Thanks for the advice, Tom. I am coming to the sad realization that I cant have my cake and eat it too. I'd really like to go all out with plants, but also want my clowns. At this point I haven’t decided for sure which one will give since I do like easy plants like crypts and ferns, then again I wouldn’t mind just having little botias as well, those striatas I like as much as the clowns. If I do keep the clowns, instead of using AS, have you had any experience with this type of sand: Aquaria Central (the one echoofformless pictured) which is quikrete medium sand.

I do plan on automating what I can, since I am lazy, and automated would provide more consistent water chem than I can. Will probably setup water change for daily 10-15%, as well as auto micro and macro dosing EI adapted to daily doses. Will probably be using something like the aquacontroller or X10 setup. I like the Aquacontroller JR but I probably wont be able to use the stupid serial port, wish they had something more modern like USB. Might just use X10 until they come out with a more modern auquacontroller that’s reasonably priced like the JR. As for lighting, like I said I'll probably be going for 10 AHSupply 55Wers. That would put me a smidgen over 2wpg. So does this fall into moderate in your opinion? I know the bigger tanks dont quite need as much.