Diy Fish Tank Backgrounds

I’m starting my new tank. Any suggestions?

I will start my new tank. I’m doing a DIY 3d rock background which will take me about a month so I have plenty of time to choose the right fish and plants.
It is a 72gal bowfront which I want to make it a community tank.
What plants do you recommend (my nearest and possibly only place I can get plants at are petco and petsmart so I need plants I can get at these places) I’ve never had real plants before so if there are any “starter” plants it would be great. Plants that I can take care of easier than others.
what Kind of fish do you recommend? I want a combination that fills the whole tank (bottom, mid, and upper sections).
What type of substrate? specially for the plants.

I would like recommendation that go with these type of fish cause I definitely want these.
Angel Fish 4 of them
Guppies at least 6
Neon Tetras at least 6

For a 72 gallon planted tropical tank, there are a few things to keep in mind. Hopefully I’ll hit all of them by answering your questions.

1. Plants I would recommend would be anacharis, camboba, and amazon swords to start with. These plants don’t require extravagant amounts of lighting, grow quickly, and are easy to maintain. Lighting is a big factor in ensure healthy plants. Make sure whatever plant you do end up getting, you have enough watts per gallon being provided by your light source.

2. Substrate for plants can consist of sand, gravel, or a mixture of both. I find that substrates like Caribsea Eco-complete, which has a mixture of fine particles with gravel are good for keeping aquatic plants rooted. You can also use a mixture of Fluorite and gravel. I would stick to basic natural colors. If you choose to go the sand route, I’ve got a planted shrimp tank that is doing very well with Estes Marine sand. It is heavy enough so that the filter doesn’t push it around, the plants stay rooted, and fish food doesn’t get lost or stuck in the sand bed. In addition to proper substrate, if you have a heavily planted tank, you may need to get water additives for your plants.

3. Recommended fish to complete your tank. I would recommend a variety of tetra species to make your tank more vibrant. Neon tetras are very well complimented in color by Black neon tetras. They tend to school with their own colors, and will also swim around in a larger school all together. Very cool to watch.

There are also a variety of colorful barbs you could add. I personally like cherry barbs and tiger barbs. Danios also come in a variety of colors and sizes.

For the bottom level, I would recommend some type of cory. They are very cool to watch in small groups as well.

Whatever you choose to stock your tank with, keep in mind that your rock background will reduce the gallonage of your tank and not to overstock. Read up on the fish species so you can provide the best environment possible for your fish.

Good luck!

DIY Background With natural Stones