I have been in the hobby for just about a year and still consider myself a newbie.I have 3 tanks a 10-gallon,29 -gallon and a 55-gallon.The 10-gallon is sort of a quarantine/receiving tank and the other 2 are planted.
Along the way, I have made lots of mistakes but I chalk them up as learning experiences.My 29-gallon has a Finnex 24/7 Planted+ fixture, Tidal 75 HOB, Hydro 1V sponge filter and a Cobalt Neo-Therm 150W heater. The 55-gallon has a Coralife T5 HO 2 tube with 6500K bulbs, Penn Plax Cascade 1500 canister filter, Hydro 1V sponge filter, Cobalt Neo-Therm 200W heaterThey both have Carib Sea Peace River, Gravel. The 10 has the same gravel along with an AC 20 HOB, small sponge filter,
Fluval 50W heater.Both of these tanks have the same water parameter but the plants in the 55 seem to be in much better shape.They are both on the same lighting schedule.