Setup & care guide

Choosing a tank size

A 60×35×35 cm tank (about 70 litres) is a good place to start: water parameters stay more stable than in a nano tank, and equipment is still affordable. 45×30×30 suits tight spaces; 90×45×45 suits more ambitious layouts. Make sure the stand carries the filled weight — one litre of water is one kilogram.

Lighting

Low-light plants such as anubias, microsorum and moss are happy at roughly 20–30 lumens per litre. Foreground and colour plants want 40–60 lumens per litre, and at that intensity without CO2 the algae grow faster than the plants. Match the fixture length to the tank and run 6–8 hours a day.

CO2 and dosing

Under strong light, CO2 injection is close to mandatory: about 1 bubble per second per 50 litres, starting an hour before lights on and stopping when they go off. The drop checker should stay green. Dose liquid fertiliser two or three times a week; root tabs and base fertiliser go under the substrate at setup only.

Filtration and flow

Size the filter for roughly 4–6 times the tank volume per hour — for a 70-litre tank, that is a 300–400 lph filter. Flow should be gentle and even, carrying CO2 and nutrients everywhere without bending the plants over.

Substrate and hardscape

Lay aquasoil 5–8 cm deep, shallower at the front and deeper at the back so the layout gains depth. Budget roughly 4–6 kg of wood and stone per 100 litres. New driftwood needs a few days soaking so it sinks and leaches less tannin.

The first weeks and adding livestock

Cycle the tank for at least three to four weeks and add fish only once ammonia and nitrite read zero. Change 30–50% of the water twice a week during that period. Add shrimp last, after parameters are stable, and drip-acclimatise them slowly.

Questions?

If you are unsure about equipment or a maintenance schedule, contact support before ordering. Tell us your tank dimensions and what you are aiming for and we will suggest a suitable list.