Where to Begin?
You've your perfect tank, complete with all the current bells and whistles of filtration. You've your water quality test kit ready. You've a list of fish you would like in your collection. So, how are you currently going to decorate your aquarium? Believe it or not, this really is where plenty of people come across problems. Sometimes they get so excited about most of the cute decorations at the pet store which they overcrowd underneath of the tank. This really is no good. Not only will this make doing tank maintenance harder (just think of wanting to gravel wash all that), but it addittionally it seems tacky. With this at heart, how will you choose decorations for your tank? This is actually the time and energy to be creative, whilst the sky is really the limit.
Work From the Bottom up
The very first thing you want to consider is what kind of substrate to use. There are many different options. Do you want a sandy bottom? Think about small gravel, or large? You can even use small stones. Do you want to use glass pebbles? Do you want the tank to be colorful or more natural?
The most important thing to think about when choosing a substrate is your fish. Sometimes the type of fish you need will dictate what forms of substrate you have to use. If you want fish like eels or knifefish, you must have a sandy bottom. Eels will spend most of their time on underneath, and if you have a rocky substrate, they'll rub their bodies raw, which will be detrimental to them. If you're considering a freshwater ray, then you definitely must have a large bottom with sand. They will bury themselves in the sand, which would be nearly impossible in order for them to do safely in a container with gravel whilst the substrate. Sand may also give your tank more of a saltwater feel, which many individuals desire.
However, sand does involve some downsides. If you intend on doing gravel washes, that you simply should strongly consider, sand can make them more annoying. Considering that the sand is smaller and lighter than gravel, it tends to travel higher up the tube. It also will result in anything you are utilizing to gather your waste water. Which means that you will have to replace sand more regularly than you would have to replace gravel.