Rescaping 5g

[F.Sam]

So guys, I'm not really pleased with the look of my 5g anymore. It just.. doesn't like right anymore. Here's the tank:
All the vallisneria have melted (like it always does, I think my water is too soft I think).

The lighting above it is more ambient lighting really. My misses bought it as a christmas present a year ago. Although I am pleased with the effects it can create, I know that it's very very very low lighting... But I don't really want to replace it since it was a gift.
Aquatic Nature - LED 36
I'm actually looking for some nice ideas (pictures would be nice) as a scape. And also some easy plants to scape with under this lights (I know anubias, crypts, java, amazon and dwarf sagg etc.). So some low-tech planted tanks please..

I'm thinking of starting off with a small layer of dirt and add some roottabs to that, and then top it off with black sand (I think). It's gonna e low-tech, so no co2, will add glut and liquid/dry ferts!

Stock will be my 1 Betta/2 kuhli's/1 apple snail.

Thanks in advance guys/girls, sorry for the long read.


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[crazyratguy]

Get a lamp at home depot and put it over the led. Thats an 8 .5 gallon with a 13 watt 5100 k compact flourescent. 35$ for lamp and bulb. Im running low watts per gallon also at 1.5 but im having great luck with water wisteria, telanthra cardinalis, sraurogen repens, moss ball and dwarf water lilly. Some of those plants require high lighting but they are not suffering one bit but they may take a while to grow. Its more important that you find a balance between timed lighting, ferts, co2 and substrate . Im using excell liquid carbon, flourish ferts, api laterite clay and seachem root tabs. I have a 5 gallon also with clay and a sand cap. Its doing well but sand will block your roots from absorbing whats in the water collumn. It will just take longer to get going. My plants suffered for a 2 or 3 weeks then sprung back when the substrate finally got some nutrients. It has the same cfl bulb so double wpg. Not always a good thing. I have much more algae in my 5.

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[crazyratguy]

I almost put dirt in my ten g but learned that once the initial nutrients are used up after a few weeks its no better than a clay substrate. More organics break down plus the tannins may last months. I poured liquid ferts on the flourite clay before i capped it. Dirt can be helpful if you want a crazy amano style carpet though.

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[F.Sam]

I'll take a look into the plants you suggested tonight thanks


Sent per three-eyed raven..