JB, you're good man...you are truly becoming a really good aquarist.

Pink and blue gravel, neon pastel...yes, best use that tank for red ear turtles some day (only 2 of course, they can grow up to 12" long).......

With your 55 gallon, you can get live tall plants if you like...but again, I really want you to check out anubias, java fern, java moss will all do

Anubias barteri round leaf
Anubias coffeefolia
Anubias hastifolia
Anubias nana
Java Fern
Java Moss

Check these out...low light, easy, tolerate of most water conditions...Anubias hastifolia can grow to 1'4" tall (though it is a slow grower).

But it is good to see you are getting interested in this hobby. It's a fine hobby. Enjoy.

JB

YOu want a fantasic book, you can get it on amazon cheap, it's called: Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants by Peter Hiscock (I have a load of books on this hobby and Peter Hiscock stands out. Peter's parents are marine biologists and Peter graduated from Sparsholt College in Hampshire, UK with an aquatic studies degree).

The book is very colorful, almost 200 pages long in content...I promise you, you will not be let down. This book is a must read.

There is a plant called Broadleaved Amazon swordplant (quoted from the book:)

maximum height: 20"
growth rate: moderate
area: background, specimen, unusual
light: bright
temperature: 75-82
propagation: by adventitious plants
difficulty: 1,2 ( 1 is suitable for beginners, 2 hardy and acceptable which means, these plants should be suppled with C02)

So basically, you will need a CO2 system for these plants, from either a basic system like Turbo CO2 Bio-System Controlled CO2 diffusion without expensive components to Deluxe Fully-Automatic CO2 System: CO2 Pressure Regulator with solenoid, Bubble Counter, Maxijet Powerhead, Pinpoint pH Controller, 20 ft Silicone Tubing, 10 ft Flexible Vinyl 1/2" Tubing, Aqua Medic CO2 Reactor 1000, Water Pump Return Spout, ball valve, and plastic clamps (or from $30.00 to up to $400.00) dependent upon how many plants in your tank require C02.

Also you will need a great deal of more light:

VHO Actinic "03" Fluorescent Tubes: a great light for plants because the spectral energy distribution emitted by this bulb closely aligns with that of the blue chlorophyll absorption peak achieved on photosynthesis. 100% blue spectrum. Easy to recognize gold end-caps. T-12 diameter.

These types of VHO (very high output) lights usually come in 24" length with 75 watts each. Harder to find lights at 18" for VHO, but I am sure somewhere they can be found. Possibly the better way to go about this is get a longer lighting fixture, 48" for the entire tank instead of 2 hoods, and use a hood that will allow 2 lights, so the lighting will be 110 watt for each 48" bulb making it 220 watts or just a 48" hood with 1 bulb at 48" which will run about $100 for the hood and about $25.00 for the light (one).

If yu do go this route with plants that need high output or high lighting, your aquarium will be plush with plants, so you will need fish that do not feed on the plants, and you want the plants needs to coincide with the fish so you will attain a balanced system.

In other words, you do not want plants that like very cool water yet the fish need temperatures around 80 degrees, or you don't want the plants to need hard water yet the fish need softer waters.

Best advice, get that book, I think you can probably get a used very good copy at amazon for about $20.00 (postage included). It will truly help you out, I promise you this.

Anyway, I am glad you are planning it out. Planning is probably 1/2 of the entire experience, then the other half is upkeeping that plan of yours. So keep thinking about it, researching, you'll get a good feel for the hobby.

you're welcome pal

and very good that the library has that book, you will be very glad you took it out

any other questions please do not hesitate to ask