Budget Setup
First Community Planted Tank Shopping List
Your first community planted tank shopping list — practical gear for ≈20 gallons without CO₂. Core essentials land around ~$160, with stocking rules that prevent the classic overcrowding mistake.
- Core ~$160
- ~20G
- Community
- No CO₂
- First tank
Core essentials ~$160 for a first community planted start (US estimates).
Complete shopping list (BOM)
How to read: essential rows sum ≈ $160. See BOM note. Use the stocking calculator before livestock.
| Item | Why we pick it | Est. | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~20 gal glass tank | Forgiving volume for beginners. | ~$35 | Buy Now |
| Quiet HOB filter | Community bioload needs flow + media. | ~$28 | Buy Now |
| LED bar | Show plants and fish. | ~$30 | Buy Now |
| Heater 100W | Tropical community baseline. | ~$18 | Buy Now |
| Dechlorinator | Non-negotiable. | ~$5 | Buy Now |
| Sand + plant pack | Simple hardscape later. | ~$30 | Buy Now |
| Thermometer + basic siphon | Ops gear. | ~$14 | Buy Now |
| Optional: master test kit Optional | Best next spend. | ~$30 | Buy Now |
Specific product picks
What NOT to buy
- Feeder goldfish “for cycling”.
- Mixing aggressive + tiny fish day one.
- No heater “because apartment is warm” without checking nights.
Common mistakes
- Pet-store stocking lists that ignore adult sizes.
- Adding 20 fish at once.
- Overfeeding.
Why this shopping list
First tanks fail on stocking and cycling, not on missing CO₂. Use the stocking calculator before every purchase.
What fits this setup
- Start with one school OR one centerpiece — not everything.
- Add cleaners later.
Tools & related guides
- Fish / bioload stocking calculator — Check stocking
- Light power calculator — LED upgrades
- CO₂ amount calculator — CO₂ tiers
- Best easy aquarium plants (2026) — Plants
- All aquarium calculators — Tools hub
- Low-tech planted under $150 — Sibling BOM
- Beginner CO₂ under $200 — First CO₂
Week-1 checklist
-
Day 0
Build & start filtration
Rinse substrate. Fill with dechlorinated water. Start filter/heater as listed.
-
Day 0–1
Seed bacteria & short lights
Add bottled bacteria. Run lights 6–7 hours.
-
Day 2–5
Observe — limited livestock
Spot-clean. Do not overfeed. Watch cloudiness.
-
Day 5–7
Test if you can
Check ammonia/nitrite. Small water change if needed.
-
Week 2+
Stock when 0/0
Drip-acclimate. Stock slowly.
Spend-next upgrades
- Test kit — Cycle confidence (~$25–35)
- Better light / CO₂ — Next tier quality (Varies)
- More plants — Beat algae with mass (~$20–40)
FAQ
Is $160 enough?
Yes for a low-tech ~20G community core.
When to buy fish?
Only after 0/0 ammonia and nitrite.
Test kit required?
Strongly recommended — listed as optional only for math honesty.
Aqua Plants Hub Editorial
