geeks_15

1st, I think you are being too hard on yourself.

Here's a nice article describing the shape of the layout and making a focal point among other helpful hints. http://freshaquarium.about.com/libra.../aa122203a.htm

My main piece of advice aside from the article above is to get more plants. I prefer to get many of the same species of plant for a nice lush bunch of plants. For example, get 10 or 15 or 20 stems of java fern and cram them all into one area of the tank. Get 2 or 3 or 4 big groupings of more java fern or different species and that will go a long way toward improving the look of your tank. Having a centerpiece plant that as the focus of the aquarium can also work, but I think a thick lush green aquarium can look great without that focus plant. While rescaping the plants, just leave the fish in there. Take 50% of the water out, rescape the tank, and then fill it back up. Or you could rescape and then do a water change to clear the water quicker. Dirt and debris in the water shouldn't hurt the fish.

Java moss can grow attached to your fake rocks. Two strategies to try:
Tie the moss to the rocks with fishing line. Wrap the line around and around the rock. Some of the moss will become attached to the rock and grow attached along the rock. You'll still have to trim the mounds.

Take some java moss and rub it all over the rock. This works great with driftwood. If the fake rock is porous enough, little flecks of moss will become embedded in the rock pores. It will take a while (weeks) before you see any growth, but if it works you have java moss fuzz growing all over the rock.

Regarding equipment, lose the air pump. The fish don't need it and it takes CO2 out of the water. Regarding CO2 injection, it will take your aquarium to another level. Plants will grow better and faster and fuller. You'll be able to grow plants you couldn't grow otherwise. You can grow plants without CO2, and you can have a nice planted aquarium without, but you can have a truly fantastic planted aquarium with the addition of CO2. The downside of injected CO2 is expense. It will be expensive to start up. Once the initial investment is made, the maintenance cost is minimal.

I'll let someone else tackle the stocking question and I don't know anything about plecos, so I'll let someone else answer that one.

I think you have a good start, it just needs some adjustment. Half the fun is messing with the tank anyway.

Zephyrus Blue

Thank you very much for taking the time to give such a detail response....upon which, I might add, I have just acted on.

You were absolutely correct. The addition of more plants has transformed the tank, and it looks much more like what I had in mind. I am going to struggle with the tying down of the java moss however as the 'rocks' are siliconed to the back of the tank and I am unable to loop fishing line around them. If I leave the moss weighted down, will it eventually attach itself? Presumably I could then trim it thereafter?

geeks_15

The java moss should attach itself if it is weighted down, it is just a much slower process.

I usually just wrap java moss loosely around things, or push it into cracks and it will eventually grow attached to the rock or driftwood. Then you can trim the part that is not attached.