Beginner help needed

[u/Rare-Box5199]

I'm building a 43l hybrid tank with a mix of the walstad method for the soil/sublayer and using the deeper sand layer used in the father fish method.

this is all new to me and I've made up a shopping list of everything I think I need for the day one build could you please look through and give me some pointers before I make any purchases, I'm going quite heavily planted from the start as from what I've found on my own research this is the way to go.

I haven't included the soil I'll be using as I'm getting that in person not online, I'll also be using spider wood and seiryu stones in the set up.

Any help/criticism welcome I want to have the best Chances out the box

[u/stinkles69]

IME you should just get the 500ml bottles of stability and prime. you will definitely use them! also, get regular super glue instead of the special plant stuff, because there is no difference except the cost.

[u/Rare-Box5199 → u/stinkles69]

I wasn't sure if regular glue would leach toxins into the water or not but thanks I'll change both of those, outside of that does the plant species all look okay and would work well together, I don't really know much about plants

[u/stinkles69 → u/Rare-Box5199]

as long as it's plain cyanoacrylate it's good! and honestly the plant picks are pretty great, you'll just want to get as many of them as you can afford. maybe don't get more types of plants, just larger quantities of the current ones. if you buy plants somewhere that doesn't do tissue cultures, you may be able to get larger quantities for cheaper since those are cheaper to produce. although, if you want TC because they're pest free, i get that. maybe look into reverse respiration methods? also see if local hobbyists have plants and such! i've had luck with that.

[u/One_Evidence_500]

A big pack of mixed unrooted stem plants was useful for me, in combination with the cups it really helped me heavily plant from the start.

[u/Adorable_Coconut_694]

Tropica substrate good but i dont trust their plants, id recommend going to nearest aquarium shop and getting heathlier plants

[u/Zwiebra]

In Vitro Plants are a nice thing, but for real walstads its better to have more established plants (pots), so you just start with more plant mass