I need plant help, please

[kntry]

I'm getting ready to set up a dirted 75 gallon tank capped with blasting sand. It's my first planted tank and is lo tech, no CO2 with a Dutch 6300 BML light.

I'd like to have a very low growing carpet in the front with some taller grass (waving in the water type) in the middle and larger plants to the back. I also need something to tie to driftwood and SS squares to make trees. I'd like a few of the plants to be red.

Attached are pics of the wood.

Can someone offer suggestions? I've been looking through plant lists but it's hard to find out if certain plants need CO2.

Thanks

 

[Jodisgermanshepherd]

Carpets are really tough without great light and even then it can be very finicky. I've had great luck with clover as a ground cover. My tank is high light.

 

[kntry]

Don't you CO2 with high light or you'll have algae problems?

 

[Jodisgermanshepherd]

I also have pressurized co2

 

[Jodisgermanshepherd]

It took me a while of trial and error and money to decide to buck up and get a regulator I had the tank for
Co2.

 

[kntry]

Are you glad you changed to CO2? What are the benefits?

 

[Jodisgermanshepherd]

Yes I'm happy I bucked up. That and the nice light. I had gravel and my light but it didn't seem to matter. Then once I got co2 my plants got better but I still had gravel so I changed it to a dirted tank sand topper. Starting doing some under gravel fertilizer besides the liquid.

I was using flourish excel and it just seemed like a lot of work and expense when a 5lb tank of co2 is $20.00 and lasts about 6 months (after the initial set-up)

 

[kntry]

What are the water parameters that have to be changed to use CO2?