Step 1 of 5
What are you working with?

Your tank and experience set the scale, plant difficulty, and stocking limits.

Size
Not selected
Dimensions
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Technology Level
Low tech planted
Low Tech
No CO₂ · moderate light · soil substrate · minimal maintenance
High tech CO2 system
High Tech
Pressurised CO₂ · intense light · active substrate · precision dosing
Experience Level

This tailors plant choices to your skill — even a high-tech tank shouldn't start with the most demanding species.

Beginner
Hardy, forgiving plants that are hard to kill. Great for a first scape.
Intermediate
Comfortable with trimming, dosing and a regular routine. Adds moderate plants.
Advanced
Experienced with demanding species like Rotala macrandra and Tonina.
Choose a visual direction

Pick one composition. Materials will be curated to match it.

Iwagumi
Iwagumi
Stone · minimalism · open space
A minimalist Japanese style built around a few carefully placed stones. Think open space, short carpeting plants, and a calm, zen-like look. Great for beginners who want something striking without a lot of plants to manage.
✓
Jungle
Jungle
Wild · lush · untamed
A lush, wild-looking tank packed with large leafy plants growing in every direction. Low maintenance once established — you're going for controlled chaos, not perfection.
✓
Nature Aquarium
Nature Aquarium
ADA landscape · scenic depth
The classic aquascape style made famous by Takashi Amano. Uses a mix of rocks, wood, and plants to recreate a natural landscape like a hillside or forest floor. The most popular style for a reason.
✓
Dutch
Dutch
Dense rows · vivid colour
A highly structured style focused on rows of colorful, contrasting plants — no rocks or wood required. Requires more plant knowledge and regular trimming but produces a stunning, garden-like result.
✓
Wabi-Kusa / Walstad soil
Wabi-Kusa / Walstad
Natural balance · self-sustaining
A low-tech, low-maintenance approach where nutrient-rich soil does the work instead of fertilizers and CO₂. Slower to set up but nearly self-sustaining once balanced. Great for beginners who don't want to fuss with equipment.
✓
Biotope
Biotope
Region-authentic · species-true
A tank designed to replicate a real place in nature — specific fish, plants, and materials all from the same region. More research involved, but incredibly rewarding if you love the natural world.
✓
Who lives here?

Choose any groups you like. Leave it open for a compatible recommendation; conflicts pause as you build.

Community Fish
Tetras, rasboras, corydoras
✓
Nano Fish
Ember tetras, CPDs, chilis
✓
Dwarf Cichlids
Apistogramma, German rams
✓
Gourami
Labyrinth centerpiece fish
✓
Amazon Biotope
Tetras, angelfish, corydoras
✓
Amazon Blackwater
Discus, altum angelfish
✓
Rainbowfish
Rainbowfish
New Guinea & Australian
✓
SE Asian Biotope
Betta, rasbora, gourami
✓
African Rift Lake
Mbuna, haplochromis
✓
Congo River
Congo tetras, elephantnose
✓
Freshwater Shrimp
Neocaridina, caridina
✓
Freshwater Snails
Nerite, mystery, ramshorn
✓
No livestock selected
Set the mood

Choose a palette and add anything the design must include or avoid.

Composing your aquascape…

Your design brief

Your Aquascape Design
Your aquascape illustration will appear here.
Like part of this design? Use the Lock buttons on the sections below — locked sections stay exactly as they are when you regenerate.

Before You Begin

Follow these steps in order. Skipping steps — especially cycling — is the most common reason beginners lose their fish.

  1. 1
    Source your plants, hardscape & equipment
    Use the plant list and equipment guide below to gather everything before setting up. Having it all ready makes the process much smoother.
  2. 2
    Set up your tank & hardscape
    Add substrate, place your rocks or wood, and fill with dechlorinated water. Do not add fish yet.
  3. 3
    Plant your aquascape
    Follow the placement diagram below. For rhizome plants like Anubias and Java Fern, tie or glue them to hardscape — never bury the rhizome in substrate or they will rot.
  4. 4
    Cycle your tank — this step is non-negotiable
    A new tank has no beneficial bacteria to break down fish waste. Adding fish to an uncycled tank almost always kills them within days. You have two options:
    Fast (1–3 days)
    Add a bottle of live nitrifying bacteria such as Tetra SafeStart, Fritz Zyme 7, or Seachem Stability. Dose heavily per the instructions, run your filter for 24–48 hours, then test your water before adding fish.
    Traditional (4–6 weeks)
    Run the tank with filter and plants but no fish. Add a small amount of ammonia (or a pinch of fish food) daily to feed bacteria growth. Test water weekly until ammonia and nitrite both read zero. Only then add fish.
    Either way, test your water with a liquid test kit before adding any livestock. You need ammonia = 0, nitrite = 0, and nitrate below 20ppm.
  5. 5
    Add fish slowly
    Stock your tank gradually — add a few fish, wait two weeks, test the water, then add more. Never add your full stocking list at once. Float the bag for 15 minutes before releasing to equalise temperature.
  6. 6
    Maintain weekly
    Change 25–30% of the water every week, vacuum the substrate, and trim plants as needed. Consistent maintenance is the key to a healthy tank long-term. See the Care & Maintenance section below for your specific schedule.

Placement Diagram

Top-down planting map — the whole area each plant fills, viewed from above as you plant the tank. Numbers match the list below.

Hardscape Composition

Materials

Plant List & Placement

Livestock Stocking

Care & Maintenance

Equipment Guide

Recommendations are matched to your tank. Choose one overall build tier, then override any category when it matters to you.

Tank   ~$110

Recommendations stay matched to your chosen tank size — the slider finds a suitable option at your price.

~$120

Most tanks need a stand built or rated for the weight — already have one that fits? Turn this off.

Equipment Budget ~$280
Wanted Features

Optional — we'll favor equipment that matches, where it fits your budget.

Tank ~$110
+
Equipment ~$280
=
Total ~$390

Prices are approximate — click any item to see the current price. All recommendations suit your chosen tank size and tech level.

Disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links — if you buy through them, Skapelab may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Recommendations are chosen for fit, not commission.

Your Shopping List

Everything for this build — take it to the store or order online.

Includes your placement diagram, so you have everything you need to shop and set up in one document.