BenignVanilla wrote:

On the other hand, the just-add-plants mantra I see on the
internet is missing something because I tried it and it didn't work. I'm
hoping that a filter and a lot of plants work.


This is exactly the mantra I have been living by, and so far it has worked.

Which is great. But it works for you and didn't work for me, so
something is missing. It's more than just add plants. For the longest
time I'd buy anacharis, put it in the pond, and watch it die. Now, it's
going crazy. I have no idea why.