Starting Small

[The_Lunch_King]

I'm completely new to the hobby and just decided to start small with a 10 Gallon planted setup. I've done some research but it never feels like enough, so any advice would be appreciated! I'll be thinking on what to buy for it a month before I make it, so I'm open to any suggestions by then. Here's hoping to a great start!

[yen]

Check out Aquarium Co Op YouTube about what to keep in 10gal tank.

[Daveyhorl99]

Get a good light for plants. Maybe do some research on CO2 as well.

[The_Lunch_King]

I've been looking at high and low tech tanks for a while and decided I'll keep it simple without CO2 injection, but I don't know of any particularly good lighting set-ups. Any recommendations?

[The_Lunch_King]

As for Aquarium Co Op, I've seen their channel but find their blogs more helpful.

[The_Lunch_King]

I also need to decide what plants to start with. I figured that I would start the tank with just the plants and only add livestock after cycling and good water tests. Are there any specific species to look for or particularly good places to get some?

[yen]

Start with Vallisneria, Anubias, Amazon swords, Guppy grass, Riccia fluitans, Java moss, Amazon frogbit, Subwassertang, Red root floater, etc.

[Daveyhorl99]

I also need to decide what plants to start with. I figured that I would start the tank with just the plants and only add livestock after cycling and good water tests. Are there any specific species to look for or particularly good places to get some?

Hygger/Finnex/Nicrew/Beamswork have some nice/budget LED lights for plants. I recommend to pick some tall and low/carpet plants for the background, middle and front. 10G is not big, so you don't want to grow something like sword or val. Some rhizome plants (anubia, java fern, buce) could be nice and easy. dwarf sag, crypt parva, or microswords are good for carpeting and they don't need CO2. I'm not sure where you live, there are some LFS selling plants. Or you can look up FB groups/marketplace, Reddit/aguaswapTX or aguaswap, OfferUp. Also online stores selling plants.

[The_Lunch_King]

Thank you for the plant recommendations! I've been exploring the local stores and between the Fish Gallery and Aquarium Design Group, I think I have all of the hardware I'll need. I bought a shallow 10 gallon, an Eheim 350 classic canister filter, a Chihiros Vivid 2 light, some dechlorinator, and filter media. I can post which products more specifically later when I get back home later today. I can get a heater later if I don't end up stocking with cold water species.

I have the tank where I want it and have the light mounted (again, I'll try to get a picture when I get home later today) but I don't want to mess up the dechlorinating and filtration. How should I fill my tank for the first time? I'm especially concerned about getting the filtration wrong. I want to get all of the hardware ready before I start hardscaping and planting.