Fishnoob
where are you based?
would suggest a three layer approach to your substrate if you are going to plant
some thing like daltons aquatic mix if you can find it...just crumble it across the bottom of teh tank, then about a 10-20 mm layer of sand, then alike depth of fine gravel, put your plants in...a mix of fast and slow growing plants then slowily fill your tank with water.
Let it run for a week then add a few fish each week.
HTH
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