Garden & Animals
Planted Aquarium
Light, carbon dioxide and nutrients have to balance, or algae wins
Unlike fishkeeping the plants are the subject, and they need three inputs kept in balance: light, carbon dioxide and nutrients. When one runs ahead, algae takes the surplus, so an algae outbreak is nearly always a balance problem rather than a cleaning one. The first months are the least stable. Lighting and CO2 are the costs.
First stepSet up a small tank with aquasoil and three easy low-light plants, run it with lights but no fish for four weeks, and watch for algae.
Barriers
Cost to start
$50–300
Going deep → $2k–10k
Alone or with people
On your own
Effort
Light
Without a teacher?
Self-taught
One session takes
Under 30 min
Where
At home
Why people take it up
Related guides
Try a hobby before you buy the gearStarting costs $50–300Skills
BuildsKeeping plants alive