Bright Colors in Tank... And plant question

[Liz]

So I originally wanted a natural look. I wanted a nice, contemporary, cleancut, no flashes sort of look. I originally had all black gravel in a smaller tank, and when I upgraded to a 10 gallon I couldn't have my parents take me out to pick up some more so I had to use bright red gravel. It really did brighten the tank up a lot, "opens it up"... the gravel looks a little pink in the picture...
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/738109/fishes1.jpghttp://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/738109/fishes2.jpghttp://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-6/738109/fishes3.jpg
Do fish mind bright colors? I've read that they live longer with natural colors. What do you think? Would my tank look better natural? What color gravel do you think? I ask because I just ordered a bunch of plants online and I want to make sure I have the gravel I want when I plant them. The plant assortment costs $22 and says it's for a 10-20 gallon tank, it includes:
2 Marble Vallisneria, 1 Amazon Sword, 1 Rubin Sword, 6 Dwarf Chain Tennellus, 2 Red Temple Bunch Plants, 2 MoneyWort Bunch Plants, 1 Ruffle Sword, 1 Anacharis Bunch Plant, 2 Cabomba Bunch Plant

Which leads me to my other question... I briefly read up on each of these plants, some of them are "easy" and some are "easy-average", and I currently have a 15W UV reptile light above my tank, and I would prefer not to have to do much maintenance for them... can you guess what sort of maintenance would be required based on the plants?

By the way, in there I have 1 female betta and 5 fancy guppies. I just set it up about a week ago and it's kind of in the middle of the nitrite spike part of the cycle but the fish seem to be doing well. My ammonia is testing at about .2, and I'm not sure about the nitrites, it's hard to read the scale, it is either a little above 1.0 or 10 (the little scale has a 1.0 and then a 10 below it. There are two different tests to run, for high nitrites or for low nitrites, and I did the low nitrites one because I didn't have the calibrated dropper necc. for the higher nitrites. So on the low-nitrites scale it was a bit iigher than the highest, which was 1.0 or 10, and I'm guessing I read the lower scales so it's probably a little higher than 1.0? It's my mom's water test kit and I don't want to use it up, so I don't want to test the water again).

Any advice is really appreciated. I know I've made a mistake having so many fish in there while it's cycling, and it's difficult because I am on a tight budget- I don't have a job and my parents won't help me pay for any of the supplies (I am sixteen). I've already spent quite a bit of money on it. But thanks a bunch for taking the time to read this.

[alergic__1]

I dont really have much tosay because I am just getting into this sort of thing...and I think your tank looks awesome the way it is..I love the gravel the way it is....I have blue green and white gravel in the bottom of my 10 gallon tank..just fake plants right now....they are quite short..I was thinking about getting some taller ones...these plants are more for like 1 gallon or something lol just small tanks

[Liz]

I've had a 10 gallon before when I was younger but I don't think I even had a filter in it and that really didn't work out too well... I have a tendency to worry too much and overdo everything.

This is the first time I've really used real plants. I like the look a lot better. The watersprite or whatever it is that's all over the bottom will be replaced by the new plants, I want to get it out of there soon because it's browning. How long have you had your tank set up? What fish do you have in it?

[alergic__1]

I had a 5 gallon tank before..then I got a 10 gallon one..I set it up 2 days ago.....I have 1 betta, 2 male guppies, 4 neon tertas, 1 white cloud, 1 glolight tetra, and 1 percilla tetra (i think that is what he is called)

[Liz]

How does your betta do with your guppies?

I would like to get some neon tetras. I shouldn't get anymore now though, not while my tank is in the nitrite spike. I should probably get rid of a few of my guppies if I want more variety. I might buy a snail today if the pet store has them. Do you know if snails are much good at cleaning up debris on the bottom of the tank? Or would a catfish be better at that?

We have a lake in our yard that I want to plant up all nice, the community keeps killing off the plants because they were apparently all weeds in there. So right now there isn't much life in the poor lake/pond. My parents are going to pay me to plant up our portion of it all nice, and I hope we can get some more fish in there. But sometimes when I can't keep a fish I release it into the pond, I just had to do it last week with a rubber pleco who I couldn't figure out how to feed... I figured he'd be happier in the lake anyways and it wasn't worth the hassle.

[alergic__1]

personally I like the catfist....they are better to look at too haha
my betta chased around the guppies as soon as I put him in...but it's been 2 days now and they dont even achknowledge each other now....they are fine together....but I've heard of bettas killing the guppies and taking chunks of their fins off.....but like I said...mine are fine together so far.....hey do you have msn ?

[alergic__1]

I think neon tetras would look neat with the read and black rocks

[Liz]

Me too.

My female betta just gets a little nippy with the guppies at feeding time.
I have AIM, I'm not really supposed to be on it so I don't go on often.

I have to run up to the pet store to pick up a rat for my snake. Talk to you later.

[Nuriel]

is the pond/lake on your property only? you should never release tropical fish into the wild, it is illegal and potentaily harmful to the natives.

[Liz]

Yeah I know I shouldn't. No it isn't only on my property. But there isn't much life in it anyways and I haven't released anything predatorial. I don't want to flush my fish....

[Nuriel]

maybe next time you can see if theres a fish store that would be interested in taking them or you can always do the classified ad thing listed as free. but anyways i have always liked the idea of a natural substrate. I like the river rocks I have in my african tank, they are awesome. you just have to remember to test the rocks with a bit of vinegar to make sure it doesnt fizz up ir turn any weird colors. if so it may harm your fish. i have used pvc tubes and ceramic pots as caves but always go back to the driftwoon and rock thing. i like live plants alot too, amazon swords grow easily in my 20 gallon as well as frill plants,hornwort, anubis and java moss.