Your tank looks great so far! You have a good eye for aquascaping
I was reading down through the thread thinking "I should suggest a finnex fugeray" and then as I kept reading I saw it was suggested! The 10 or 12" ones are pretty cheap and would be good for low light.
I just graduated from college and I also had a nano planted beta tank in my room. I had a blue plakat beta and I love him. I have found that the plakats do better in tanks with filters and are much more active because they have less weight to drag around
I'm not sure how far away from home you'll be, or if you're living in a dorm, apartment, house, etc. but if it's your first year I'm assuming dorm. So one thing to consider is what you'll do over breaks. Most schools I think (at least mine did) have a rule that over spring break, fall break, thanksgiving break, etc you have to unplug everything (so no heater, filter, or light for a few days- which makes me worry about the higher maintenance stem plants). And also how to transport it home for winter break at the end of the semester.
All those things aside, if you're not dead set on a beta yet, another option could be a couple male endlers, or a small school of nano fish like chilli rasboras or CPDs.
Maybe a moss carpet for in front of the rocks? Not many things grow that low to the substrate in low light unfortunately. You'll probably want to get a timer for your light so you don't get algae issues if you forget to turn the light off or on at the right times when you're busy studying or partying
, and you'll probably want to dose liquid carbon and something like flourish comprehensive for the stem plants.
I look forward to seeing how it turns out
I wish my roommate had been as into fish as you! I would have gotten less weird looks when I did water changes every weekend and kept frozen bloodworms in our freezer
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