Aquascape Help Please!

[KuhliCray]

Hello! I am new to this particular fish forum and I have a 10 gallon tank. I'm planning on adding 3 kuhli loaches to it, and I will add another tetra to the neon tetra school. (I know 3 tetras are too small of a school, but they school together just fine and they are not stressed.) Now since this would be quite a heavy stock, I am planting this tank pretty heavily! So far I have only a sword plant. Could any experienced aquascaper tell me what plants to add and where to add it? Also tell me if something needs to be moved or removed or added to the tank. Thanks!

 

[V227]

IMO, add a long slender piece of drift wood and attach Anubias and Java Fern to it. Your fish will love it and you won't have to buy expensive lights, or fertilizer.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Agree with v227, anubias and Java fern are great options and come in many varietys.

You have heaps and heaps of options of plants,

Background: bacopa, hygrophila, Liminophila sessiflora, Java fern

Mid ground: crypts of all variety, Java fern variety’s, moss covered rocks and wood

Foreground: dwarf sag, moss balls, S repens, crypt parva

Just to name a few [emoji106]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder so it’s up to you on placement etc

A nice driftwood stump on top of that rock pile with roots over the top of the rocks could look really nice, even the same on the other side but pile rocks over the pot to make a “cave” type of thing [emoji106]

Edit: also racking your substrate from front to back will help create depth in the tank (1 inch or so deep at front to 3inch at the back)

 

[KuhliCray]

I did it a little differently to make more space in the background for some more plants. I took away the front half of the rocks and put the sword there. I also took out the shell because it felt out of place. I plan on replacing the rocks remaining with smoother and rounder stones. Good idea?
EDIT:
Is there a kind of plant that looks like a vine of some sort that I can drape over the pot? Or maybe just some way to make that area more green with some small plants or mosses.

 

[Bert2oo1]

I did it a little differently to make more space in the background for some more plants. I took away the front half of the rocks and put the sword there. I also took out the shell because it felt out of place. I plan on replacing the rocks remaining with smoother and rounder stones. Good idea?
EDIT:
Is there a kind of plant that looks like a vine of some sort that I can drape over the pot? Or maybe just some way to make that area more green with some small plants or mosses.

Personally I like jaggered rocks, they make more of an impact than smooth ones as I said before though, possibilities are endless and it’s what you enjoy looking at. No one see’s your tank more than you [emoji16]

Weeping moss can give a draped look [emoji106]

 

[KuhliCray]

Personally I like jaggered rocks, they make more of an impact than smooth ones as I said before though, possibilities are endless and it’s what you enjoy looking at. No one see’s your tank more than you [emoji16]

Weeping moss can give a draped look [emoji106]

I changed my mind again! I'm gonna remove most of the rocks, (I'll scatter a couple) remove the pot, put a piece of spider wood in its place, tie some anubias to it, put some java moss at the base, and plant some dwarf hair grass up front.

Also I have 2 very small moss balls in my tank, I wish they would grow faster, but I won't be adding any bigger ones. These kuhlis will have a great upgrade from a bare bottom tank at the shop to a densely planted home!
Thanks for everyone's advice. I welcome any other ideas!!

 

[Bert2oo1]

I’d recommend not going with hair grass, it’s really hard to grow in a low tech tank. It’s more of an advanced plant. Also the loaches are diggers so it would be a nightmare trying to keep the hairgrass in.

Dwarf sag is more sturdy and has that grassy look. May be a better option?

 

[KuhliCray]

I’d recommend not going with hair grass, it’s really hard to grow in a low tech tank. It’s more of an advanced plant. Also the loaches are diggers so it would be a nightmare trying to keep the hairgrass in.

Dwarf sag is more sturdy and has that grassy look. May be a better option?

Ok I guess I won't plant grass then. It will still look good otherwise!