📋 Step-by-Step Guide: Day 0 to Year 4
Preparation (2 weeks before)
Order: Platinum Soil 2x 8L, all Variant C plants, INVITAL Ferox + Fosfo + Carbon 500ml each
Order: INVITAL AquaFresh 250ml, Seachem Stability 100ml, Hikari Micro Pellets 45g
Prepare: timer (2 programs), voltage controller, buckets, hose, plate
Day 0-3: Tank Setup
Day 0: Place soil (front 2.5cm, rear 5.5cm). Do NOT rinse. Fill VERY SLOWLY over plate.
Start filter, heater (25C), UV. Add Stability 20ml into filter.
Cloudy 2-7 days, normal. Do NOT water change.
Day 1: Plant everything densely. Start Carbon half dose (1.5ml/day).
Light: 07:00-09:00 + 17:00-22:00 at 75%.
Weeks 1-6: Cycling
Soil releases ammonia. Dense planting shortens cycle to 3-5 weeks.
| Week | Chemistry | Dosing |
|---|
| 1 | NH3 rising, NO2=0 | Stability 20ml/day. Carbon 1.5ml. No ferts. |
| 2 | NH3 high, NO2 starting | Start Ferox 2ml/day |
| 3 | NH3 falling, NO2 peak | Start Fosfo 0.5ml/day |
| 5-6 | NH3=0, NO2=0 | Cycle complete |
Test 2x/week: API Freshwater Master Kit (NH3, NO2, NO3, pH)
Weeks 6-10: Add Livestock
| When | Action |
|---|
| Day ~42 | Add Neocaridina x15 (drip acclimate 45 min). Ferox 5ml, Fosfo 1.3ml. |
| Day 47 | Add 10 Cardinals + 1 Honey gourami. Full dosing. Start auto-feeder. |
| Day 49 | Add Amano x6. |
| Day 55 | First WC: 50%, pre-heat 90L, AquaFresh 9ml, drip 45 min. |
| Day 62 | Add remaining 10 Cardinals + 1 Honey gourami. |
| Wk 10-12 | If algae film: add Otocinclus x6. |
Months 1-3: Establishment
Biweekly WC: bucket + AquaFresh 9ml day before, heat, siphon, drip 45 min.
Light ramp: M1: 75% | M2: 80% | M3: 100%
Monthly: NO3 test (15-25), pH (7.0-7.2), trim, clean glass.
Month 3-6: Growing In (Dashboard default state)
Full dosing as dashboard calculates. Plants filling in.
Tiger Lotus: trim surface stems, or let 1-2 pads reach surface.
Month 6-12: Stable
M6 review: growing fast? +15% Ferox. Algae? -Carbon. Red pale? +Fosfo.
Trim stems every 2-3 weeks. Thin Salvinia biweekly. Clean feeder monthly.
Month 12-24: Monitor Soil
| pH | Meaning | Action |
|---|
| 7.0-7.2 | Soil buffering | Nothing |
| 7.2-7.4 | Declining | Accept or pH buffer |
| >7.4 | Exhausted | Increase Ferox |
Month 24-36: Soil Nutrients Depleting
Increase Ferox to 8-9 ml/day. Water column EI carries full load.
Year 3-4: Decision
Option A: Continue as-is. Most tanks run 5-7 years.
Option B: Full rescape. Replace soil, replant. Filter survives, 1-2 week re-cycle.
Emergency
| Problem | Action |
|---|
| Fish gasping | Check temp, 30% WC, test NH3/NO2 |
| Shrimp dying | WC too fast? AquaFresh? Test NO2 |
| NH3/NO2 spike | 30% WC + Stability, reduce feeding |
| Algae bloom | Light to 7h, +25% Carbon, check PO4/NO3 |