I meant to say more but got distracted and hit the enter key.
I've been in this hobby for 35 years. For awhile, I had way too many tanks. Now I have only my 55gal which you see in the picture.
I try to keep it simple now: EI dosing, flourite substrate and CO2. PVC piping of my own design and configuration.
I have a large ocean clear filter and a 40rlt Iwaki pump. The output is split to go to the co2 reactor and the main water output.This allows me to control the output of the co2 Jaqno external reactor independently of the main water outflow.
The fish are mostly rosy barbs, of which I have too many. SAE's, bristlenose plecos, lots and lots of snails (MTS, ramshorns). While not the best fish for a planted tank due to their large size and color, rosy barbs are a favorite of mine. They are easy to breed and they are fun to watch. They are spoiled with a steady diet of wingless fruit flies and brine shrimp.
Plants: limophilia indica, crypt retrospiralis, crypt wentii, valspiralis, java fern, anubias, bacopa australis, ludwigia repens, myriophylum heterophyllum (red foxtail), echinodorus osiris, echinodorus kleiner bar, crypt lutea, nymphaea stellata, java moss, lilaeopsis mauritius, sagittaria subulata, bacopa monnieri.
These plants have been chosen for their tolerance of the extreme hard water we have in Dane County, WI.
I'm looking forward to getting more ideas about landscaping and to contribute and learn from the large knowledge base here.