Jen, I guess it's the lone unhappy java leaf right in the front I don't care for. Is it just a leaf or is there any rhizome? Like I said, I'd just let it float, it'll never be happy planted in substrate but may produce plantlets.
KF, it's the opposite, plants should help lower nitrates, even slow growers help some. My best advice is to do 2/week WCs with vacuuming to get a grip on nitrates, then you can see if you can go 2 weeks before they get "blood red" (probably 40++). Shoot for 20ppm max. It's a PITA to have to test & WC more than usual but you tank will be better for it. & once you figure out the "minimum" WC schedule, you can skip testing much...I rarely do but know I should since I've cut back WCs during our drought & my general laziness.
Only one buce in there, just 3 growing points. No idea what kind it is but Rachel said it normally costs like $60 for a piece that size (hence why I was so freaking nervous before!). Plant dead center is anubias petite and I'm not thrilled with it's location (no shade). There are a few other clumps of it in there too.That's terrible about the thread, but kinda funny too. Thread eating snails?!? I know you had trouble with "old thread" at first...& I thought I was sewing challenged. Might be time to try gel super glue at least a few spots. Then you won't have to remove the wood or try to tie in the tankeither would really mess up your great start. I can't see the fungus but it's no big deal, you know it'll go away...eventually.
The buces look good, are they all the same kind? I like where you put the anubias. In the pic it looks like the cabomba is shaded a bit. What is the plant almost dead center on a horizontal wood that goes toward the back corner? Hairgrass, meh, although I do like the "amano nature tank" lawn in other people's tanks. "Belem" is all the rage here. Crypts look good too.
Bolbitis loves current, mine seems happiest not too shaded (other than "jungle" val & duckweed, lol). This tank is the only time it's ever been happy for me & for a fern, it's growing pretty fast. Watch it for bba on old leaves, like anubias, leaves almost never seem to die & need to be trimmed once in a while. Mine aren't attached to anything so that makes it easy to grab out & snip where I can see what I'm doing.
Thank you! Snails came from the plants, even though I carefully checked them all for snails, eggs, algae, duckweed etc. RCS are not known to eat planaria, in fact planaria is suspected of killing RCS (I've seen it myself). I am hoping having sand in this tank will help keep planaria in check but not allowing stuff to settle into the gravel."Tie in the tank"???!!!?? I'm afraid that would drive me crazier than having all the thread break!
It doesn't look bad in the pictures, but I feel your frustration! Where'd the ramshorns and pond snails come from? I don't remember reading that you intentionally added them. If you want to round up a bunch at once, drop an algae wafer in and let it sit for a few hours. Snail homing beacon!
On an interesting side note, I have a 2g bucket on my patio that I've been tossing in the loose wisteria leaves and such that I net out when I clean my tank. Somehow I ended up with a major culture of seed shrimp, and they've really multiplied with the warmer weather. So I caught up a bunch as snacks for my gambusia today, and my ghost shrimp happily ate them too. Maybe your RCS will gobble up the planaria and daphnia.
I used 2lb fluorocarbon to tie my Christmas moss, but have not been able to locate cotton thread anywhere. It didn't take very long for it to anchor itself and start growing. I still think your tank looks great. The anubias looks great too.
RCS are not known to eat planaria, in fact planaria is suspected of killing RCS (I've seen it myself). I am hoping having sand in this tank will help keep planaria in check but not allowing stuff to settle into the gravel.