Suggested Plants? - Desperate Need of Re-Scape

[FrozenFins]

Alrighty

Here is my 40 gallon that is UGLY and needs a rescape.

It is stocked with...

-Angelfish x3

-Zebra Danios x6

-CardInal Tetras x5

-Upside Down Catfish x2

-Bristenose Pleco

I plan on getting more danios and cardinal tetras (to make it 12 danios, 10 cardinals)

Yes I know this is overstocked, but I do regular water testing and waterchanges.

Okay now, what I dont like about the tank...

-The light will support plants, but constantly make my water look orange (I have tested it is the light) I want to invest in the Fluval 3.0, but not right now.

-I need plants. Everything died from my green water incident and not to mention my stupid self wanting to pick up green hedge a non aquatic plant (I didn't know it was non-aquatic at the time)

-But I need some suggesttions of plants. I really like Crypts and Java Fern, but what do you guys think?

[Fish Folk]

43 minutes ago, James Black said:

But I need some suggesttions of plants. I really like Crypts and Java Fern, but what do you guys think?

Perimeter: 4-6 big Amazon Swords! Use root tabs. 

Foreground: chop up some Rotala rotundiifolia into 2.5-inch pieces, and plant a "front yard" with aquascaping forceps. 

Backing: Use 2x pieces of Elemers black foam board (WalMart) cut to fut snugly between the rims. Plant colors will really pop.

[Chris287]

you could attach java fern(s) to the wood and add dwarf sag in the front and vallisneria in the back. In my 40 gal i have vallisneria, crypts,dwarf hairgrass and anubias.

[FrozenFins]

4 minutes ago, Fish Folk said:

Perimeter: 4-6 big Amazon Swords! Use root tabs. 

Foreground: chop up some Rotala rotundiifolia into 2.5-inch pieces, and plant a "front yard" with aquascaping forceps. 

Backing: Use 2x pieces of Elemers black foam board (WalMart) cut to fut snugly between the rims. Plant colors will really pop.

your really onto something Fish Folk

[FrozenFins]

8 minutes ago, Fish Folk said:

Perimeter: 4-6 big Amazon Swords! Use root tabs. 

Foreground: chop up some Rotala rotundiifolia into 2.5-inch pieces, and plant a "front yard" with aquascaping forceps. 

Backing: Use 2x pieces of Elemers black foam board (WalMart) cut to fut snugly between the rims. Plant colors will really pop.

I just thought of something. I have a bristlenose pleco, I have heard the bristlenose plecos will usually eat the amazon swords.

[Fish Folk]

33 minutes ago, James Black said:

I have heard the bristlenose plecos will usually eat the amazon swords.

Yeah... but if you feed an algae wafer each day, and the odd disc of boiled zucchini now and then, probably won’t crush the swords if they’re big enough and if you use root tabs liberally. — also, have wood in there for the BNP. 

Edited January 27, 2021 by Fish Folk

[Chris287]

My bristlenose pleco doesn't eat mine but yours could so you could get 1 to see if it would eat it.  

[Brandy]

I think angel fish look amazing with Vallisnaria, but it does take over. So does dwarf Saggitarius, but it is a little smaller and your 40 has less height. Java fern on the driftwood AFTER the val/sag have reached the surface will keep the new light from being too high on the JF and creating algae.

Red or bronze Crypts in the forground...an anubias or two in 2 sizes (barteri and nana petite for instance) would add texture to offset all the lance-shaped leaves, and you would have super hardy low maintenance scape. Crypts and Val/Sag want root tabs, Anubias and Java Fern are water column feeders and want lots of potassium. Your main chore will be placing root tabs and trying to keep the Val/Sag from taking over. I find that moving runners, rather than cutting them, is the best plan.