SeaCrystal
Aquarium Advice Newbie
Hi everyone! I'm Julia. 
I'm brand new to this forum and also fairly new to fishkeeping, although I've had a 5.5 gallon betta tank (which I am now learning is only the tip of the iceberg in the aquarium hobby!)
I've always had an adoration for all things aquatic and have finally gotten myself a nice 10 gallon set up from kijiji. It came with the topfin multistage 10 internal filter, some plastic plants, an 80 watt heater, gravel, floating betta logs, and some decor. I got all of this for $30 which I thought was a steal. I have it all set up and am now beginning the cycling process. I think it looks like a decent basic tank set up but now I am dying for some real plants to take my aquarium to the next level. I'm definitely going for the natural look. I have a very limited budget so I'm hoping to avoid purchasing expensive plant substrate. I'm thinking that maybe acquiring some java moss and other beginners plants that dont require substrate might be a good option for this simple freshwater set up. I'm not 100% set on what fish I'd like but I'm leaning towards a small school of peaceful tetra (ember tetras?) and a betta fish. Can anybody give me some advice on a cheap way to add some live plants without breaking the bank? The light included with the tank should be sufficient for some low light plants. Sorry for the rant! I'd appreciate any advice on how to make my tank look better and even some stocking advice! Like I said, I'm new to the hobby and would appreciate any guidance as I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the different information out there.
Thanks in advance! I'm excited to be a part of this forum and learn a bunch about the aquarium hobby! I've attached a few photos (the floating things you'll see are floating artificial logs)
I'm brand new to this forum and also fairly new to fishkeeping, although I've had a 5.5 gallon betta tank (which I am now learning is only the tip of the iceberg in the aquarium hobby!)
I've always had an adoration for all things aquatic and have finally gotten myself a nice 10 gallon set up from kijiji. It came with the topfin multistage 10 internal filter, some plastic plants, an 80 watt heater, gravel, floating betta logs, and some decor. I got all of this for $30 which I thought was a steal. I have it all set up and am now beginning the cycling process. I think it looks like a decent basic tank set up but now I am dying for some real plants to take my aquarium to the next level. I'm definitely going for the natural look. I have a very limited budget so I'm hoping to avoid purchasing expensive plant substrate. I'm thinking that maybe acquiring some java moss and other beginners plants that dont require substrate might be a good option for this simple freshwater set up. I'm not 100% set on what fish I'd like but I'm leaning towards a small school of peaceful tetra (ember tetras?) and a betta fish. Can anybody give me some advice on a cheap way to add some live plants without breaking the bank? The light included with the tank should be sufficient for some low light plants. Sorry for the rant! I'd appreciate any advice on how to make my tank look better and even some stocking advice! Like I said, I'm new to the hobby and would appreciate any guidance as I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the different information out there.
Thanks in advance! I'm excited to be a part of this forum and learn a bunch about the aquarium hobby! I've attached a few photos (the floating things you'll see are floating artificial logs)
