13 Basic Tips for Dressing Up your Aquarium

Before one can truly appreciate a well-decorated aquarium, he or she must understand the fundamental of dressing up the aquarium.

Not only an undecorated aquarium is boring, a poorly dressed aquarium can be very detrimental if not hazardous to your fish, which in turn making fish rearing a dreadful chore. And you often wonder why you even bother to begin with!

The Foundation: Preparing the Aquascape

1. Plan the desired layout thoroughly beforehand. Make sure that everything that goes into the tank—plants, fish, décor items—is compatible with and suited to the system you have chosen (for example, tropical freshwater or marine).
2. Add the substrate (e.g. sand, gravel, pebbles), plants, driftwood, rocks, or other décor items to create an interesting variety of textures. The design should incorporate ways to hide technical hardware (by positioning rocks strategically, for instance), create plenty of space for the fish to swim freely and give reclusive species of fish places to hide.
3. If you are using a biological filtration system, fit the undergravel filter plate into position before adding the substrate.
4. Pour the substrate over the bottom of the tank. Create a slope that undulates from front to back, to give a sense of perspective to the aquarium.
5. Use bogwood or driftwood to enliven your landscape. Weigh them down to push them deep into the gravel to prevent them form floating to the surface.
6. It is advisable to add some water before planting, so you can judge the effect of your efforts. Do not fill the tank completely until you finish planting. When adding water into the tank, run it over a plate or tray to avoid messing up the substrate.
7. Select plants that are healthy and easy to look after. Plants must be thoroughly cleaned before use. You can use artificial plants if you keep herbivorous fish as they would quickly denude your tank of the plants.

The Final Touch: Adding and Arranging Plants

1. Begin by placing taller species around the back and sides of the tank. Do not obscure the glass completely; leave small gaps to create the illusion of space beyond.
2. Use medium-sized, bushy plants as space fillers, and place smaller species in the foreground. Low-growing species look good planted in front of rocks.
3. Make your aquascape attractive by selecting a “star” specimen plant which stands out from the rest of the plants, as a point of interest.
4. To create a natural look, plant each species in groups.
5. Do not push the plants too deeply into the gravel. The crown should be level with, or just above the gravel bed.
6. Spread the roots out in the gravel.

Once done, and if you want to take it to the next level, read The Art of Decorating Aquarium.

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