The supplies you need for aquascaping a tank break down into four categories: substrate, hardscape materials, plants, and equipment to keep everything growing. If you're starting fresh, a basic planted tank setup with quality substrate, some Dragon Stone or Spider Wood, and a handful of easy plant species costs $50-150 in materials depending on tank size. A full high-tech planted layout with CO2, specialized lighting, and premium plants can run $300-500 or more.

Knowing what each supply category does and which specific products are worth buying versus which are marketing fluff will save you money and failed attempts. This guide covers the full list of aquascape supplies by category with specific product recommendations and realistic cost expectations.

Substrate: The Foundation of Any Aquascape

Substrate does more work in a planted tank than in a fish-only setup. Beyond aesthetics, it anchors plants, provides nutrients to root feeders, and influences water chemistry.

Nutrient-Rich Substrates

ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia: The benchmark product that most others are measured against. ADA Amazonia is a fired clay substrate that leaches ammonia for the first few weeks (requiring cycling), buffers pH to the slightly acidic range (6.5-7.0), and provides long-term nutrient release. It comes in Normal (larger grain, easier planting) and Powder versions. A 9-liter bag costs around $55-70 and covers roughly a 10-gallon tank to 2.5-3 inches depth. It's expensive, but it works.

Seachem Flourite Black: A porous clay gravel that doesn't buffer pH or release ammonia. It's inert compared to ADA but provides good root substrate and a clean black aesthetic. $25-35 for a 15 lb bag. A popular choice for setups using root tabs and liquid fertilizer rather than substrate dosing.

CaribSea Eco-Complete: A volcanic basalt substrate with claimed beneficial bacteria pre-seeded in the packaging. $25-35 for a 20 lb bag. The bacteria claims are debatable, but it's a functional planted substrate that doesn't buffer pH and looks natural.

Controsoil: A newer competitor to ADA Amazonia that's gained ground in planted tank communities. Softer water buffering than ADA, similar nutrient release profile, and about 30% cheaper per volume.

Capping Layer Options

Many aquascapers use a nutrient-rich base substrate capped with a thin layer of sand or fine gravel for aesthetic reasons. This conceals the often dark-colored base material and creates visual texture.

Carx ADA La Plata Sand, black Tahitian Moon Sand, or plain pool filter sand (available at hardware stores for $5-8 per 50 lbs) all work as cap layers. Use 0.5-1 inch of cap over 2-3 inches of base substrate.

Hardscape: Rock and Wood

Hardscape is the bones of an aquascape. Placing it well before adding any substrate or plants is how professional aquascapers approach a new layout, and it's a practice worth adopting.

Aquascape Rocks

Dragon Stone (Ohko Stone): Lightweight, porous, and covered in irregular channels and cavities that create interesting visual texture. Safe for aquariums and slightly raises KH/pH in soft water. $4-8 per lb from online suppliers; $6-12 per lb at local stores. A typical 20-gallon layout uses 5-10 lbs.

Seiryu Stone: A gray/blue limestone with white veining. Popular in Iwagumi-style aquascapes. It raises pH and GH, which limits its use in soft-water setups but makes it ideal for harder water fish like African cichlids. $4-8 per lb online.

Lava Rock: Porous red or black rock that provides excellent surface area for beneficial bacteria. Very cheap ($1-3 per lb in bulk bags), and it's functional. Less visually distinctive than Dragon Stone or Seiryu but works well as background rock.

Elephant Skin Stone: An increasingly popular option with undulating surface texture. Can raise pH modestly. $5-10 per lb from specialty suppliers.

Rinse all rocks thoroughly with tap water before adding to any tank. Avoid rocks with metallic veins, sharp edges that could injure fish, or anything that hisses/bubbles when a drop of vinegar is applied (acid test for carbonate content, which affects pH).

Aquascape Wood

Spider Wood (Azalea Root): Highly branched, angular wood with a brown-gray color. Sinks naturally or after a brief soak. One of the most popular choices for planted tanks. $8-20 per piece depending on size.

Cholla Wood: Cactus skeleton wood that deteriorates slowly in water and is favored for shrimp tanks where it provides grazing surface and biofilm attachment.

Manzanita: Hard, gnarly-looking wood that can take weeks to fully waterlog but doesn't leach tannins heavily. Popular in the planted tank hobby.

Malaysian Driftwood: Cheap, widely available, and heavily tannin-releasing. Turns water tea-colored if not boiled and soaked repeatedly. Blackwater setups can use this intentionally.

Boil wood for 30-60 minutes to sterilize it and begin the waterlogging process. Seal any float-resistant pieces to substrate with aquarium-safe silicone while they finish waterlogging.

Plants: Choosing the Right Species for Your Skill Level

Plant selection should match your equipment and experience. Demanding plants in an underpowered setup is a frustrating way to learn.

Easy Plants (Low-Tech Friendly)

  • Anubias (multiple species): Slow-growing, shade-tolerant, and nearly indestructible. Attach to rock or wood with thread or super glue gel; burying the rhizome kills it.
  • Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus): Same attachment rules as Anubias. The "narrow leaf" and "trident" varieties look distinct and interesting.
  • Cryptocoryne (multiple species): Rooted plants that go through "Crypt melt" when first introduced (leaves die back, then regenerate). Once established, they're very hardy.
  • Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum): Fast-growing stem plant, excellent for absorbing excess nutrients in new tanks.

Intermediate Plants

  • Rotala rotundifolia: Pink/red coloration with high light and CO2. Does fine in medium light but stays greener.
  • Ludwigia repens: Easier to achieve red coloration than Rotala, tolerates harder water.
  • Staurogyne repens: A compact foreground plant that carpets without CO2 if light is adequate.
  • Bucephalandra (Buce): Attaches to hardscape like Anubias, creates beautiful iridescent leaf colors under LED lighting.

Demanding Plants (High-Tech CO2 Required)

  • HC Cuba (Hemianthus callitrichoides): Tiny carpeting plant. Requires high light, CO2, and soft water.
  • Dwarf Baby Tears (similar to HC Cuba in requirements)
  • Eleocharis acicularis (Dwarf Hairgrass): Carpeting grass that needs CO2 to spread densely.
  • Marsilea hirsuta: Easier carpet option that tolerates lower CO2 but grows slowly.

CO2 Equipment for Planted Aquascapes

CO2 injection is the dividing line between low-tech and high-tech planted tanks. Plants use CO2 for photosynthesis, and dissolved CO2 in the water column is typically the limiting factor for growth in well-lit planted tanks.

Pressurized CO2 systems: A regulator attaches to a CO2 cylinder and controls bubble rate through a diffuser. A starter setup (cylinder, regulator, diffuser, tubing) costs $80-150. The Fluval Pressurized 45g CO2 Kit ($80-100) is a popular starting point. Refillable 5 lb aluminum cylinders ($30-50) plus a dual-stage regulator like the Fzone or CO2Art Pro-SE ($80-120) are the best value long-term.

Liquid carbon (Seachem Flourish Excel, Easy Carbon): A chemical alternative to CO2 injection. Provides a carbon source for plants without a CO2 system. Less effective than pressurized CO2 but useful for low-tech setups or for supplementing CO2 injection.

Fertilizers

Macronutrients (NPK): Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the main nutrients plants need in volume. Easy Green by Aquarium Co-Op, Seachem Flourish Comprehensive, and ThriveS are popular all-in-one liquid options for low to medium tech setups.

Iron: Many liquid fertilizers include iron, which is often the first micronutrient to become deficient in planted tanks (shows as yellowing between leaf veins).

Root tabs: Seachem Flourish Tabs, Aquarium Co-Op Easy Root Tabs, or Thrive Substrate Plant Spikes provide nutrients directly to root feeders like crypts and swords. Push one tab per square foot into the substrate every 2-3 months.

For a complete equipment setup guide, see Best Aquarium Equipment and Top Aquarium Equipment.

FAQ

What's the minimum equipment needed to start aquascaping?

For a basic low-tech planted tank, you need a tank, a nutrient substrate, adequate lighting (at least a mid-range LED covering the full spectrum), a filter, a heater if keeping tropical fish, and plants. CO2 is optional for easy species. Figure $75-150 for equipment beyond the tank itself at the low end, $200-350 for a more complete setup with quality lighting.

Do I need CO2 injection for an aquascape?

Not for all plants. Anubias, Java fern, most Crypts, and many stem plants grow acceptably without CO2 if light and nutrients are adequate. For carpet plants (HC Cuba, Hairgrass) or a dense, professionally styled layout, CO2 injection is essentially required for reliable growth.

How do I keep rocks from scratching the tank bottom?

Place a small piece of foam or rubber mesh pad between rocks and glass substrate. Craft foam sheets cut to shape work well. This also stabilizes the hardscape and prevents shifting when fish or shrimp bump into it.

What's the best way to glue plants to wood or rock?

Use super glue gel (cyanoacrylate), not liquid super glue. The gel stays put during application and cures in water without harm to fish or plants. Apply a small amount to the plant's attachment point (rhizome for Anubias, root node for moss), hold firmly against the surface for 30-60 seconds, then lower the piece slowly into the water. The bond cures fully within a few hours.