I'm really unhappy with the way my tank looks. Help!

[AngeTheDude]

It's a ten gallon with a betta and five albino cories. I hate the way it looks but I have no idea on how to improve it. Every other fish tank I see relaxes me, but my own just makes me upset. I want a natural look to it but I'm just not sure how to move forward. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Chrisk-K]

Every other fish tank I see relaxes me, but my own just makes me upset.

I'm not sure if you are kidding or if you are serious. Anyway, how can you relax when you look at a red skull?

 

[odinthejd]

Add a piece of driftwood in the middle and add plants. Also you could get a cool piece of texas holey rock and put it in the middle.

 

[Slappy*McFish]

Just copy a tank that you like?

 

[AngeTheDude]

...how can you relax when you look at a red skull?

I saw it at the LFS and thought it was awesome! My last betta loved to pop in and out of it, but now that he isn't around my cories love to go inside it and take a nap

Just copy a tank that you like?

I wish. Every tank I see on here that grabs me is some super complicated fertilizer/CO2/watts-per-gallon jungle! I don't really have the resources for that sort of thing, especially after finding out how much that kind of stuff costs at the store:



Me: so how much would something like that cost?

LFS Employee: *insert high amount here*

Me:

 

[jbradt]

I like the skull...
If you google aquarium design or something similar, there are articles out there about different factors in arranging tanks... focal points, etc. It may help with your design. I would say you're lacking a serious focal point for your tank, which can make it difficult to focus and can be anxiety provoking. Maybe that's what you mean by it makes you upset...

 

[Chrisk-K]

A black background + sand substrate will give you a killer look, IME.

 

[lethalcustoms00]

first of all get that scull outta there. get a centerpiece, i agree driftwood or a rock of some sort. And some more plants too.
patience will turn your tank into one your comfortable with. all those tanks you see that you like probably took time to become the way they are.

 

[maddie]

use your driftwood in the centre of your tank, plant lots of plants you like and get a background for the tank or paint it black.. i love well planted tanks but right now i hate how my tank looks too, yours is cooler then mine!!

 

[snapshooterr]

Every tank I see on here that grabs me is some super complicated fertilizer/CO2/watts-per-gallon jungle! I don't really have the resources for that sort of thing

You only need that stuff if you have live plants in your tank. You could create a really nice aquascape with rocks and driftwood. The trick is, is to carefully select the rocks and wood you use to fit with a design. There is a lot of variety out there. And, you often won't find the best rocks at a pet store. Head to your local landscape supply center and have a look around.

Add a few fake plants (get good ones as there is a significant difference in appearance between brands) or some hard-to-kill plants (some types of amazon swords or java fern).

I am not so into the 'creative' decorations. The skull. I think a more pleasing aquarium is created using things that come from natural habitats or at least represent such.

If you really want to get into it, do some googling about visual design principles. They apply to aquarium layouts just as they do to any form of art or creative process.

I'd also agree with the black background comment. Or dark blue. Anything would be better than Batman & Superman.