What can I do to inexpensively spruce up my tank?

[ReyK]

I have this 15-gallon column aquarium (measures approx. 13"x13"x19") from Aqueon, and it looks pretty boring. I wanted to go for a fairly natural yet aesthetically pleasing look but I couldn't afford to buy large pieces of driftwood--a 12"-18" tall piece at my LFS is around $40-$60 and I just can't afford that right now. I also thought about buying rock, which is a cheaper alternative I guess, but at my LFS, it's still about $5 per pound and I don't know how much I'd need. Another issue I have is I greatly dislike the look of cheap, fake plants, driftwood, rock, and other decorations. I thought about making a java moss wall for the back glass, but I don't have enough java moss grown yet to do that.

My question is, what can I do to make my tank look nicer and more natural without spending an arm and a leg? I have probably $30 I would want spend right now, but anything more expensive than that, I'd have to wait a while for.

Here's a pic if it helps any:

 

[Copplanes]

Your tank is nice and tall! Get a couple java fern or other tall growing plant and it would look much more filled and alive!

 

[extremebunny]

If you don't want to buy rocks and driftwood and you don't want to buy it, then find some outside. Free and natural.

 

[ReyK]

How do I make them safe for the aquarium? Do I just boil it?

 

[OsciTheOscar]

Find a rock, build a bit of a mound in one corner with the substrate, find a piece of driftwood outside somewhere, boil the heck out of it for a while, the only thing you should buy are some tall growth plants and a low growth plant. Youll be set

 

[Hoobfoob]

What a nice, tall tank! Love the black substrate.

I agree with everyone else here, getting some tall growing plants would REALLY spruce it up! I actually also really dislike the look of fake plants, but I got one from my LFS that looks very realistic and nice. A few people on here have asked what kind of plant it was not realizing it was fake.

Some driftwood branches (not chunky logs) would be cool decorations too, and fish like them too.

If you do take some decor from outside, leave it in the sun for a day or two (outdoors preferably, if you are able to) to make sure no insects or other hitchhikers are on it. Then you can bring it inside and boil it.

Also, a moss wall would be REALLY cool too. It'd look so nice once it filled out and would give your aquatic friends a good place to feed

 

[flchamp89]

Great tank for vals

 

[ReyK]

Okay, so I went to my LFS looking for an African Dwarf Frog and came home with two and a small bundle of plants. I know one is bamboo and the two tall ones are dracaena, but I'm not sure what the other couple smaller ones are. Here's what it looks like with the new plants and two frogs added:

 

[TMaier]

Those plants are not aquatic. They will slowly die unless the leaves are above water. I would return them and look for aquatic plants. Not anything labeled semi-aquatic.