Re-scaping On A Budget, Any Advice?

[Alexolotl]

So I’m planning to partially rescape my 5 gallon, and I’m looking for advice on what to do with it.
Photos:




I’m thinking move the three plastic plants around, and replace the fake log with an actual piece of driftwood, and stick a few bits of java moss in the nooks and crannies, in hope of eventually growing a bushy little forest. I’m also considering putting in a betta log or hammock. Which would you recommend?

Also, what should I do with the fake plants? I want to keep them for hiding space but I’m not sure where to put them.

One last thing: My substrate has a nasty habit of collecting poop and other detritus. Might a single Malaysian Trumpet Snail help? My substrate is like rather large-grained sand, about the size of a large sesame or strawberry seed. Would this be too big for said snail?

And as the title suggests, I’m doing this on a budget (25 dollars, give or take) so I can’t do anything major or too pricey. Should this not be enough to do anything significant I’ll simply wait for when I can afford more.

 

[Zentuckyfriedchicken]

I would go to a creek or try to find tree branches. Here is my little sisters tank I scraped for reference. Just be sure to boil the wood very good. Your tank could also benefit from more plants and (or) moss. Maybe a couple medium sized rocks would be cool.
Edit:I will replace this with a tank pic in the morning for some ideas.

 

[Hunter1]

The snail won’t help the poop, only vacuuming will. But a snail will help with left over food and biofilm.

 

[Alexolotl]

Oh, that’s mostly what I meant.
The poop isn’t a problem, but little tiny bits of almond leaves I can’t seem to vacuum get stuck and I’d like the snail just to keep the sand stirred so they either float up into the water column or get eaten. Would the snail eat the bits of almond leaves?
Also, I was thinking about a snail anyway and the sand stirring of the trumpet snails was just an added bonus (also it sounds cool)

 

[Small Tanks]

None of my bettas have EVER used a betta hammock (though my mystery snail seems to be obsessed with it in one tank).

If you're going to get something go with the log.

I've also had fairly good luck with river rocks too, I soak them in bleach and then boil them in salt water to make sure they're parasite free but most of my pebbles and stone work has come from rivers and lakes local to me.

 

[Alexolotl]

I actually have used small river pebbles from my front yard in my brackish tank, and I have a few left over from a recent rescape I could use (including one with a striking resemblance to a sweet potato) Thanks for your advice!