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.
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
