Plant sizes and placement in tank

Super excited to begin our first planted tank, 75 gallon, low light, low tech, Finnex Planted Plus light. I have included a list below and trying to arrange in categories by size so I can draw out the plan. Some sources note a specific plant is one height and another will say something else, so if you see some you know to be a certain height or different than I have here please let me know. For the floaters I want to create the clear tubing floating rings to help contain them in specific areas so they don't tangle up so much around tubes, etc. I have a black slate rock "cave" group and a piece of 8 inch driftwood to plant on. I also have two pieces of vertical driftwood, one is about 16 inches tall and the other right at 21 that I can attach plants to. I also have a large piece of Manzanita branches. Is there anything specific I should plant on the Manzanita branches? From my plant list what can I plant amongst the branches that will grow up through it and kind of give it that sunken branches look? I can angle the branches in the tank whichever direction I need but I had thought about putting the "trunk" of the branches in the back left corner so the branches reach kind of mid area of the tank and they will be almost in the middle of the tank. The tank size is 48 long by 12 tall and 18 inches wide. Thanks in advance!

FLOATING
Frogbit
Water sprite – 20 inches
Brazilian Pennywort – can be floater or planted, 20-24 inches

FOREGROUND
Cholla wood with Subwassertang
Crypt parva – 2-4 inches
Marimo moss balls
Banana plant – 6-8 inches
Hygrophila Corymbosa Stricta Compact – covers a 4x4 area
Crypt wendettI bronze – 14 inches

MIDGROUND
Crypt Undulata – 12 inches
Bacopa – 8-16 inches
Crypt WendtiI red – 14 inches
Aponogeton Crispus – 14 inches
Bacopa Carolina – 8-16 inches
Dwarf Lily Nympaea stellata – 12-26 inches
Aponegeton Boivinianus bulb – 16 inches tall , 10-12 wide so leave room
Echinodorus Ozelot – up to 16 inches tall, 10-16 wide so leave room
Bolbitis heudelotiI African water fern – 14-20, can attach to rocks, wood
Green tiger lotus – 8-32 inches
Water wisteria – up to 20 inches, mid/background
Madagascar – up to 25 inches, good mid focal point

BACK GROUND
Red flame sword – 16+ inches
Rotala Rotundifolia indicia – 20 inches
Ludwigia repens – 20 inches
Rotala – 20 inches
Wisteria Hygrophila difformis –20 inches, give space
Hygrophila Corymbosa, giant – 20-24, good edge or corner plant
Brazilian Pennywort – 20-24 inches
Val Spiralis Italian – up to 24 inches
Aponogeton longiplumulosus bulb – tall up to 30+ inch straps
Crinum calamistratum – good centerpiece, long straps up to 36 inches
Val Jungle – up to 6 foot long straps

SIDES
Val Contortion – 14 inches
Val Corkscrew – 14 inches

PLANT ON ROCKS & WOOD
I have a little bit of mixed Christmas/java fern
Java fern – up to 10 inches
Anubias BarterI nana – 4-6 inches
Anubias Nana narrow leaf, more compact than Nana
Anubias Barteri
Bolbitis heudelotiI African water fern – 14-20, can attach to rocks, wood

 

Wow that is a ton of plants, I have a 75gal pretty heavily planted. Bocopa will grow to the top of the tank so that would not be mid ground, my banana plants are huge in diameter (about 8") and has lilly pads covering most of the top (I choose not to trim them off) so they take up a lot of real estate. Aponogeton will grow to the top of your tank too, I have mine in the back center. The val's will all grow to the top of the tank. Tiger lotus you will need to put in a pot and then plant the pot, otherwise it will take over your tank and choke out other plants. That is about all the plants that I personally have that you have listed, good luck narrowing down your choices, I know how hard that can be!

 

Sounds like you are on your way! Are you planning on putting all those plants in the same tank?

 

Well I had planned to but looking at my list I don't think I would have any room left to add any fish LOL. I may have to set up a second tank

 

Well I had planned to but looking at my list I don't think I would have any room left to add any fish LOL. I may have to set up a second tank

It does take a lot of plants to fill an aquarium that's for sure. When setting up I take a more cost effective approach. I get enough plants that it looks decent and I stop. Then as the plants grow and reproduce, I can continue to plant them where I want to get a filled in tank without spending a fortune. Plus I kind of like my tank to have more than one of the same species especially of some of my favorites. However, if you end up using all the plants you want, I'm sure it would look good and if you like it that's all that matters.

 

There is no way you would get all that in a 75, as jwilson48 said, don't forget that these things grow and spread. You will need a little room for fish too!

 

Yeah looks like I've got a good excuse to get that second tank, I was a little over zealous!

 

I am upgrading from 75 to 125 Saturday just for more plant real estate.