3-Month Update on My First Planted Scape Aquarium
This is my first proper planted tank, and I kicked things off using the dark start method — basically letting the tank run in darkness for a few weeks so the substrate can settle, beneficial bacteria can build up, and algae has no chance to take hold before plants go in.
Tank: Juwel Vision 450L
Setup & Progress:
Started with low light and slowly ramped up to 85% over the last 3 months.
Running a baking soda + citric acid DIY CO₂ generator with a bazooka diffuser — surprisingly effective and pushes bubbles right across the tank.
Daily dosing with an all-in-one fert. I recently added a cheap auto-doser and honestly the consistency has been a game changer.
With timed CO₂, steady ferts, and higher lighting, the tank feels balanced.
The Best Part:
Zero algae so far. I ramped the light up really slowly, and the first fish in were bristlenose, SAE, and pygmy corys. Haven’t needed to gravel vac once — everything stays clean and breaks down nicely.
Stocking:
Currently sitting at around 80 fish: cardinal tetras, harlequin rasboras, bloodtail glass tetras, glowlight tetras, and platinum tetras. Their low bioload + good flow means waste gets carried straight to the filter with nothing accumulating on the substrate.
What’s Next:
Now that the lighting is higher, plant growth has absolutely exploded. I’m mainly keeping an eye out for algae as things adjust. I’ve also just planted an S. repens carpet — once it transitions to submerged growth it should look incredible. 🤞🏾
Definitely lost some plants on the way, would say about 5% couldn't transition to my water or needed a bit more light at the start. But as it all grows out it fills quickly ans will pripogate to fill any odd gaps.
Posted by Daps1319