A beautiful aquascape or underwater garden may seem difficult to achieve for someone who is new in the world of aquascaping. But it is not! Here is a simple step by step guide so you can kick-start your nature-in-a-box art project.

Before You Begin

To create an aquascape, you need to plan your design. Budget is also a consideration. With the internet, it wouldn’t take a lot of time to get hold of the materials needed for your project.

Local pet shops may have limited stocks for plants rocks, driftwoods, and aquarium decorations but online, everything is just one click away. There are lots of reliable online stores which deliver products with quality, Australia wide.

By now, you must have made up your mind about the theme that you are going to plot in your fish tank. You can check out more inspiration here.

If you are ready, let’s get started

 

Instructions:

Step 1 – Set up your Aquarium. Secure its stand and let it sit in a spot where you can enjoy its view when you want to relax. Remember not to expose it to too much light and heat. Cover the tank bottom with a high-quality substrate. This substrate serves as a source of nutrients for your plants and impacts the water as well as the fish in your tank.

Step 2 – Place your wood, stones, and decorations and secure their place according to your planned layout. These materials form your hardscape and give texture to your design. Natural materials like live rocks and dried driftwoods can make your aquarium’s appearance natural, but careful consideration is needed because having them in the tank may have advantages as well as disadvantages.

 
Step 3 – Dechlorinate your water before pouring it into your aquarium. Chlorine is safe for human but not for aquatic plants and fish. Do not forget to install your filter and heater. Filters clean your aquarium and heater is necessary to regulate the temperature of the water when you are using tropical fish.

  Step 4 – Regulate your PH, and add lighting according to the requirements of your plants. Read the list of most popular aquarium plants and their light and PH level requirements here.

Step 5 – Give life to your aquarium, add the plants. You can tie the plants onto your wood or insert the roots between the rocks or secure the roots by pushing it to the substrate about two to three inches down. Remember that there are different planting techniques for various plants. Be sure to follow the methods to get the best results

Step 6 – Wait for 2 to 3 weeks until you add your fish to your established aquarium. Small schooling fish are advisable for aquascapes.

Step 7 – Fertilize your plants. Supply necessary nutrients to your plants to keep them healthy and maximize their growth. Maintain the shape and form that you want to achieve by pruning.