A Perfect Tutorial to Start Your FIRST Planted Aquarium — Transcript

Full transcript

1. 0:02Join us in this episode as we demonstrate
2. 0:05the setup of a 64-liter planted aquarium.
3. 0:08Perfect tutorial if you are just about  to start your first planted tank.
4. 0:13We'll walk you through the essential  steps from substrate preparation
5. 0:16to hardscape arrangement and plant selection,
6. 0:19offering practical tips to ensure  your first aquascaping project
7. 0:23is both manageable and beautiful.
8. 0:25This covers the basics of both design and planting
9. 0:29to kickstart your scaping journey.
10. 0:46The size of 64 liters is ideal for a first tank.
11. 0:50It is neither too big, nor too small.
12. 0:53This size makes it easy for you  to establish a stable ecosystem.
13. 0:58First, you need to pour the base lay of  fertilizing substrate into the aquarium.
14. 1:03This will ensure a long-term nutrient  supply for the roots of your plants.
15. 1:11ADA Power Sand is one of the best choices,
16. 1:13because it contains nutrients  and additional substances
17. 1:17like for example tourmaline or activated carbon.
18. 1:21Those help develop bacterial life in the soil
19. 1:25and maintain its long-term health.
20. 1:28Make sure to leave some space along the glass
21. 1:30where you do not want to pour any substrate..
22. 1:33This is important to prevent substrate nutrients
23. 1:35from leeching into the water column.
24. 1:37And of course, your aquarium  will look better from the front
25. 1:40if this layer is not visible.
26. 1:45ADA Aquasoil Amazonia is one of the  most popular general plant soils
27. 1:49- it is a clay-based soil.
28. 1:52Start adding that to the front first to prevent
29. 1:55pushing the base layer substrate forward.
30. 1:57After you've poured it in, arrange  it so that it slopes upwards
31. 2:02towards the back of the tank.
32. 2:04If you don't have such a  super sand flattening tool,
33. 2:07then use an old bank card maybe  or Takashi Amano’s favorite:
34. 2:11A triangle ruler.
35. 2:16After you've added the substrate,
36. 2:18you can start playing with the decoration.
37. 2:21Try not to place the stones in a straight line
38. 2:24as this will create the  impression of a stone fence.
39. 2:27They should be positioned at  an angle relative to each other
40. 2:31as if nature had created and eroded them.
41. 2:37Every stone has a face.
42. 2:40If you take it in your hand and turn it,
43. 2:42you will surely find the most beautiful side.
44. 2:47After placing each stone,  always take two steps back
45. 2:50and evaluate the overall picture.
46. 2:56We are making a V-shaped layout  here with a wood on two sides,
47. 3:00touching in the middle.
48. 3:02You'll need to consider  which sides of the aquarium
49. 3:05will be visible in the room and  arrange the layout accordingly.
50. 3:09When entering the room and observing  the aquarium from the right,
51. 3:13a triangle shaped layout is recommended
52. 3:17to establish a second  foreground from that perspective
53. 3:20in addition to the foreground of the frontal view.
54. 3:23This dual approach ensures that  the aquarium is visually engaging
55. 3:28from multiple viewing angles.
56. 3:33Some people play with the hardscape for days
57. 3:35or even weeks in a few cases,  it's worth taking the time.
58. 3:39But in the case of your first layout,
59. 3:42I would advise you not to aim for perfection.
60. 3:46Keep in mind that the plants will later  cover most of the hardscape anyway.
61. 3:52It's definitely worth securing  the elements of the composition.
62. 3:56Wood will often float up when you  feel fill the aquarium with the water.
63. 4:02So you have to glue them to the stones.
64. 4:04On the other hand, during later maintenance,
65. 4:07you will not have to worry that  nudging a branch will ruin the scape
66. 4:11that took hours to adjust.
67. 4:13Feel free to use aquarium-friendly superglue.
68. 4:16But not by itself - a little trick is needed here.
69. 4:20You need to place a small piece of paper towel
70. 4:23where the stones and wood meet.
71. 4:25Preferably from the back, where  it won't be visible to the viewer.
72. 4:30Drip superglue on this until it is saturated.
73. 4:34While the glue is still wet, sprinkle soil  or sand on it to cover the white paper.
74. 4:39This is how we can easily bond the  stone and wood together in moments.
75. 4:46To make planting easy, spray  some water onto the soil.
76. 4:50A few people prefer to plant in dry Amazonia,
77. 4:52but most will opt for wet soil.
78. 4:55At this time, if you find that  there's not enough soil somewhere,
79. 4:58you can boldly add some more and wet it afterward.
80. 5:04The next exciting step is planting.
81. 5:07Plant preparation is important.
82. 5:09The foreground plants, in this  case Hydrocotyle tripartita 'mini',
83. 5:13should be separated into many small bunches.
84. 5:16Planting these densely will  result in a continuous carpet
85. 5:20faster than if you planted them in patches.
86. 5:23Use thin tipped tweezers, because  they make planting much easier.
87. 5:32The easiest arrangements to create  are those that depict a stream bed
88. 5:36or a forest detail.
89. 5:38Look up these aquariums on the internet
90. 5:40or you can even photograph your favorite  part of a real forest for inspiration.
91. 5:45The scapes that contain only rocks  are called Iwagumi in aquascaping.
92. 5:49They seem simple but they are much more  difficult to build in a natural way.
93. 5:54If you are eager for success,  stick to the other two styles.
94. 5:59The wood-only style is called Ryuboku
95. 6:03or wood and rocks combined called Mizube.
96. 6:12After finishing the foreground,  plant the midground plants.
97. 6:15You can push the plants deeper into the soil
98. 6:17without worrying about planting them too deeply.
99. 6:20However, insufficient depth  can cause plants to float up
100. 6:24and replanting becomes more challenging  once the aquarium is full with water.
101. 6:28So plant boldly.
102. 6:36Continuously moist on the plants.
103. 6:38These aquic plants tend to dry  out quickly, unfortunately.
104. 6:44So, the Braziliensis can come here, until here.
105. 6:48I'm thinking that perhaps here as well... Isn't that going to be too symmetrical?
106. 6:56Lilaeopsis brasiliensis should be planted  densely - it is a slow-growing plant.
107. 7:05Progress to larger plants as you move from  the front to the back of the aquarium.
108. 7:10The final heights of the plants used here  will be listed in the description below.
109. 7:19Experiment with colors and  hues, as well as plant sizes.
110. 7:23There is a vast range of  greens among aquatic plants.
111. 7:27Placing a darker green plant next to a lighter one
112. 7:31can create an attractive contrast.
113. 7:53The angry green color of  mosses enhances any layout.
114. 7:57You can glue them to rocks or tie them to wood.
115. 8:12Research the mature leaf size  of your background plants.
116. 8:16Ooversized leaves such as  those of Echinodorus species
117. 8:20can overwhelm the design and are  best suited to larger aquariums.
118. 8:24In smaller aquariums opt for  tall, small leaved species.
119. 8:29Ensure that you plant these deeply enough,
120. 8:32as larger plants are prone to floating up.
121. 8:34It's advisable to plant a small  number of stems at a time.
122. 8:39Some aquascapers prefer to  plant stems individually.
123. 8:45Attach epiphyte plants to wood  or stones for a natural look.
124. 8:49These plants, such as Anubias  species or some ferns,
125. 8:52will rot if planted in the soil.
126. 8:55Like orchids on trees, epiphytes use  their roots primarily for anchorage.
127. 9:04In dual-sided layouts, avoid excessive symmetry.
128. 9:08Introducing a distinctive or  more vibrant plant on one side
129. 9:13can effectively disrupt  the symmetrical appearance.
130. 9:26When planting the background, consider  the space required for internal filters
131. 9:31or the inlets and outlets of the external filters.
132. 9:35These will also dictate the flow direction  causing plant to lean accordingly.
133. 9:53We will plant Vivipara here, what do you say?
134. 10:02Experiment with various plant types.
135. 10:05Understanding the growth patterns and  competitive nature of different species
136. 10:09will benefit your future layouts.
137. 10:12If you want to use an already matured plant,
138. 10:14feel free to borrow one from Luca's aquarium.
139. 10:18Just kidding!
140. 10:44Utilize a variety of plants.
141. 10:47A larger number of plants can  facilitate a smoother startup
142. 10:51by establishing biological  equilibrium more quickly.
143. 10:59Then be patient!
144. 11:06Allow time for your plants to root and then grow.
145. 11:10Within a few weeks, they will  begin to fill the intended space.
146. 11:16You can see nature taking possession  of the living space you created.
147. 11:21Observe and appreciate the transformation,
148. 11:24because one of the world's greatest wonders  is happening right before your eyes.
149. 11:30Welcome to the Community of Aquascapers!