How much substrate do I need for a 10 gallon tank?

For a 51 x 25 cm footprint at a 3 inch average depth you need about 10 litres: roughly 10 kg of aqua soil or 15 kg of sand. At 2 inches it is 7 litres.

What size heater for a 10 gallon planted tank?

A 25 W heater. Once substrate and rock are in, a 10 gallon holds about 28 litres (7.4 gallons) of water, which works out to 3.4 W per gallon.

How much filter flow does a 10 gallon planted tank need?

Aim for 110-170 litres per hour, which turns the water over 4 to 6 times an hour. Planted tanks like steady, gentle flow rather than a jet.

Do I need CO2 for a 10 gallon planted tank?

No. A 10 gallon grows moss, ferns, crypts and easy stems without CO2. Add it only if you want a dense carpet or fast red stems.

10 gallon planted tank setup

The most common first tank in North America, and a good one: a 50 cm footprint takes a single LED bar and a real hardscape.

Dimensions: 51x25x30 cm; 20 x 10 x 12 in outer
Water volume: 28 L; 39 L (10.4 gal) gross, less substrate and rock
Substrate, 3 in average: 10 L; 10 kg aqua soil or 15 kg sand
Heater: 25 W; 3.4 W per gallon
Filter flow: 110-170; litres per hour, 4-6x turnover
Light timer: 6-7 hours; without CO2

Lighting

A 51 cm tank needs a bar that covers the full length so the ends do not go dark.

Fits this tank

Aurora 48 Planted Tank LED Bar

48 cm bar, fits 48 to 61 cm tanks; your tank is 51 cm long.

$73

Filtration

Target 110-170 L/h for a planted tank this size.

Right-sized filter

Hang-On-Back Waterfall Filter — 3-Stage, 250 L/H

250 L/h hang-on-back, rated for tanks up to about 80 L.

$17

CO2

Not needed. Pick low-light plants, keep the light on a 6-7 hour timer, and dose a little liquid fertilizer weekly.

Substrate by depth

Slope it: shallower at the front glass, deeper at the back. The average depth is what sets how much you buy.

2 in average

7 L

7 kg soil, 10 kg sand

3 in average

10 L

10 kg soil, 15 kg sand

4 in average

13 L

13 kg soil, 20 kg sand

Custom tank? Use the substrate calculator

What to plant

Suits: Low-tech jungle or a small iwagumi with one main stone.

Vallisneria or Sagittaria along the back glass
Java fern and Bucephalandra on driftwood
Dwarf sagittaria as an easy carpet
Rotala rotundifolia if you want red stems

Fish and shrimp

A school of 8 to 10 small tetras or rasboras plus a few otocinclus or shrimp. Skip goldfish and anything that tops 2 inches.

Mistakes that cost people this tank

1Buying a hood light. Most kit lids hold a low-output bulb; plants need a full-spectrum bar of 15 W or more.
2Soil too shallow. Aim for about 2 inches at the front and 3 at the back so roots have somewhere to go.
3Skipping the photoperiod. Six to seven hours on a timer stops most algae before it starts.

Quick answers

How much substrate do I need for a 10 gallon tank?: For a 51 x 25 cm footprint at a 3 inch average depth you need about 10 litres: roughly 10 kg of aqua soil or 15 kg of sand. At 2 inches it is 7 litres.
What size heater for a 10 gallon planted tank?: A 25 W heater. Once substrate and rock are in, a 10 gallon holds about 28 litres (7.4 gallons) of water, which works out to 3.4 W per gallon.
How much filter flow does a 10 gallon planted tank need?: Aim for 110-170 litres per hour, which turns the water over 4 to 6 times an hour. Planted tanks like steady, gentle flow rather than a jet.
Do I need CO2 for a 10 gallon planted tank?: No. A 10 gallon grows moss, ferns, crypts and easy stems without CO2. Add it only if you want a dense carpet or fast red stems.