[Tex Gal]

No you don't have to wait for your tank to recycle. You could get an ammonia spike due to digging in the gravel but a w/c will take care of that.
As far as what to do to re-scape it, find some tanks you like the looks of and do a similar or composite of them. The world is your oyster!

 

[Tex Gal]

If you put some stem plants in there they will get full and cover the back. Actually it doesn't have to be stem plants. Any plants colse together will cover it. You can hardly see the backs of many of the tanks people post. Of course they are heavily planted.

 

[Tex Gal]

The world is your oyster! Check out the plant finder. There are many many that are fast growing. Any stem plant that you put in there and trim will fill in. You can then plant in front of that. The lists are never ending. That's why people like me have collectoritis. We see a new plant and have to have it!

 

[Tex Gal]

Watersprite or wisteria would be pretty. They are fast growers. Java fern is nice but grows slowly.

I wouldn't use anacharis. It's always a mess and is SOOO common. There is a smaller variety of anacharis that has a leaf that curls around and down that I like. It's Egeria najas. You don't see it a lot. Since it's smaller it will take more to fill it but it's fast growing.

You could also use Ludwigia repens. It grows fast. It will stay green in low light. I might color up at the very top.

 

[Tex Gal]

I think that will look pretty good! I couldn't find #4. Looks like you have a pretty good eye there!

 

[Tex Gal]

You can get a disposable cup, cut the bottom out and plant it in the rim. It doesn't spread so fast that you can't manage it. It does send out runners, kind of like dwarf sag. You can either just pull them up or do the containment planting thing.

 

[Tex Gal]

Catherine you are so clever! Glad you're here!