Stunning UNS 120p Aquascaping: 30+ Plants Setup with CO2, LED Lighting & Aquascape Design
Stunning UNS 120p Aquascaping: 30+ Plants Setup with CO2, LED Lighting & Aquascape Design
Behind the scenes, after hours, we built a freshwater (FW) plant showcase tank in a UNS 120P designed to solve a common problem: nursery-grown plants look different emersed than they do once they're established underwater. We planted over 30 species, each labeled with a color-coded difficulty system (green/yellow/red for CO2, light, and nutrient demand) inspired by German aquarium stores — something we hadn't seen done this way in the U.S. hobby.
Equipment
UNS Atmos RGB digital background
UNS Titan LED lighting, positioned centrally to create natural shadowing toward the tank's edges for lower-light plants
CO2 injection
Dual OASE Biomaster 350 canister filters
Seachem aquavitro Sentia dosers for automated Excel and potassium dosing
UNS Controsoil substrate
Hardscape & Planting Technique
Instead of standard CA glue and cotton or tissue for attaching epiphytes, we prefer dried rock wool — it grips better and blends into the hardscape far more naturally than white cotton, though it still produces strong fumes and needs good ventilation. A layer of heavier gravel was used as a retaining wall between the Controsoil and the sand pathway; without it, sand won't hold back heavier substrate grains.
Plant Highlights by Difficulty
Foreground (easy): Marsilea Hirsuta (slow, non-CO2 ground cover), mini hairgrass
Foreground (moderate): Monte Carlo (Glossostigma) — grows best with CO2, needs regular pruning to avoid rot
Difficult/high-CO2: Rotala Vietnam (Aro Colin), Bucephalandra Hapan, White Ludwigia (a hybridized Ludwigia Cuba cultivar)
Cycling the Tank
With substrate and hardscape complete, the tank goes through a fishless cycle using ammonia and bacterial supplement, alongside equilibrium and alkaline buffer to stabilize water parameters before any fish go in.
