I first started with plants about 10 years ago , had little success for a while , tried the yeast reactor thing ,and canned it .
the plants I keep now are easy to care for , no Co2 injected , no special lighting , just water changes and same liquid fertilizers .
I don't go crazy trying to manicure it , just when it starts looking over grown I thin it out a little ..............
My Jungle ...........the fish like it
for 4 years this tank has had only a U.G filter , water changes , and plants to keep my water habitable for life ..........
I would suggest you get some Malayan trumpet snails for the sand , they burrow through it and will keep dangerous gases from building up , as well as keeping plants/roots , clean , for lack of a better way to put it . These snails , as for as I can tell will not eat live plants , but dieing leaves and roots will be eaten , this makes way for new growth .
How deep is your sand ?
The plants I keep are pretty easy to care for
Java Fern and Anubias , are epyphites , they grow attached to rocks , wood , whatever , rather than being planted in the substrate [ I've gotten them to grow on PVC pipe ] .
Also in my tank are several crytocoryne species .
Java moss .........can grow out of control .
above are good low light level plants.
I also have some aponogeton crispus, lotus [ lillies in the middle of the pic] , cork screw Vallisneria , amazon swords , and dwarf Sagitaria and water wisteria .........these plants probably require more light , but the live just fine for me .
My tank , I think squeaks by with the minimum in regard to light with 3 [ one plant growth , 1 aquarium , and 1 day light ] 40 watt tubes , on a 70 gallon tank .
My substrate is gravel , about 3 " deep .
You may find you'll have to experiment with the duration the lights are on to help control algae .
my sand is about 2"deep
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