Bare Bottom VS Gravel?

I've kept some of our tanks bare-bottom for 20 years--the fish don't care. Initially, the reflection off the "gl" on the bottom is going to spook the fish because it will be intense but with time, a layer of algae will grow on the surface dulling the reflecting. I use a lot of floating plants since my fish are not bottom-dwelling fish, and in the past I've used the very small terra cotta flowerpots, shot gles, gl votive candle holders, sterilized drift wood for planting aquatic plants in and then I could move the plants around as I pleased (could remove them completely if the plant needed to be replaced or some other thing). The plants will slough off a certain amount of "dirt" (dead leaves, dead leaf cells, etc.) so you'll still aculate a certain amount of "dirt" on the bottom but if you do regular vacuuming, you should be able to keep it fairly clear. The fish do seem to appreciate being able to get to any food that drops to the floor. Depending how strong your filter is, the fish poo may also aculate on the floor (but it's so easy to see and such out with a turkey baster). If your tank has gravel now that you will be removing, the whole ecology will probably go haywire and you'll need to cycle it all over again before the fish will be safe.