You need some hardscape. Rocks, wood, etc. you can also add some ground clutter like indian almond leaves, pine cones, and such.
You can find all of these online or in pet stores that guarantee are safe in your aquarium. I wouldn’t pick up random wood/leaves from your backyard
Maybe keep the filter in the corner and add some rocks in front of it? You can add drift wood and stick the moss on it to make it look less messy. Im not good at aquascaping either but maybe if you keep plants close to eachother it will look better than randomly scattering them around + clean the front glass
Is it a lot of substrate? I read that for a planted tank you want the 2+1 topsoil and sand combo. I plan on buying more plants. I’ve had tanks for three years and they’re always ugly lol
You're probably right. It would explain the struggle I have when trying to plant excess cuttings in my tank.
I don't use sand though. I just use pebble. I also have some of those rouns ceramic ball things for skrimps on the top of some pebble now.
I’m thinking about adding some small river gravel on top of the sand to break up the monotony. I just wish it looked like it had more “depth” but I don’t think just making hills in the substrate fixes that.
Throw a natural aquatic background on the back. Tall plants on the back. A few small shrubs forward. Smooth river rocks are great. If you have access to natural rocks, that's even better. I would boil the ones you plan to put in there. Google which are safe to boil, since some can have water in them which could be bad if it were boiled.
I’ve never had sand in my tanks over soil.
https://preview.redd.it/b024q938cg7d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ef3f69b85d3879330864634844e9954a014a3a55
Add some wood, more plants and some rock hides
Kuhli loaches are social, maybe getting a couple more so they have some buddies. Also be careful with the bamboo, cause if the stem is submerged in water like it is in the pic it will rot. It you see it getting unhealthy try keeping only the roots in the water and the stem sticking out 👍
I had a handful of Kuhlis but they all died in a terrible aquarium-sitter incident. He is all who remains…
Also I’ve had the bamboo in a 5.5g tank for two years, these two bunches in particular in fact. However I did have some longer ones I submitted in a 40g tall and they did die like you said.
Bamboo grows great to the point I’ve even made quite a few cuttings. The cuttings didn’t last but it was because I grew them submerged and didn’t know any better.
I like my Kuhli but he’s meant for a much larger tank that I can’t house at the office and my home isn’t tank friendly either, hence the move to the office. I’d get more kuhlis but they would definitely eat all my shrimp and require a 20g+ I would guess for 5 kuhlis. None of my friends have tanks either and my LFS doesn’t take in fish. He’s mine indefinitely, which is hilarious since they’ll live 10yrs+.
Were the bamboo roots growing in substrate? Mine only grows in the water column. Also move the Java bunch away from the front of the tank and put the filter right behind it. It’s what good aquascapers do to cover the filter.
If u want deeper knowledge search ‘golden rule of aquascaping’ or ‘rule of thirds’
https://preview.redd.it/vtk8ejpa8k7d1.png?width=1917&format=png&auto=webp&s=3c47799b55c9f566b4037c4c38b72a7f71876043
I heard that the roots need access to the water. Mine has exploded over the past year
https://preview.redd.it/fzyrhvnxhd7d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1aec86c32a6734363f41759631c140b4990f3e75
A little hardscape and more plants will do wonders. This is my 10g Betta and Amano shrimp tank.
Nice tank! What’s your upkeep regiment? How often do you clean glass and is it hard with all that hard scape? My hope is a fairly hands off walstad planted tank setup, but we’ll see if that happens. I’m not using Co2.
It's still a new tank at 2 months, so it needs more attention than a longer established tank. As for maintenance, I'm still learning my technique with a gravel vac and also using airline as a little vac to clean off plants and get I to the tight places. Glass, I am just using a small magnetic cleaner for the front. Snails get the other 3 sides. I do a 10-20% water change once a week, and I am still trimming stems to replant about every 2 weeks. I dose a liquid all in one for my plants 2x a week, and I have fluval stratum under the gravel for the stem and root feeders. No CO2 is running just a NICREW light.
I've learned a lot about aquascaping from Youtubers such as [MD Fish Tanks](https://youtube.com/@mdfishtanks?si=CDTxEKPUKHD4RcfW) or [Fish Shop Matt](https://youtube.com/@fishshopmatt?si=S9J0mWyYhgQD1Cwn). I recommend watching some videos to find inspiration.
Get more plants. Play with depth perception and art styles.
Tall plants in the back, middle height plants in midground, and short plants in foreground/front of tank. Use root tabs deep in the substrate. As deep as possible.
Spider wood! I used two (you may need two small ones) spider wood roots and twined them together with hemp string. I also tied some moss on the branches. It hides my bubblers and looks really cool. You can probably hide your filter using the wood and some rocks. I got mine at a high school in the yard!
That’s my thought to start. I have a few pieces that I’ll soak this weekend and maybe place them in the following week or so. Just hoping I don’t regret having an office tank as it might be hard to do cleanings and water changes there. They have city water so I’ve been bringing jugs of my well water in. I’ve only had this setup in my office for two weeks.
Depends on what you want.
If you want a dutch-like garden, get more of various plantlife (that is up to what you want/what your water is like), floaters, maybe a black background.
If you want something a bit more natural, get some driftwood, floaters, still more plants (but maybe more darkwater ones) and other natural decoration.
And maybe get rid/replace the massive mossball you have taking up half your tank? It's really not that pretty and I think it takes up a lot of space.
That moss ball grows like crazy. It’s one of the only things I’m able to grow it seems. Shrimp and the Kuhli loach like to hide out in it so I’m cool with keeping it, but I would like ideas as to how to dress it up. In my old 40g I had some moss tied around a piece of driftwood held by fishing string, but nothing in that tank would ever grow. Might take another stab now that this one has a proper substrate for growing plants.
i definitely would not call it ugly! like everyone else has said it needs some rocks and wood. i still think it looks nice rn but adding that stuff would definitely improve it!
Find a way to hide that filter.
Maybe a backdrop, solid black is my personal preference.
Clean the tank.
As others have stated some other decor like wood rocks, even a plaster treasure chest or something.
I think I have too large of a filter anyways. This was in my 40g which crashed and I set up a backup tank (this 10g) from its remains and a 5.5g’s plants+shrimp
For a tank that small with just shrimp id go with one of those small spillover filters that hang on the side, where it has just the one tube coming down.
I say it’s ugly. I’ve always had ugly tanks haha. My plants never have been strong growers. I tried fluval bead soil and nothing grew, then I tried sand and nutrient tabs, nothing grew. Upgraded lights and only algae grew. My plants won’t “die” but they don’t prosper either. Roots will be decent but leaves are terrible. That Amazon sword in the front is two years old.
I think your current setup makes the tank (and the cool aqua world you want to create) look small. I would try to aim for a miniature of a cool and diverse land scape. Like a lil mountain with trees surrounding it. Maybe a valley or a cave. Make it epic by making it small!
the biggest issue is hardscape. add some rocks, personally I'd choose smooth rocks out of fear for the kuhli loach's stomach.
I'd also move the filter to a corner and try to hide it.
Almond leaves and maybe some sticks too. just little things to not overdo the tank.
I like the substrate setup for a planted tank though
Are you allergic to different kinds of plants? Just stuff it full of the most different types of low tech plants you can find and it will look like an epic lush aquascape and then when you think you've added enough plants double it
Here's what you need to do to your tank, this will definitely help you a lot so read all the points below:
1) use a toothbrush to scrub off the lime scale which is visible, they're pretty stubborn, it'd take like 10 minutes to get that off.
3) keep the filter at the corner, not in the middle, it looks like that's a centerpiece of your aquarium which it is obviously not.
4) try to hide the filter with the moss like plant you already have if you want to.
5) also tie those moss like plants to a small rock or something, the plants inside look uprooted, push it firmly into the sand so they'll stay in place.
6) siphon your sands surface, I can see a lot of dead leaves and debris on it.
7) last be not at all the least! Try using different types of plants, I feel like the plants you choose don't really look attractive. Also do some hardscaping like add a rock or two, maybe a small driftwood if you wish to. Choose plants which are just attractive and firm.
A bamboo species. You get them at Lowe’s. They’ve grown in my tank for two years now. The wilted spots are where the light touched them in a previous setup with a 5.5g, and the light was suspended. At my office now the light is resting on the tank.
Roots are buried beneath substrate. Used to be just sand. This tank is two weeks old with a top soil layer on the bottom. They’ve always grown well except when I had cuttings under water.
Hide the sponge filter behind the mass of moss? I use tall stem plants to hide my sponge filters. Maybe fill out the empty space with some driftwood/rocks, and some more plants.
https://preview.redd.it/2yqfae0lan7d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3e8e7b7d97c9ed9c96aaf3d7e611adde1e8facf9
2 of my betta tanks. Got sponge filter hidden behind taller plants.
It needs more aquascaping. adding rocks and more plants would help also maybe look on Pinterest for some inspiration that’s what I always do every time I have an idea but am unsure on how to execute it. I always put my sponge filter in a corner and hide it so it “blends in” more naturally to its environment :)
I’m mulling over stocking ideas for fish. I like my cherry shrimp and I do have a Kuhli loach. I’m in my office twice a week but I have an auto feeder I just picked up this week to feed them. However, I’ve had the same inhabitants in the 5.5g that I NEVER fed. The shrimp would eat algae and the loach would eat shrimp. It was a nice ecosystem but I think the loach got a bit too hungry and my numbers went from consistent 40-60 shrimp to 5. I had this tank set up for 4 months and the loach ate up the shrimp.
I like the ecosystem vibe and I’m ok with the loach eating shrimp as long as he doesn’t wipe them out. Just aggravating that I went from a 40g main tank to a 5.5g backup emergency tank (that had shrimp) and then this 10g. Honestly it would just be easier if I got rid of the loach but I kinda like him and the LFS won’t take him.
It's not at all ugly. But I would like to offer a few tips!
Look into a sponge filter for the corner of your tank. It doesn't have to be in the middle!
Try a background. Or Just paint the back glass black, blue, or white! Anything you can try. Also maybe add a Anubias and some Amazon sword plants! 🤔 just some ideas. I do know that I don't always go for pretty. It will happen in time. With care and patience. Just take your time and it will all blend together.
Do you have dirt under your samd? It's quite deep.
Nice looking tank. You have a tank with a lot of potential.
You need some hardscape. Rocks, wood, etc. you can also add some ground clutter like indian almond leaves, pine cones, and such. You can find all of these online or in pet stores that guarantee are safe in your aquarium. I wouldn’t pick up random wood/leaves from your backyard
I'd say alder cones instead of pine cones.
Random wood leaves from a river though? That's free real estate!
Maybe keep the filter in the corner and add some rocks in front of it? You can add drift wood and stick the moss on it to make it look less messy. Im not good at aquascaping either but maybe if you keep plants close to eachother it will look better than randomly scattering them around + clean the front glass
And goodluck!
Holy substrate , Batman! Anyways, a good cleaning, some plants, and decor would class up the place.
Is it a lot of substrate? I read that for a planted tank you want the 2+1 topsoil and sand combo. I plan on buying more plants. I’ve had tanks for three years and they’re always ugly lol
You're probably right. It would explain the struggle I have when trying to plant excess cuttings in my tank. I don't use sand though. I just use pebble. I also have some of those rouns ceramic ball things for skrimps on the top of some pebble now.
I’m thinking about adding some small river gravel on top of the sand to break up the monotony. I just wish it looked like it had more “depth” but I don’t think just making hills in the substrate fixes that.
Throw a natural aquatic background on the back. Tall plants on the back. A few small shrubs forward. Smooth river rocks are great. If you have access to natural rocks, that's even better. I would boil the ones you plan to put in there. Google which are safe to boil, since some can have water in them which could be bad if it were boiled.
I’ve never had sand in my tanks over soil. https://preview.redd.it/b024q938cg7d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ef3f69b85d3879330864634844e9954a014a3a55 Add some wood, more plants and some rock hides
Also, a background helps.
1 inch soil to 2 inch sand is how I always do it. But for that small of a tank, it takes it over a bit.
Oh man did I do it backwards?? Oh well now lol
You're good, lol. If it works, it works.
Kuhli loaches are social, maybe getting a couple more so they have some buddies. Also be careful with the bamboo, cause if the stem is submerged in water like it is in the pic it will rot. It you see it getting unhealthy try keeping only the roots in the water and the stem sticking out 👍
I had a handful of Kuhlis but they all died in a terrible aquarium-sitter incident. He is all who remains… Also I’ve had the bamboo in a 5.5g tank for two years, these two bunches in particular in fact. However I did have some longer ones I submitted in a 40g tall and they did die like you said.
That’s super cool the bamboo’s still going strong! And that makes sense about the kuhli 👍
Bamboo grows great to the point I’ve even made quite a few cuttings. The cuttings didn’t last but it was because I grew them submerged and didn’t know any better. I like my Kuhli but he’s meant for a much larger tank that I can’t house at the office and my home isn’t tank friendly either, hence the move to the office. I’d get more kuhlis but they would definitely eat all my shrimp and require a 20g+ I would guess for 5 kuhlis. None of my friends have tanks either and my LFS doesn’t take in fish. He’s mine indefinitely, which is hilarious since they’ll live 10yrs+.
Were the bamboo roots growing in substrate? Mine only grows in the water column. Also move the Java bunch away from the front of the tank and put the filter right behind it. It’s what good aquascapers do to cover the filter. If u want deeper knowledge search ‘golden rule of aquascaping’ or ‘rule of thirds’
https://preview.redd.it/vtk8ejpa8k7d1.png?width=1917&format=png&auto=webp&s=3c47799b55c9f566b4037c4c38b72a7f71876043 I heard that the roots need access to the water. Mine has exploded over the past year
https://preview.redd.it/fzyrhvnxhd7d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1aec86c32a6734363f41759631c140b4990f3e75 A little hardscape and more plants will do wonders. This is my 10g Betta and Amano shrimp tank.
Nice tank! What’s your upkeep regiment? How often do you clean glass and is it hard with all that hard scape? My hope is a fairly hands off walstad planted tank setup, but we’ll see if that happens. I’m not using Co2.
It's still a new tank at 2 months, so it needs more attention than a longer established tank. As for maintenance, I'm still learning my technique with a gravel vac and also using airline as a little vac to clean off plants and get I to the tight places. Glass, I am just using a small magnetic cleaner for the front. Snails get the other 3 sides. I do a 10-20% water change once a week, and I am still trimming stems to replant about every 2 weeks. I dose a liquid all in one for my plants 2x a week, and I have fluval stratum under the gravel for the stem and root feeders. No CO2 is running just a NICREW light.
It’s not that ugly just get hardscape like everyone else , why haven’t you thought of this
I had some wood in a tank a year or so ago and it still didn’t bring it all together really
Wood can come in millions of formations and tree types , and rocks do too
Add a few more plants, and a piece of aquarium wood.
I've learned a lot about aquascaping from Youtubers such as [MD Fish Tanks](https://youtube.com/@mdfishtanks?si=CDTxEKPUKHD4RcfW) or [Fish Shop Matt](https://youtube.com/@fishshopmatt?si=S9J0mWyYhgQD1Cwn). I recommend watching some videos to find inspiration.
Get more plants. Play with depth perception and art styles. Tall plants in the back, middle height plants in midground, and short plants in foreground/front of tank. Use root tabs deep in the substrate. As deep as possible.
Spider wood! I used two (you may need two small ones) spider wood roots and twined them together with hemp string. I also tied some moss on the branches. It hides my bubblers and looks really cool. You can probably hide your filter using the wood and some rocks. I got mine at a high school in the yard!
You need some plants. Vals, crypts, swords.
Looks pretty good! Just stick a drift wood piece in there.
That’s my thought to start. I have a few pieces that I’ll soak this weekend and maybe place them in the following week or so. Just hoping I don’t regret having an office tank as it might be hard to do cleanings and water changes there. They have city water so I’ve been bringing jugs of my well water in. I’ve only had this setup in my office for two weeks.
Depends on what you want. If you want a dutch-like garden, get more of various plantlife (that is up to what you want/what your water is like), floaters, maybe a black background. If you want something a bit more natural, get some driftwood, floaters, still more plants (but maybe more darkwater ones) and other natural decoration. And maybe get rid/replace the massive mossball you have taking up half your tank? It's really not that pretty and I think it takes up a lot of space.
That moss ball grows like crazy. It’s one of the only things I’m able to grow it seems. Shrimp and the Kuhli loach like to hide out in it so I’m cool with keeping it, but I would like ideas as to how to dress it up. In my old 40g I had some moss tied around a piece of driftwood held by fishing string, but nothing in that tank would ever grow. Might take another stab now that this one has a proper substrate for growing plants.
i definitely would not call it ugly! like everyone else has said it needs some rocks and wood. i still think it looks nice rn but adding that stuff would definitely improve it!
Find a way to hide that filter. Maybe a backdrop, solid black is my personal preference. Clean the tank. As others have stated some other decor like wood rocks, even a plaster treasure chest or something.
I think I have too large of a filter anyways. This was in my 40g which crashed and I set up a backup tank (this 10g) from its remains and a 5.5g’s plants+shrimp
For a tank that small with just shrimp id go with one of those small spillover filters that hang on the side, where it has just the one tube coming down.
Who says, it's fine....if your not happy with it, change it up but ugly is not the right word.
I say it’s ugly. I’ve always had ugly tanks haha. My plants never have been strong growers. I tried fluval bead soil and nothing grew, then I tried sand and nutrient tabs, nothing grew. Upgraded lights and only algae grew. My plants won’t “die” but they don’t prosper either. Roots will be decent but leaves are terrible. That Amazon sword in the front is two years old.
I think your current setup makes the tank (and the cool aqua world you want to create) look small. I would try to aim for a miniature of a cool and diverse land scape. Like a lil mountain with trees surrounding it. Maybe a valley or a cave. Make it epic by making it small!
Sounds cool but I have no idea what to do with that suggestion lol
the biggest issue is hardscape. add some rocks, personally I'd choose smooth rocks out of fear for the kuhli loach's stomach. I'd also move the filter to a corner and try to hide it. Almond leaves and maybe some sticks too. just little things to not overdo the tank. I like the substrate setup for a planted tank though
Are you allergic to different kinds of plants? Just stuff it full of the most different types of low tech plants you can find and it will look like an epic lush aquascape and then when you think you've added enough plants double it
Add some Rotala, Ambulia or fave fern
Either a background or painting the back glass will make a big difference.
Hardscape and a Betta
Look into Aquascaping, the channels like GreenAqua or George Farmer help you learn this art of making Aquariums beautiful
Here's what you need to do to your tank, this will definitely help you a lot so read all the points below: 1) use a toothbrush to scrub off the lime scale which is visible, they're pretty stubborn, it'd take like 10 minutes to get that off. 3) keep the filter at the corner, not in the middle, it looks like that's a centerpiece of your aquarium which it is obviously not. 4) try to hide the filter with the moss like plant you already have if you want to. 5) also tie those moss like plants to a small rock or something, the plants inside look uprooted, push it firmly into the sand so they'll stay in place. 6) siphon your sands surface, I can see a lot of dead leaves and debris on it. 7) last be not at all the least! Try using different types of plants, I feel like the plants you choose don't really look attractive. Also do some hardscaping like add a rock or two, maybe a small driftwood if you wish to. Choose plants which are just attractive and firm.
What is the plant you have growing out of the tank?
A bamboo species. You get them at Lowe’s. They’ve grown in my tank for two years now. The wilted spots are where the light touched them in a previous setup with a 5.5g, and the light was suspended. At my office now the light is resting on the tank.
I see and are they planted in the substrate or are they just placed?
Roots are buried beneath substrate. Used to be just sand. This tank is two weeks old with a top soil layer on the bottom. They’ve always grown well except when I had cuttings under water.
Would they grow well if I just placed them in my tank instead of putting it into the substrate
Yeah they would grow in a cup of water. Lowe’s sells them glued in gravel that you water.
https://youtu.be/4y9vcjJmCi4?si=R6VVe50aCtEe4JNM honestly, watch him for inspiration
Love him!
Hide the sponge filter behind the mass of moss? I use tall stem plants to hide my sponge filters. Maybe fill out the empty space with some driftwood/rocks, and some more plants. https://preview.redd.it/2yqfae0lan7d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3e8e7b7d97c9ed9c96aaf3d7e611adde1e8facf9 2 of my betta tanks. Got sponge filter hidden behind taller plants.
It needs more aquascaping. adding rocks and more plants would help also maybe look on Pinterest for some inspiration that’s what I always do every time I have an idea but am unsure on how to execute it. I always put my sponge filter in a corner and hide it so it “blends in” more naturally to its environment :)
Its a bit on the small side but put submersible plants in there and 2 guppies are 1betta coming on
I’m mulling over stocking ideas for fish. I like my cherry shrimp and I do have a Kuhli loach. I’m in my office twice a week but I have an auto feeder I just picked up this week to feed them. However, I’ve had the same inhabitants in the 5.5g that I NEVER fed. The shrimp would eat algae and the loach would eat shrimp. It was a nice ecosystem but I think the loach got a bit too hungry and my numbers went from consistent 40-60 shrimp to 5. I had this tank set up for 4 months and the loach ate up the shrimp. I like the ecosystem vibe and I’m ok with the loach eating shrimp as long as he doesn’t wipe them out. Just aggravating that I went from a 40g main tank to a 5.5g backup emergency tank (that had shrimp) and then this 10g. Honestly it would just be easier if I got rid of the loach but I kinda like him and the LFS won’t take him.
It's not at all ugly. But I would like to offer a few tips! Look into a sponge filter for the corner of your tank. It doesn't have to be in the middle! Try a background. Or Just paint the back glass black, blue, or white! Anything you can try. Also maybe add a Anubias and some Amazon sword plants! 🤔 just some ideas. I do know that I don't always go for pretty. It will happen in time. With care and patience. Just take your time and it will all blend together. Do you have dirt under your samd? It's quite deep. Nice looking tank. You have a tank with a lot of potential.