How do you get a tank to look good?

[grayshark]

Hello I have got a 14 gallon tank I will get a picture for you soon I want to know how a tank looks good I like a nice natural tank for the fish.

Help me I need to know things like do u need plants and colouring and what fish to keep.

 

[rvm]

Go for sand as a substrate. I've used coarse gravel, then chaneged to fine gravel, and in my third tank I used sand. It looks the best IMO. You can use live plants, but don't have to. I do as I think they look better (if you look after them!) and they serve a practical purpose (they oxygenate the water and remove some nitrates). I also use bogwood and rocks, I try to look for the nice tangled up pieces of wood and get unusually shaped rocks.
As for fish. It's your preference, but in a 14g, you can't keep any big fish. make sure you don't go overboard with stocking levels and you'll be fine. Here's a pic of my newest tank. It is 20g and I think it is the best looking of my 3. I'm going to rearrange the other 2 in the near future to follow this ones look!!

 

[Aquascaper]

Here's a picture of my 30g tropical; Sand substrate, mopani wood and real plants to make a natural effect.
It's taken me quite a few attempts to get the look right so don't fill your tank with fish till your happy with the decor IMO
(You'll notice i have very few fishies at the moment )

 

[grayshark]

Wow nice tanks you 2 thanks for the help I like aquascaper's tank better but yours is still nice rvm.

 

[rvm]

Wow nice tanks you 2 thanks for the help I like aquascaper's tank better but yours is still nice rvm.

If I'm honest, I do too, but then his is bigger and he has nicer plants!!!

 

[grayshark]

yeah I got 2 live palnts

 

[Angry_Platy]

I rearrange my tanks quite often as I get bored with them (and if my fish are anything like me they do too)

It takes ages whenever I do it as I take all the stuff out....put it in....take it out..put it in different....blah blah blah....I like to be able to see my fish (yet give them the illusion that they can hide) and do it so they can't get trapped behind anything. While my plants are fake I try to make the environment look as natural as possible

 

[cherrybarbbaby]

wow nice tanks!

After seeing yours I realize that my fish live in a Ghetto tank. But my tank is full of barbs so I suppose they are kinda Gangsta' fish to begin with I'm sure if they could they would be smoking and drinking with rap music blarring out of their caves.

I want to change from gravel to sand but I heard it was a pain.