Setting up a 3ft planted aquarium for our customer

This week, we went to our customer place to set up a planted aquarium. The customer brought our display aquarium at our store.

Our customer wants an easy maintenance planted aquarium; we changed some equipment and plants to suit his needs. We will show you as we talks more.

Equipment we used:

Aquarium: ANS Opti-Clear tank 90M (90 x 45 x 45cm)

Cabinet: Custom Cabinet (90 x 45 x 80cm)

Hanging Bar: ANS Hydro Bar M90

Lighting: Metal Halide 150w, 2 x 36w PL florescent

Filtration: UP Aqua G055UV

CO2: ANS Professional Co2 System 3L

Chiller : Haliea 150a 1/10HP

Substrate:  ANS Planta Base, JBL Manado, ANS NatureSand Bright Sand

Deco / Hardscape: ANS Old Black Driftwood, ANS Rocky Misty+

Plants: Blyxa Japonica, Blyxa Aubertii, Taiwan Moss, Microsorum Pteropus Narrow leaf , Bolbitis Heudelotii, Anubias Nana var Petite, Aponogeton Crispus

We design the cabinet on the right side to have a bigger hole so hot air from the chiller can be expel easily.

Installed the hanging bar and lighting. we hang light 30cm above the tank, this will helps to spread out the light to every corner of the tank.

Connecting filter to chiller. We use canister filter that have UV-C light, UV-C light help to keep water clear and reduce algae growth. We set temperature of chiller at 25 degree Celsius, this will promote plants growth and also reduce algae growth. (Get a mini fan on the chiller compartment to expel the heat produced by the chiller.)

Start scaping. Start with the wood first. (Sorry for the bad photo)

Add in the rocks. Make a border as we are adding sand at the front and substrate at the back.

After hardscape is done, we add in ANS NatureSand Bright Sand at the front. Try to fill up the sand into every small holes, this will prevent substrate from the back flowing to the front.

Add in ANS Planta Base as the bottom substrate. ANS Planta Base help plants to grow better and also keep the root healthy and strong.

Add in JBL Manado at the top. We like to use JBL Manado as substrate for low maintenance planted aquarium. It increases survivability of plant and enhance root growth. Restrict the growth of algae by absorbing excess fertilizer from the water. Less water change is needed.

Add little water so it is easier for planting.

Start planting. Spray water on the moss and fern between planting to keep them from drying up.

Fill up water and we are done.

We add EIHO Bacter Gold to increase the beneficial bacteria in the aquarium, add in twice every week help break down waste and harmful ammonia, nitrite and fasten the process of nitrogen cycle.

Co2 injection : 4 Bubbles per second

We told the customer to change 25% to 50% of the water twice a week for the first month. It is a very important step to improve water quality for planted aquarium. Add in some Siamese algae eater and Otocinclus on the 3rd day, they help eat up algae in the aquarium.

It is all for today setup. We are going back next week to check on plants and water quality and hopefully we will be able to add in fishes already.