Starting a more natural look 29 gallon

[aalbright27]

My tank was originally all artificial. I recently added a few plants to make it look more natural, and I'm planing on taking the artificial gravel, plants, and decorations out of it and replacing it with all real stuff.

Right now my tank is a community tank with a swordtail, a couple of Molly's, shrimp, and a red tail shark.

Let me know what you think I should add and how to make it look better. Thanks!

 

[Old Scales]

Welcome to AA. You'll find a lot of good info in all the threads and posts. Good people willing to help. If you decide to go to the planted side of the force, you'll need to do your research. Study the plants triad. Light, fertilizers, carbon source. Study plants you like low light, medium light, high light. Study the needs of stem plants and root/crown plants. I like your hardscape. Looks nice. If you stay with the patriotic gravel, you'll need to look at root tab fertilizer for root feeding plants as well as macro & micro liguid ferts to go in the water. Good luck and again, welcome. OS.

 

[aalbright27]

Thanks for the help ill start researching some plants! And I was planing on taking out my patriotic gravel out and putting in a more natural gravel.

 

[Old Scales]

For a planted tank look at Flora-max, Eco-complete or other substrates for plants. Gives the plants a good base for nutrients. OS.

 

[Sidman24]

Take out the gravel. Add white/tan sand. Replace your background with an all black background. You won't be disappointed

 

[molliwopp]

Take out the gravel. Add white/tan sand. Replace your background with an all black background. You won't be disappointed

Agreed.

 

[Sidman24]

. Will look something like this

 

[aalbright27]

Thanks for the help and suggestions I'll add more pictures when I finish! Thanks again

 

[flitabout]

I have all live plants in a dirted tank. I was going to switch to sand but I think my hubby would have killed me after I had spent all the money on the gravel so I just capped the dirt with the old gravel. Here is my tank. You can't even see the blue bits of gravel anymore.

 

[aalbright27]

Here's the tank at my work. I wanted to do something like this with the pebbles and rocks in the middle. But maybe tan and black sand on the outside? Tell me what you guys think. Thanks.