Thanks - there are some good and bad things about, the main good point being that since plants are natural filters i havent had to clean it in 2 years - i change the water once every 6 months, and the filter wool which sits in the weir once every 3 months, but never any vacuuming. The fish eat plants, and the plants eat the fish poo! Their are shrimp, snails and fish that keep the algea under control too - I like to think it is a little (almost) self maintaining ecosystem.
But there was a bit of initial outlay - its got CO2 injection and a PH monitor that controls input of CO2, and undergravel heating etc, but i like it being low maintenance.
The plants are mainly crypts, swords, and anubias but there are 2 types of moss that grow around the top and also some bolbitus that are cool and look like trees.
The main ones are (names might not be correct...):
Cryptocyrne mi oya (the main low ground plant)
Cryptocyrne walkeri
Cryptocyrne wendtii
Cryptocyrne balansae (the forest looking bit front right)
Cryptocyrne becketii
Aponogeton crispus
Bolbitus heudelotii (the tree looking bit on the left)
Microsorium pteropus (java fern - hardiest, easiest plant ever)
Echinodorushoremanii red
Echinodorus ozelot
Echinodorus rubra
Echinodorus red flame
Anubias barteri
Anubias coffefolia
Anubias afzelli
Those are the main ones, actually they are really the survivors...i put in a whole lot more than that without knowing what conditions they all liked and theseare the ones left standing!
They are all fairly hardy with low light tolerance, as my lights are quite weak.
There are also two lilies - a banana lily, and another whose name i dont know but it is meant for a pond. I have to cut back the lilys quite often because they grow like amd and block the light out.
And i have attached photos of the moss - i think its my favourite bit about the tank.
