Looking for some low light/tech red stems in a lean dosing tank

[RennjiDK]

I liked scaping my first tank so much, I decided to jump into a second. It's a birthday present for my son. I want to keep the black lava rock in front and do red only stems in the back. Maybe add some red epiphyte plants at the base of the scape and some kind of midground on the side/sides? Probably some redroot floaters as well. What are your thoughts? This will be a low tech and low light betta tank that will receive no nitrate/phosphate outside of food and lean ferts. Tank is 10" square.

[RennjiDK]

So I've got rotala red and ludwigia s. red as stems (I may add some h'ra for contrast but idk). Alternanthera reineckii mini as a small midground (in the right side rockwork pocket). Any epiphyte ideas? They would mainly be lodged between the wood and rock. I was considering nana petite, again for the contrast, but maybe some darker buce? Are there any truly red epiphytes?

Edited May 26, 2023 by RennjiDK

[Lennie]

My rotalas never got actually red with tropica aquasoil and high tech plant led, just no co2. I wouldn't recommend rotalas myself. The best they get is orangeish for me. I tried Rotala Vietnam H'ra Red. Hope you can have some success. For me they approximately look like this

Meanwhile they should be looking like this:

I can successfully keep red/orange ludwigia varieties without co2, but again with hightech light and aquasoil.

Alternanthera reineckii is super easy. That's a good choice there

Red goes really well with dark color bucephalandra type greens and whites imo. They are quite fragile but I believe anubias white may also look really good. I have 4 types of bucephalandra, and I can barely tell any difference 😄 

Anubias white:

Edited May 26, 2023 by Lennie

[RennjiDK]

Stopped by my lfs and they stocked culture cups today, so I changed my plans based on what they had available.

I added some AR Cardinalis and Bacopa to the back, a Rosette Sword, and some Brownie Buce.