Thoughts on my 55 rescape?

[Mebbid]

Well I did a much needed rescape of my 55g partly due to my GBR being a jerk and partly due to me having driftwood sitting around doing nothing

What does everyone think?

Before

After

I pulled out the sponge filter I was running in the tank and am hoping that just my canister filter will be able to handle filtering my tank. Doing that allowed me to get rid of that hideous overgrowth of water sprite

Also, I would like some suggestions on plants to add. I am desperately wanting two different ground covering plants and have tried both dwarf hairgrass and Dwarf four leaf clover. Neither of them have grown at all in my tank; I am assuming it's because of insufficient lighting. I would also like some plants that will grow nicely attached to some of my driftwood. Currently I have about a dozen java ferns but would like something different.

What other plants would you guys suggest all around for the rest of my tank? I have a lotus bulb that I am hoping will sprout soon and if that doesn't work I plan on adding a red tiger lotus.

Lighting is 2x t5ho
Daily dosing of dry ferts and Excel

 

[Rokuzachi]

Looks very nice. Always love the bright green on dark substrate.

I usually don't have much luck with ground cover, but dwarf saggitarius has been working well for me. I only run a single 80w t5HO 18" above the substrate in my 100g and do PPS Pro. It's not a carpet though, so if you want dense/total coverage you'll need something else.

As for clinging plants, you might look into some Bolbitus. I fail at keeping java ferns, but manage to keep a slow and steadily growing bolbitus somehow. It's survived quite a bit of trauma and hasn't died back at all.

 

[Rivercats]

Look into Staurogyne Repens and Hydrocotyle sp."Japan" for a carpet type plant and Alternanthera reineckii that can add some color with medium light usually.

 

[plantedtankman]

A good background would make your tank look better too. But the plants look really good.

 

[Mebbid]

Look into Staurogyne Repens and Hydrocotyle sp."Japan" for a carpet type plant and Alternanthera reineckii that can add some color with medium light usually.

Petsmart has upped their game with plants. I found Both the staurogyne and the alteranthera there as well as pogostemon helferi

A good background would make your tank look better too. But the plants look really good.

Thanks about the plants, and I wholly agree about the background. It's currently on my list for my tanks.

Looks very nice. Always love the bright green on dark substrate.

I usually don't have much luck with ground cover, but dwarf saggitarius has been working well for me. I only run a single 80w t5HO 18" above the substrate in my 100g and do PPS Pro. It's not a carpet though, so if you want dense/total coverage you'll need something else.

As for clinging plants, you might look into some Bolbitus. I fail at keeping java ferns, but manage to keep a slow and steadily growing bolbitus somehow. It's survived quite a bit of trauma and hasn't died back at all.

I do like the bolbitis, I've never been able to find it anywhere but online though.