How it started
I’ve recently gotten into aquariums. I’ve always loved plants, nature, wetlands and the critters that live in such envronments but somehow never considered getting and maintaining an aquarium. I think that was due to preconceptions of high cost, complex maintenance and a general disinterest in the look of aquarium filled with colorful gravel, resin decor and plastic plants.
What I’ve found out recently is that there is a very different approach to aquarium that exist and called natural aquariums or planted aquarium that seek to replicate natural processes at a small scale and reduce human intervention as much as possible, letting the bacteria, plants, and animals work on collaboration to create a balanced ecosystem.
The more I read and watched videos on the subject, the more this approach reminded me of some of the best practices in rewilding, where human interference is kept at a minimum and the right conditions are created for nature to regenerate on its own terms.
The notes on this page are tailored for freshwater aquarium, there’s a whole other world of saltwater and reef aquariums which present their own challenges.
Setting up a tank
1. Cleaning up the tank
When setting up a new tank I like to clean the glass first with something neutral like white vinegar disolved in water followed with a rince with water. If the tank had been used previously and shows mineral deposit or dried algae on the glass, you can use a scrubbing pad or brush to help disloge them. Once clean, leve to air dry before moving to the next step.
2. Laying down substrate
I like putting the substrate next, substrate refers to the soil, sand, and gravel that can cover the bottom of an aquarium, serving the role of the river bed. A good substrate is important for the plants to be able to grow roots in and for bacteria to develop.
I start by a Xinch layer of wet garden soil at the bottom of the tank, which is spread evenly. On top of the garden soil, I lay down a Xinch layer of sand to hold the soil in place. I like to start with a thinner layer and then adding more sand where needed after the hardscape is in.
3. Adding the hardscape
Hardscape refers to rocks and pieces of wood that form the miniature landscape of the aquarium. You can keep this simple or make it as complicated as you’d like, there’s a whole artform of aquascaping to discover if you’re into that ;) I highly recommend looking up the work of Takashi Amano for inspiration.
Rocks can be found rocks or specialty rocks bought at an aquarium store.
Wood can be exotic wood pieces bought at an aquarium store of wood found outside. Before adding any wood to a tank, you need to boil it in water for at least Xhours to kill any bacteria and undesirable living organisms that could be living on it. If you use found wood or sticks, it’s best to remove the bark from it and give it a good brush prior to boiling it and adding it to the tank.
4. Adding live plants
Live plants contribute a lot to filtering the water of an aquarium, releasing oxygen in the water, and providing shelter for fish and invertebrates.
5. Adding water
Before adding water from your tap into your tank, it’s a good idea to test it for ammonia and hardness. That way you’ll have a good picture of the baseline parameters of your tank’s water. Water hardness can vary quite a bit depending on where you live and harder or softer water will have different effects on your ecosystem.
I think in most cases it’s easiest to fill a new tank with tap water, but since it’s usually treated with chlorine in treatment plants, we need to treat it to make it safe for our plants and fish.
6. Cycling the tank
The next step is called cycling the tank because it involves kickstarting the nitrogen cycle which will encourage the developpment of nitrifying bacteria who help regulate ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates in the tank. The nitrogen cycle has 3 phases, the first one in which decaying matter and waste releases ammonia, the second one in which a first type of bacteria transforms the ammonia in nitrite (plants also contribute in reducing the ammonia at this stage), and the third one in which a second type of bacteria transforms the nitrite in nitrate, which is then absorbed by plants.
Tank maintenance
Triming plants
Checking parameters
Water changes
Planted tank ecology
Bacteria
A diversity of beneficial bacteria is one of the key elements of a stable aquarium ecosystem. The main purpose these bacteria serve is to contribute to the nitrogen cycle by turning ammonia in nitrite and nitrite in nitrate.
Plants
Plants serve many roles in a tank’s ecosystem, they act as filtration, they contribute in reducing ammonia and nitrate, they allow biofilm to grow on their surface, and they provide shelter to the fish.
Resources
- Ecology of the Planted Aquarium by Diana L Walstad
- biotope style aquascaping