# Estimated cost of Aquascape?



## Sethjohnson30 (Jan 16, 2012)

Are you planning on injecting co2?


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## Tcal01 (Apr 23, 2012)

are you looking to buy all your stone and driftwood and rock or are you going to collect it from areas near you. a good way to not spend a lot of money on plants is to buy them in them from people on this website. to fill a 10g i would estimate abou $50 in plants. also it depends on your substrate type. sand or aquasoil?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Carpeting with anything other than moss means you'll need to spend a substantial amount on plants up front and may require the use of CO2, EI dosing and solid lighting.

Also depends upon your budget for substrate. For a 10gal, you could get a bag of ADA Aquasoil and have plenty.

What's your overall budget and do you plan on using CO2? That would be easier to work with.


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## SinX7 (Nov 27, 2012)

Prefer a plant that is easy to maintain, since I am a first timer at this. Probably going to pick up some stuff on the site and help out the members here.

Highly Prefer not too, but if I do, it's going to be a really cheap system. 

For substrates, I been reading most of you guys just go to lowes, home depot or something to pick up a big load of substrates for cheap,so I might do that.


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## lochaber (Jan 23, 2012)

My first planted tank (or just aquarium) was a 10 gallon I had back in college.

Go low-tech, it will be less cost and less maintenance.

Anyways, in my initial set up, I just stuck a couple daylight compact flourescent bulbs in the hood, used kitty litter (may have thrown some peat and vermiculite in the bottom, I can't remember), and a HOB filter (I think it was a tetra/whisper at the time, but I later switched to an aquaclear, and liked that better).

SafeTSorb sounds like it's a bit better then kitty litter, and it looks a lot nicer. 

the hardscape is probably going to be the next most expensive thing after the plants. If you go out hiking in the hills and such near vegas, you may be able to find some pretty weathered wood, but that's pretty hit or miss.


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## Sethjohnson30 (Jan 16, 2012)

Equipment 
10g tank 10-15$ 
Hob 20-50$
Heater 10-20$
Cfl clamp on 15$
Or
Led floodlight 10-20$ on evilbay

Fish could cost any where from 5$ and up to fill it

White cloud mtn minnows are 4/1.00$ at my Lfs you could easily put 20 in a 10g 

Plants all depend on what you get. 
If you
Have enough light and maybe some DIY co2 you could just buy a couple plants to start, then trim and replant as you go

For soil a 20$ bag of Eco complete would be more than enough to fill the tank 

+\- 100$ you can have a nice planted tank.

50 gallon tank

You can buy a tank for 20+ used or new is around 100 

You need good water movement so I would recommend multiple hob's or a powerhead if you don't have the money for a high powered canister 

You can get a filter for around 40$ and a powerhead for about the same 
A heater will be 20+ 

Plants are goin to cost an arm an leg of you want to buy everything right off. 

For substrate you could use miracle grow organic potting mix w/a sand cap for less than 20$ to do the whole tank 

As far as co2 and lighting goes I would go low tech if you're trying to do a tank that large on a budget get a couple 2 bulb t8 shop fixtures for light and some 6500k bulbs from home depot. It will be about 60$ for bulbs and fixtures 

This does not include maintenance cost such as ferts, food, water conditioner, etc.


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## Tcal01 (Apr 23, 2012)

for some nice easy starter plants i suggest crypts, bacopa caroliniana, some limnophila species, some hygrophila species, and some swords


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