant and grow there. You can just as easily plant it in sand or gravel, still taking care not to bury the rhizome. It can survive VERY heavy pruning. Simply snap the desired leaves off at the rhizome to encourage new growth.
Microsorum pteropis
Crypts
Crypt is short for Cryptocoryne, a genus of aquatic plants. Crypts come in a large variety of colors, shapes, and heights, ranging from 4″-3′! Even the same species of crypt can vary in appearance depending on the lighting and fertilizer dosing. For example, Bronze crypt can go very green in water that is not properly fertilized with iron. Crypts are hardy, generally speaking, but are prone to “melting” when transplanted or sometimes with the use of CO2. I would consider these plants to be low to medium light plants, and some especially need higher lighting. All benefit from fertilizers and generally do better in higher tech tanks. However, species like C. wendetti do perfectly fine in low tech aquaria.
Cryptocoryne crispatula
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Cryptocoryne becketii
Cryptocoryne aponogetifolia
Cryptocoryne spiralis
Cryptocoryne balansae
Hygro
Hygros, short for Hygrophila, are low light plants that do well in warm and cold water tanks. They are attractive plants, often a brilliant shade of green. They grow on thick stems with spade shaped leaves. This plant can easily be grown immersed. Pruning is simple, you can snap off any damaged leaves easily. To get hygro to grow densely, trim the plant at the desired height by snapping the stem. Take the top you snapped off and remove the leaves near the bottom of the stem and plant it. It will grow roots and continue to grow and the lower half, the half you took it from, will now split into two and become bushier. This gives you some really nice growth and these make great background plants. Great for low tech tanks all the way up to high tech ones!
Hygrophila polysperma
Hygrophila corymbosa
Hygrophila angustifolia
Hygrophila difformis
Ludwigia
Ludwigia is a genus of stem plants that come in beautiful shades of red, green, and yellow. They’re a very attractive and delicate background plant and can grow very densely when trimmed correctly. They are a higher light plant, ranging from medium to very high light requirements. They also will not show their true colors unless the tank is properly fertilized. They benefit greatly from CO2, so much so that it can be argued that they need it. Pruning is simple, much like hygro, simply snap off any undesired leaves. Snapping a stem in half will give you two plants, you only have to remove the leaves from the bottom of the new stem and plant it. The trimmed stem will now split and grow two new stems and the plant will become bushier and happier. They can grow surprisingly nice root systems and prefer a finer substrate such as sand, but can be grown in gravel provided you add nutrients to your substrate like fertilizer tabs.
Ludwigia repens
Ludwigia arcuata
Ludwigia rubin
Ludwigia grandulosa
Ludwigia ovalis
Ludwigia senegalensis
Ludwigia palustris
Apons
Aponogeton, apon for short, is a genus of attractive plant that grows from a bulb. They are native to a wide range including African and Asia. They are generally very hardy and low light plants! Simply adding a bulb should result in a growing plant in a few days, in fact their growth rate is usually quite shocking! Some species are quite hardy but others, like Aponogeton madagascariensis (Madagascar Lace) can be difficult to maintain. All species get rather tall, usually into the 20″ range. Reproduction is actually not normal in most aquariums, as it requires blooming outside of the water and more than one plant.
Aponogeton crispus
Aponogeton ulvaceus
Aponogeton boivivianus
Aponogeton madagascariensis
Vals
Vallisneria is a genus that is superficially similar to Aponogeton. However they vary quite a bit! Their range is wider and they are found in Europe, Africa,Asia, and even North America. Vals do not grow from bulbs and easily reproduce in your tank. They send out “runners” from their roots and can quickly cover the entire bottom of a tank. Generally hardy, these plants make an excellent background decoration! Trimming is not often necessary and these plants can’t be trimmed heavily. However removing dead or dying leaves is beneficial.
Vallisneria americana gigantea
Vallisneria spiralis
Moss
Aquarium moss is generally from the genus Taxiphyllum. All mosses are low light, however Java moss (T. berbieri) is the most common and easily kept. Moss can be left to free float or anchored to rocks, driftwood, or man made decorations with sewing thread or fishing line. If left unchecked, it will often overtake a tank! Perfect for fry tanks or to help culture infusoria, moss is an excellent addition to most tanks. It’s also very good at removing waste!
Taxiphyllum barbieri
Taxiphyllum alternans
Taxiphyllum montagnei
Miscellaneous Plants
Some plants are in their own little genus and don’t fit into the categories above. Of course there are many other species of plants but these and the ones listed above are the more common ones you see!
Anacharis A cold water tolerant stem plant that sucks up nitrates and grows quickly!
Red Tiger Lotus A less commonly seen plant that thrives in low to high light tanks. Grows from a bulb!
Cyperus heiferi Another uncommon plant. It prefers higher light and fertilizers but can be kept in a low tech tank, slow growth is expected.
Marimo Ball Commonly mislabeled a type of moss, this is actually a species of algae!
Banana Plant This plant grows on a rhizome, similarly to Anubias sp. and grows very well in low light tanks.
Substrate
There is much debate about what substrate is best for plants among aquarists, but the reality is that each type and brand has pros and cons! There are inert substrates (sand, gravel, river rocks) and substrates specifically for plants. The latter of which retain nutrients for plants, most notably nitrates. However, these substrates are not a complete source of nutrients for plants and you still need to use actual fertilizer, depending in which plants you have!
Plants, in general, prefer to root in a fine substrate such as sand. Carpeting plants especially have an easier time spreading horizontally in sand or other fine substrate.
Other plants, especially moss and those growing in a rhizome, are not picky. Java fern and anubias are especially popular choices for gravel because their roots do very little nutrient absorption, and they can also be tied to a piece of driftwood where they will attach over time or even kept in a bare bottom tank.
Plants such as swords and crypts should be kept in a substrate with nutrients. Swords especially are root heavy feeders.
Fertilizers
This is where things can get confusing and even daunting for beginners. But the basics are easy enough to understand!
There are macro nutrients and micro nutrients. Macro nutrients are often found in water and produced by fish. Three things are considered macro nutrients; Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). Commonly referred to as NPK.
Nitrogen (N) is easily available in a tank with fish or invertebrates inside, as they release it. Fish release ammonia (NH3/NH4) which is then converted to nitrite (NO2) then nitrate (NO3), all of which are forms of nitrogen that plants use. Keeping your nitrates at 20ppm in a tank is best, anything higher and the nitrogen becomes toxic to the living creatures in the tank. Ammonia and nitrite should not be above 0 intentionally, as those two are highly toxic to fish and invertebrates at anything above 0ppm.
Phosphorus (P) is also toxic at higher levels, though it’s more toxic than nitrates. An excess of phosphorus can also lead to algae blooms so care should be taken not to overdose. Many tanks don’t need this dosed at all. The phosphorus in tanks is generally found as PO4 and should be kept at 1-2.0ppm or lower.
Potassium (K) is much less toxic than phosphorus or nitrogen and can, in general, be added liberally. Ideally it should be kept at 20ppm or below. KN03 and KH2P04 are typical forms found for supplementation.
Micro nutrients (aka trace elements) are generally found in high enough concentrations in low tech tanks, however all plants benefit from some form of dosing trace elements! Some micro nutrients include iron, magnesium, iodine, calcium, manganese, cobalt, zinc, molybdenum, and many more. Typically these are combined into a single bottle and dosed as a group instead of separately. A notable exception is (chelated) iron. Iron is often needed in higher amounts than other micros, more specifically plants that are red will loose this color without high enough iron levels. Examples of commercial micro nutrient products are; Seachem Flourish, Plantex CSM+B, and Tropica Master Grow (TMG).
So now you have to decide how, how often, and what you are going to dose your tank with! This will vary wildly. Low tech tanks have lower light and CO2 levels, which means plants will absorb nutrients slower and need little to no dosing. All of your levels are either created by fish or exist in high enough concentrations in your water and are replenished when you do a water change.
High tech tanks have stronger light and CO2 levels so plants absorb nutrients faster which will result in deficiencies if you do not replace these over time.
There are three main types of fertilizer dosing. Estimative Index (EI) dosing, Target Dosing, and Perpetual Preservation System (PPS). All have their pros and cons and I recommend target dosing for beginners.
Fertilizers can either come in liquid form (such as Aqua Vitro or Seachem products) but can also be purchased dry and added directly to your aquarium, known as direct dry dosing. You may also choose to purchase your nutrients dry and combine them into a clean bottle and make your own mix (this is when using the PPS)
EI dosing is estimating the amount of nutrients a tank will need and dosing that slightly in excess. This means that plants never have a lack of nutrients in the tank because you can replenishing them and preventing an extreme overdose by doing weekly water changes. You don’t typically test the levels of nutrients, you simply dose the tank and perform weekly 50% water changes or thereabouts. Dosing is done 2-3 times weekly. The following is extracted from an article by Tom Barr and is an example of EI dosing.
General Dosing Guideline for High Light and well planted aquariums.
10- 20 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 1/8 tsp KNO3 (N) 3x a week
+/- 1/32 tsp KH2PO4 (P) 3x a week
+/- ¼ tsp GH booster once a week(water change only)
+/- 1/32 tsp (2ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change
20-40 Gallon Aquariums
+/- ¼ tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 1/16 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- ½ tsp GH booster once a week(water change only)
+/- 1/16 tsp (5ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change
40-60 Gallon Aquariums
+/- ½ tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 1/8 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- ¾ tsp GH booster once a week(water change only)
+/- 1/8 (10ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change
60- 80 Gallon Aquariums
+/- ¾ tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 3/16 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- 1 tsp once a week (water change only)
+/- ¼ tsp (15ml) Trace 3x a week
50% weekly water change
100 - 125 Gallon Aquarium
+/- 1 ½ tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- ½ tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- 1.25 tsp once a week(water change only)
+/- ½ tsp (30ml) Trace 3x a week
50% weekly water change
EI target ranges
CO2 range 25-35 ppm
NO3 range 10-30 ppm
K+ range 10-30 ppm
PO4 range 1.0-2.0 ppm
Fe 0.2-0.5ppm or higher
GH range 1-2 degrees “extra” 17-40 ppm or higher
PPS is a different system where you mix your own fertilizers into a bottle and use that daily. This method involves little to no water changes and regular water testing, which is almost the complete opposite of EI dosing. PPS also requires a digital scale that can measure grams so you can accurately measure out your ferts to make your mix. I have not personally used this method of fertilizing so I’m afraid I can’t go into too much depth, but the following is from this article about the PPS. That site also includes a calculator to estimate dosing.
Chemicals: Can be ordered from any supplier of choice.
Digital scale: Can be ordered from eBay, Office Depot, Staples, etc. very inexpensive, just a basic one in grams.
Bottles: Find some used five same size bottles, plastic or glass. Soft drink, Coke, shampoo etc.
Formula: We use PPS-Classic Solutions Recipe Calculator to find chemicals for each bottle.
Example of 500 ml bottles.
Pour into bottle SS, 16 grams of K2SO4, 20 grams of KNO3, 6 grams of KH2PO4.
Pour into bottle PF, 20 grams of K2SO4, 20 grams of KNO3.
Pour into bottle NF, 33 grams of K2SO4, 6 grams of KH2PO4.
Pour into bottle Mg, 169 grams of MgSO4
Pour into bottle TE, 24 grams of dry Trace Element mix
Fill up all bottles with soft water to the 0.5 litre size and shake. Wait over night until dissolved.
Testing:
For the first month or two recommended testing is once a week for NO3,
PO4 and Mg. Later aquarium becomes predictable and easy to manage and
require testing once a month.
Dosing: The Typical Daily Dosing chart provides us with what a typical tank requires with respect to PPS-Classic dosing.
As
each tank is different we recommend this table as a starting point
which is to be used in conjunction with the Advanced PPS-Classic Dosing
Calculator guide.
Target Dosing is possibly the simplest method that involves testing your tank for nitrate, potassium, phosphate, and iron levels and dosing as needed. Water changes are performed regularly but not as often as with EI dosing on average. It is not as comprehensive as the other fertilization methods, but it is very straightforward. It does have the drawback of requiring the purchase of test kits for everything but it also involves less measuring/dosing.
CO2 and light speeds up the absorption of nutrients. So remember, if you are using C)2 (liquid or gas) then you will need to dose your fertilizers more often than a tank with low light or no supplemental CO2.
Lighting
The strength of your light will vary depending on several factors. Most important is tank depth. Light has a hard time penetrating water and a stronger light is needed to reach the bottom of a deeper aquarium. Another factor are your plants. Different plants need different strengths of light so all should be researched before purchase.
So what kind of lights are used for plants? There are incandescent lights, fluorescent lights, light emitting diodes (LED), and metal halide lights.
Incandescent lights are never a good choice for plants. They get hot the touch and warm up your entire tank and give off little usable light for plants. Skip these entirely! They can only sustain the lowest light plants and even then, growth is slow.
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Fluorescent lights are probably the most commonly used lights. They have the potential to be very high quality lights or almost unusable at all for plants! Fluorescents come in tubes and in compact fluorescent lamps (CFL). Both are usable however CFL do not have an even output of light require multiple fixtures for longer tanks. Typically you see T5 and T8 lights. T8 bulbs are thicker and less suited for plants due to their output, and T5 lights are thinner and better for plants. There are also high output T5s (HOT5) which are very strong and best for deep aquariums.
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LEDs are fast becoming a popular method of lighting tanks due to their low energy usage, low heat output, and long lasting diodes. However they are also more expensive by themselves so that initial set up cost can be a turn-off. They also have the potential to create a “spotlight effect” where light comes out of the fixture like a spotlight, as opposed to even across the tank, creating dark spots. However a properly made fixture will not have this problem and LED fixtures are capable of maintaining high light planted tanks and even corals.
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Metal Halides are an old favorite of aquarium hobbyists, for good reason. They have an extremely high output of usable light for both plants and corals. They often come in fixtures that also include fluorescent or LED in there. They do have a warm-up period so it takes a few minutes for the light to really get going but they are excellent aquarium lights. However, they do run at a higher price than other lights and get hot.
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But how exactly do we measure the “strength” of a light?
What may be a bright light to our eyes may be totally useless for plants. Historically people have had a rule of measuring the tanks strength by the bulbs wattage, however this is inaccurate and useless when talking about any lighting other than fluorescent lights. The old “1watt per gallon” rule is not to be used.
There are many ways of “measuring” a light bulb. It’s wattage is based on the amount of energy the bulb uses, and not the light it gives off. This is why wattage is useless to us in this situation.
Lumens are a measurement of light produced within the range of human vision. Again, not useful when dealing with plants!
What you want to look at is the light photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). This is a measurement of solar radiation (measures in nanometers) that photosynthetic organisms can use. So this right here is what you’ll want to be looking for. However, it is not always listed either on the box or even the manufacturers website, you may have to contact the company and ask them specifically. Alternatively, you can invest in a PAR meter!
PAR is measures from 400-700nm. The depth of a tank will greatly effect the efficacy of a light, as water makes light dissipate. So a plant in a 10 gallon is going to be getting a lot more light than a plant in a 75 gallon, even with the same fixture! This chart shows how depth effects strength of light.
(source)
When selecting a fixture for a fluorescent or halide light, you’ll also want to look at the reflector, the metal piece behind the light. It should cover the entirety of the area behind the bulb to be efficient.
Shopping List
So depending on what kind of tank you want to get, you’ll need to do
some shopping first. You should get all of this before buying plants!
Low tech tank shopping list:
Aquarium of your choosing. Size and shape depends on what
exactly you want to do and what style of tank you enjoy. Horizontal
tanks are traditionally easier to scape than tall or cylindrical tanks.
Keep your budget and space restraints in mind!
Filter. Filtration and water flow is important for plants,
they need a certain amount of current to keep them alive. A typical
external power filter or canister filter are great, but you can also do
internal power filters, sponge filters, etc. If you’re trying to keep it
simple get a hang on back filter! Look for something that will turn
over your water volume 10 times in an hour. Example: For a 10 gallon
tank you’ll want a 100GPH (gallons per hour) filter. Typically GPH is
less important than water flow, if you don’t have any fish.
Heater. This is optional if you keep temperate water plants
or fish. A submersible heater is preferred to ones that hang on the side
of the aquarium.
A light. This is one of the most important decisions when it
comes to setting up a tank! For most low tech tanks, you’ll want a
fluorescent or LED lights. T8 or T5 fluorescent lights should suit your
needs most of the time. Compact fluorescent bulbs work well for small
tanks as well. Remember, never use incandescent lights! They get hot and
do not give off light that plants can use. For low tech tanks you’ll
want a light that is within the following specs: 5000k-6500k, a PAR
rating with a spike at 650-670nm and a spike at 430-475nm. The strength of your
light also depends on how deep your tank is.
Lid. This is optional, but only if you don’t have fish. Most
fish will jump out of an aquarium is startled or even during courtship.
It will also help keep evaporation down.
Substrate. Because this is a low tech tank, this can be an
inert substrate or a substrate that will retain nutrients for plants.
Plants prefer a finer grain but some can be kept in gravel without
problems. You can do sand (Pool filter sand, play sand, or aquarium
sand. Watch out for sand that contains crushed coral or aragonite, this
is designed to raise your pH and hardness levels. If this is your
intent, get some, otherwise stay away!) gravel, or a plant substrate if
you choose.
A net. This is for catching debris or fish.
Fertilizers. Even a low tech tank will need some trace (aka
micronutrients) elements in the tank, usually. You can either buy them
separately or buy a product that has multiple minerals/vitamins in it.
The latter is a much easier option, especially for a beginner. You may
be able to skip fertilizer, just watch your plants. They’ll tell you if
they need anything by looks alone!
Water conditioner. This takes the chlorine, chloramines, and
heavy metals in tap or bottled water. You do not need to use water
conditioner if you use distilled or reverse osmosis water.
Aquascape tools. These are optional, but make trimming and planting easier!
A 5 gallon bucket and a pitcher. This is for water changes. I like to use a 5 gallon bucket and a 1 gallon pitcher.
A siphon. Also for water changes!
Measuring spoons. This is for measuring out your fertilizer or water conditioner, if you use any
An algae scraper. Even in healthy tanks, you might encounter some algae!
High tech tank shopping list:
Aquarium of your choosing. Size and shape depends on what
exactly you want to do and what style of tank you enjoy. Horizontal
tanks are traditionally easier to scape than tall or cylindrical tanks.
Keep your budget and space restraints in mind!
Filter. Filtration and water flow is important for plants,
they need a certain amount of current to keep them alive. For high tech
tanks I would recommend a canister filter for it’s powerful cleaning and
potentially high water flow. It also takes up less space in the tank
and can look nicer. As with any filter, you’ll want it to turn over your
water volume 10 times in an hour. Example: For a 10 gallon tank you’ll
want a 100GPH (gallons per hour) filter. Typically GPH is less important
than water flow, if you don’t have any fish.
Heater. This is optional if you keep temperate water plants
or fish. A submersible heater is preferred to ones that hang on the side
of the aquarium.
A light. This is one of the most important decisions when it
comes to setting up a tank! For a high tech tank I would recommend
either dual T5s, dual HOT5s (high output), or high quality LED lights.
Your lights should be within the following specs: 6000k-8000k, a PAR
rating with a spike at 650-670nm and a spike at 430-475nm
Lid. This is optional, but only if you don’t have fish. Most fish will jump out of an aquarium is startled or even during courtship.
It will also help keep evaporation down.
Substrate. For a high tech tank you’ll want a substrate that is known as “nutritious”. This means it will hold onto nutrients better for your plants, not that the substrate on it’s own contains nutrients. There are many brands that market substrates that are good for plants. Choose one that is best for the type of plants you want to keep. Plants, in general, like to root in a fine substrate rather than a chunky one. Carpeting plants especially so.
A net. This is for catching debris or fish.
Fertilizers. For a high tech tank you’ll want micro and macro nutrients for your plants. So in general you’ll want one comprehensive micronutrient fertilizer (one that has iron, magnesium, iodine, etc.) and one that has macronutrients. You should definitely get Potassium (K) and Phosphorus (P), and you may need Nitrogen (N) depending on your bioload as fish may be able to produce all you’ll need. I would also buy or make your own root tabs. These are fertilizers that make your substrate more suitable for plant growth.
CO2. This can either be in the form of a liquid or, preferably, CO2 gas. CO2 allows plants to exchange oxygen at a more regular rate and promotes fast growth!
Water conditioner. This takes the chlorine, chloramines, and
heavy metals in tap or bottled water. You do not need to use water
conditioner if you use distilled or reverse osmosis water.
Aquascape tools. These are (technically) optional, but make trimming and planting easier! Especially in a high tech tank when growth is much faster.
A 5 gallon bucket and a pitcher. This is for water changes. I like to use a 5 gallon bucket and a 1 gallon pitcher.
A siphon. Also for water changes!
Measuring spoons. This is for measuring out your fertilizer or water conditioner, if you use any
An algae scraper. Even in healthy tanks, you might encounter some algae!
Set Up
When you first set up your tank, you’ll probably want to add all your plants and fish at once. This would be a mistake! Planted tanks, just like any tanks, have to be cycled before adding in any fish.
Set up the tank in a secure place that is reasonably level. Ensure your stand is strong enough to hold your tank and it’s contents (remember, 1 gallon of water is about 8lbs!). Add your substrate (between 2-4″ deep) first. Rinse it only if the bag says to. If you are using soil you will not want to rinse it at all, but if you’re using the popular brand Ecocomplete you’ll have to rinse it well!
Now you do the “hardscape” This is any non living decor you want in the tank. Adding this first helps you visualize where your plants will go, what you have room for, and what looks best. I won’t go into aquascaping in any depth but at it’s most basic it’s a good idea to stick the the golden ratio.
Now you can plant your tank two different ways. Either add plants first, then water, or water first, then plants. I think this comes down to personal preference. Adding plants first helps prevent your soil from being stirred/displaced too much by repositioning of plants. But it demands that you add your water gently, so as not to uproot anything.
Also in general, short plants should be placed in the front of the aquarium and tall plants in the back, so everything is visible. Also keep in mind the swimming habits of your fish and the placements of your plants should reflect that. Leave a large space in the front for schooling fish, create caves or shaded areas for nocturnal fish, and keep ground cover plant sparse if your fish is a digger or forager that noses around in the substrate.
Remember, your plants will fill in. You don’t need to plant a tank heavily at first. Remember the adult size of your plants and try to envision where they will grow, how tell, how wide, etc.
Add in your equipment (filter, heater, CO2 diffuser, etc.) and gently fill with dechlorinated water, just like you would a non planted tank!
Maintenance
All good planted tanks require maintenance. Even low tech tanks with a few plants need regular water changes and inspections to look for deficiencies.
Fertilize your tank regularly, as covered above, and test your water for what you can. You should always test your pH, dGH, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates once a month for your fish and invertebrates health. This also helps with plant health so you know your nitrates aren’t too low. You can also test for iron and other nutrients, but typically this is not necessary.
Water changes play a big role in your tanks health. Exact frequency and volume of water changes depends on the size of your tank, how many plants you have, what kind of plants you have, how many fish you have, what kind, etc. So that’s why testing your water is so important, it is the ONLY way you will know how much to take out and how often!
This may mean twice a week, it may mean once a month. It all depends.
Sources
I highly recommending reading all of these sources/browsing these sites at some point or another. They are written by people much more knowledgeable than me and go into greater detail!
PAR vs Distance, T5, T12, PC
Lighting an Aquarium with PAR instead of Watts
Demystifying Lumens, Lux and PAR
Perpetual Preservation SystemTM
Estimative Index Dosing Guide
Introduction to Fertilizing the Planted Tank
Understanding Aquarium Fertilizer & Planted Tank Fertilization Methods and Calculators
The Aquarium Store Plant FAQ
Aquatic Layout Guide- The Green Machine