How to Set Up a Planted Tank Under $300 SGD: Budget Breakdown
A beautifully planted aquarium does not require a $2,000 budget. With careful selection of equipment, substrate, and plants, you can build a genuinely healthy and attractive planted tank for under $300 SGD — one that will grow and improve over time rather than becoming a source of frustration and expense. This guide from Gensou Aquascaping at 5 Everton Park, Singapore provides a realistic, itemised breakdown of how to do exactly that, based on local pricing as of 2026 and the practical realities of Singapore’s market. This guide sits inside our broader Planted Tank Complete Hub reference.
Setting the Scope: What $300 Can Realistically Achieve
For $300 SGD, you can set up a 30–45 litre planted nano tank or a 60-litre standard tank with moderate planting and a small community of fish. You are not going to run high-output CO2 injection or premium ADA Aquasoil at this budget — those choices alone would consume the entire amount. Instead, this guide optimises for a low-tech or inject-with-Excel planted setup that is highly maintainable, genuinely attractive, and species-appropriate for Singapore conditions.
The Tank and Cabinet: $70–100
A 60 cm (60 litre) glass tank from a local brand such as Dymax or an unbranded equivalent can be found for $25–40 at shops around Serangoon North and Clementi, or on Carousell for less. Include a simple glass lid ($10–15) to reduce evaporation in Singapore’s air-conditioned rooms. A basic wooden or MDF cabinet runs $40–60 from furniture suppliers or the aquarium shop itself.
Avoid all-in-one kits at this budget — the included filters and lighting are usually undersized, and you will spend more replacing them than if you had bought separates from the start. A bare tank gives you full control over every component.
Filtration: $30–50
A quality sponge filter powered by an air pump is the most cost-effective filtration option for a 60-litre planted tank, and it is biologically excellent. A Hydro Sponge IV or equivalent ($8–12) paired with a reliable air pump ($12–18) gives you dependable biological filtration, gentle flow that suits most plants and small fish, and almost zero maintenance cost. Sponge filters last for years.
If you prefer the aesthetics of a hang-on-back filter, the Dymax IQ3 or Atman AT-F201 at $25–35 are reliable entry-level options widely available in Singapore. Both provide adequate flow for a 60-litre tank and are quiet enough for living-room use.
Lighting: $30–50
Lighting is where budget planted tanks most often fail. Too little light and plants struggle; too much without CO2 and you grow algae faster than plants. The Chihiros A-series (A series 45 or 60) at $35–50 is the best value LED for a budget planted tank — sufficient intensity for easy-to-medium plants, good colour rendering, and dimmable if you buy the right version. It is available from local shops and Shopee.
Run your light for 7–8 hours daily on a timer ($5–8 from Shopee or any hardware store). Consistent photoperiod is more important than total wattage — inconsistent lighting is a primary driver of algae in new tanks.
Substrate: $20–35
Active planted substrates (ADA Aquasoil, Tropica Soil) are excellent but expensive — a 9-litre bag of ADA Aquasoil Amazon runs $40–50, which is a significant portion of this budget. For a sub-$300 build, use a layer of organic potting soil (Baba or Growell brand, available at NTUC FairPrice or nurseries for under $5) capped with 3–4 cm of inert sand or fine gravel ($8–15 for a 5 kg bag at aquarium shops). This “walstad-style” approach provides plant-feeding nutrients at low cost and works very well for the low-tech plant list below.
Alternatively, Dymax IQ Soil at around $20–25 for a 3-litre bag is a reasonably priced active substrate that buffers pH slightly and provides nutrients for 12–18 months.
Plants: $30–50
Focus entirely on low-tech, reliable species at this budget. Java fern (Microsorum pteropus), Anubias nana, Cryptocoryne wendtii, moss balls, and a stem plant such as Rotala rotundifolia or Hygrophila polysperma will create a full, attractive planted tank without CO2 or high light. Buy from local group buys on Carousell or HardwareZone forums — plants purchased this way are typically $5–15 per portion versus $8–25 for the same plants at retail. $30–50 spent on group-buy plants can fill a 60-litre tank completely.
Fish and Livestock: $30–50
Keep the stocking simple and appropriate for the tank size. Twenty neon or ember tetras at $0.80–1.50 each, six Corydoras pygmaeus at $2–3 each, and a small group of cherry shrimp ($1.50–2.50 each from Carousell breeders) make a complete and attractive community for a 60-litre low-tech planted tank. Total livestock cost: $35–50 if sourced carefully. Avoid large or aggressive species — this is a planted display tank, not a cichlid setup.
Remaining Budget: Chemicals and Accessories ($15–30)
You’ll need a water conditioner (Seachem Prime, $10–12 for 100 ml), a basic test kit or test strips ($10–15), and a siphon/bucket for water changes ($5–8). If you skip CO2 injection, a bottle of Seachem Flourish Excel ($12–15 for 250 ml) provides liquid carbon supplementation and minor algae control, keeping your plant growth competitive without the cost of a pressurised system.
Running total at the high end of each range: tank and cabinet ($100) + filter ($50) + light ($50) + substrate ($35) + plants ($50) + livestock ($50) + accessories ($30) = $365. To stay under $300, buy your tank second-hand from Carousell ($30–50 savings), source plants from group buys, and choose the sponge filter option. The team at Gensou Aquascaping is happy to advise on where to find the best value components for a budget planted tank setup during a visit to 5 Everton Park.
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emilynakatani
Still Have Questions About Your Tank?
Drop by Gensou Aquascaping — most walk-in questions get answered in under 10 minutes by someone who has set up hundreds of tanks.
5 Everton Park #01-34B, Singapore 080005 · Open daily 11am – 8pm
