[Indignation]

I've been working on this tank for 5 months now, and figured I might as well throw some pictures up and get some input. Tank started in July 08, looking like this:

Using 2x 27 watt desktop lights, a sand "river", Eco-complete and a zoomed 501 with co2 injecting into the filter.
This quickly proved to be a "learning experience".(read:disaster)
The co2 and filter could not keep up with the light, and i was quickly overrun with algae. Name it, it was in there. The sand and eco-complete thoroughly mixed through sloppy re-planting, and the beautiful Toninas all melted due to the initially high KH. Thanks, Eco-Complete. :mad2:

Learning from my mistakes, I made the changes below, and while there is still some residual thread algae that is stubbornly hanging on, (less each week) the tank is looking pretty awesome.
Full Tank Shot:

Ammannia sp. 'Bonsai', and the single, stubborn Tonina Belem to survive the KH spike:

Pogostemon Helferi and a stem of Rotala sp. 'Goias' that snaked out of the HM. I wish I could take credit for this, as I think the combination looks great, but it happened on it's own. :

Specs:
Filter: Eheim Ecco 2232
Substrate: Eco-Complete
CO2: pressurized, DIY needle-wheel Rio 90 misting pump
Ferts: straight EI, Tropica Plant Nutrition, Flourish Excel occasionally.
Light: 1x24watt Curent Nova Extreme, with Giesemann Midday T5 bulb. 8.5 hrs/day.
Fauna: Ramshorn snails, Amano Shrimp, RCS, Zebra Nerite snails.
Flora: HM, HC, Rotala sp. 'Goias', Limnophila sp. 'Mini', Ammannia sp. 'Bonsai' Rotala sp. 'Mini Type II'
, Rotala Macrandra 'Green', Didiplis Diandra, Tonina Belem, Ludwigia sp. Arcuata, Pogostemon Helferi, Rotala Wallichi.

I still don't know what to do on the left foreground.(in front of Rotala mini.) I left a chunk of (unknown) moss in there that came with some shrimp, as the shrimp seem to like it. Is it possible to just stuff it into the substrate as a foreground cover, or will it infiltrate the Rotala mini grove? Any other ideas?

 

[DevUK]

Looks really nice! Love the little carpet, did you say that's HM? I thought HM grew taller?

As for on the left, if you can get hold of some, Staurogyne is a great mini stem looking plant which might work nicely Doesn't mind a bit of shade really, quite a hardy plant.

 

[Indignation]

Looks really nice! Love the little carpet, did you say that's HM? I thought HM grew taller?

As for on the left, if you can get hold of some, Staurogyne is a great mini stem looking plant which might work nicely Doesn't mind a bit of shade really, quite a hardy plant.

The foreground carpet is Hemianthus Callitrichoides. The Hemianthus Micranthemoides is on the left side, behind the green Eheim pipes. The stem of Rotala sp. Goias grew horizontally out of the HM, (a relic from the original planting 4 months ago) and crept along the HC.

Thanks for the idea with the Staurogyne! I had never heard of it before. I just read the Tropica page, and some of George Farmer's posts about it. Now the challenge is finding someone in the U.S. who would sell a couple stems. From what I've read so far, it seems to be a little scarce this side of the pond. If you know of anyone growing any, let me know!