All my tanks have plants in them and in each one i have just regular aquatic sand, no special substrate. Although i do use tetra florapride and other plant foods. If youre going to do what i do, i'd suggest plants that are easier to care for. The plants i have that are easy to care for (for me) off the top of my head are java fern, umbrella plants, anubias, pennywort (i have brazilian), and some swords. If you really want to get into it and havent purchased the substrate yet i'd go with the substrates that are for plants. I havent looked into substrates but im sure a quick google search could get you on track and make sure you wash the substrate REALLY well if its a soil or clay type. I have purchased a better lighting for my 29g because i have many plants in there and that tank is my most natural type of tank (no fake plants or rock or wood). Some plants thrive in a tank with almost no current so im not sure if a 20g filter would be good for a 10g but im sure it'll be fine if you stick with the easier to care for plants. If it was my tank and i was going to scape it i would try to keep the tank as natural as it could be. Meaning, all natural colors, no fluorescent fake plants, odd colored rocks, and that stuff. I would use driftwood, plants, and rocks and make caves/structure out of them. But whatever pleases you is the way to go. Neons are a good choice for your tank and they look great with a darker colored substrate and cherry shrimp will love the plants. You might want to get java moss for the cherry shrimp because they love that stuff. As for SAE's, they get quite large for your tank size and wouldnt be the best choice. If youre getting this fish for the algae then i'd choose otocinclus (they get 2-2.5in max), algae eating shrimp (never had them but i dont think they get too big), or some sort of algae eating snail. I feel like everything i just said was a run on sentence but i hope you can read it! Good luck with the new tank!
and it will be a natural looking set up. Any other suggestions?
