[Lupin]

Hi.

Any close-up pic? Looks like a hygrophila to me otherwise.:dunno:

 

[Lupin]

Looks like Alternanthera reineckii to me. Close to Hygro but even closer to being Alternanthera.

 

[Lupin]

3 wpg is great for plants requiring high light. Riccia fluitans if tied on a rock with a mesh can serve as a lawn. Pruning can get messy though. Cabomba caroliana are good plants as their bushy appearance will give the fish plenty of area to hide. I had praecox rainbows spawned on a thicket of Cabombas before. None of the eggs last though because I had pencilfish and kuhli loaches consuming them after they fall.

I'll leave the rest to the others as I can't think any more plants that will do well in a high lighted tank other than the Riccia and Cabomba.:mrgreen: If you like fast-growing plants, Elodea densa are one of those.

Good luck.

 

[Lupin]

At what point would I have to start CO2?

You actually have a choice whether you like to operate it or not. Obviously, high lighting and CO2 when combined makes plants grow at a very fast rate but this also makes them used up all nutrients fast which is why you have to dose the ferts more often. Also more expensive than a low-tech where you don't deal with CO2 at all other than just dosing ferts with the plants fluorishing. Low-tech is mostly for plants that are undemanding like the Elodea densa, Javan fern, Javan moss, etc.

Be careful when dosing CO2. A high level will eventually kill the fish in a few hours. In this case, I usually do a big water change and switch on the airpumps to powerful mode. It hasn't happened since last year though.

The choice is up to you whether you like to see lots of plants grow at a fast rate or not. Fast growth or not, it doesn't matter. Your plants will still fluorish and grow with or without CO2 injection.