[mistergreen]

You can see floating bacteria if your water is cloudy, otherwise, they're on surfaces most times.
Yes, plants love ammonia.

 

[mistergreen]

Goldfish were kept in large porcelain bowls in ancient China. Goldfish & koi were bred to look good from the top view.

 

[mistergreen]

Yes, koi definitely go into a pond when they're large enough.

 

[mistergreen]

Floating plants and water lilies/lotus are your best bet. You can place the water lilies/lotus bulb in a smaller pot of a little dirt and cap with gravel. You want plants that look good growing out of the pot.
You might want to remove the Anubias out into an aquarium because the floating plants will block out the light.

 

[mistergreen]

Welcome to the world of dirt. The lily will grow as tall as the needs. The dirt might give the floating plant enough nutrients to survive.

 

[mistergreen]

The tannins won't clear unless you remove them.

 

[mistergreen]

What soil is the lily in now?

 

[mistergreen]

What's in the pot? Just gravel?

 

[mistergreen]

Oh, the lily will live off the bulb but after a while it’ll need nutrients.

 

[mistergreen]

PH is 6.9? That’s not a problem. Your dKH will stabilize the pH.

 

[mistergreen]

BTW, you can insert root tabs into the pot instead of using dirt for nutrients.

 

[mistergreen]

I would say, "Why not?" In Brooklyn where I live, plants are hard to find locally and you have to know of a mom-and-pop store in Chinatown (I'm not joking) before you can come across floating plants, emergent plants or anything more interesting than lucky bamboo. Sadly, most ordinary hobbyists settle for artificial plants and the most expensive mechanical filter they can afford. And, my point is this: They still wind up having to perform frequent water changes or their fish will die. One of my best friends probably cycles through a hundred fish a year and all the while, the water in her 10 gallon tank remains crystal clear! Meanwhile, I'm up to six zebra danio glo-fish and - at the most - a partial water change every two weeks and they are perfectly happy, never come to the surface except to gobble food and the whole thing has been completely off the grid since January.

I know the Chinatown store you speak of I used to take the LIRR up to Oyster Bay and see lots of creeks & ponds full of wild aquatics, mostly the American water Lily.

 

[mistergreen]

I think you're heading in the wrong direction chasing maximum growth in a low-tech tank.
For maximum growth, grow in emersed or inject CO2.

 

[mistergreen]

Grow them out of the water, I mean, but keep the soil and air wet, humid. Growing Crypts emersed is counterproductive though. Works well for stems and carpeting plants.

 

[mistergreen]

Grow them like terrestrial plants. Not sure how I can communicate this simpler. Soil, plant, air, cover.

 

[mistergreen]

0.2ppm isn't too bad. Putting a light over the plants should help them soak up the ammonia.

 

[mistergreen]

What root tab and how much did you use?

 

[mistergreen]

You probably need a floor lamp that will look nice in your place, something like this

Hampton Bay Matte Black and Antique Brass 55in. Industrial Balance Floor Lamp AF48587 - The Home Depot

Inspired by mid-century modern design, this floor lamp is the perfect addition to any living room, bedroom, or office. It is crafted in matte black and antique brass metals for a classic look and feel.

www.homedepot.com

 

[mistergreen]

Nice! That should work. If you get too many algae, you can always lift up the light 12".

 

[mistergreen]

A big porcelain bowl is not super cheap. There are $30-$50 large ceramic pots at the hardware store but they either have holes in the bottom for drainage or I'd be wary of heavy metal (lead) glaze on it. It's not good for fish & shrimps. You might be able to find a cheap plastic pot.