There are different types of anubias and I think all can grow on wood. They're my favorite aquatic plant. I don't know if anubias grows in the biotope you are trying to stay with but they're very hardy and appealing.

I've been using Excell as a carbon additive and I think it makes the plants grow better but I don't know about iron. I have shrimp and I'm using Leaf Zone by API as a fert and iron seems to be one of the 2 main ingredience and I'vr had no problems with the fish.

Too much carbon can be bad. Read the dosage and take care not to exceed. Iron is good, but I would imagine the same goes for it. Too much of any one thing can be fatal.

Edit: If you do go over, there's nothing a water change can't fix or atleast help.

I use Flourish Tablets (10 tablets for about $6.00 at aquariumguys.com lasts about 18 months), these tablets have all the minerals any plants needs. Iron is good for making the leaves not turn yellow. As for shrimp or other invertabres, it's copper that these species are sensitive to. An extremely small amount of copper is okay - I have 35 Olive Nerite Snails and several ghost shrimp which do just fine with the Flourish tablets which contain 0.001% soluable copper, way too low to do any harm to the shrimp or snails (clams are also sensitive to copper). Of course you don't want too much iron because this will do the opposite effect and turn your plants into mush (you should get an iron test kit, I have one, I'll perform a test if I see even the slightest bit of yellowing or die back (black or brown leaf).

Also I highly recommend the book The Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants by Peter Hiscock, you can get a relatively cheap good used copy from either Amazon ro campusi book search. It specifically tells you via colorful pictures how to raises the best plants in assorted aquarium plans, for instance, quoting from book: a paludarium, an open-topped aquarium, a low-light aquarium, a hardwater aquarium, a coldwater aquarium, an African pool, an Indonesian stream, a mountain stream, and it explains on each set-up the type of fish that are compatible. Highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in live plants.

I do not use CO2, but this is me. I did much research, and I found as long as you provide good gravel, a fertilizer, the right lighting, and a 10-12 hour light schedule with fish which will not harm the leaves, there really is no need for CO2 in a freshwater tank. Of course, the aquarium plants must be monitored every day, but I believe it is best to go the natural route as much as one can. But if your heart is really set on a CO2 set up, there are several at Dr Fosters & Smith, from $30.00 portable set-ups to $200.00 set ups that require co2 tanks, diffusers, reactors. Your choice.

The only plant I have is the anubias (like the other member suggested). Anubias can thrive in low light, and do best on rock or wood, it can be planted in the gravel, but it is best on wood because it will wrap its roots around the wood, feeding off the nutrients suppled in the water, and in time, its roots will dig into the gravel, anchoring itself. Anubias is a very hardy plant, it is a slow grower, but via its runners, it will spread out in time. Plus there are assortment of anubias: nana, hastifolia, coffeefolia, barteri round leaf...I have all four, and each plant thrive very well in the tank. So my suggestion like the othe rmember is buy a few from Live Aquaria, some are a little pricey, $7.99 for one plant, but it is well worth it.

Also Java fern attaches to wood rather well. I have this too. I I ave a piece of wood standing up in a corner and a piece of wood standing up toward the middle of the tank, the Java Fern climbs and clings onto the wood like a vine. Very interesting.

Otocinclus, like the other member said, is a good algae eater. It won't harm the plants, and it will clean algae off the plants and ornaments. And if there is not enough algae, you can supply the Oto with algae pellets (Hikari puts out a fine brand of algae wafers). You should only get about 4 of the Oto, it is best when kept in small groups. Live Aquaria sells the Otocinclus.

One last thing, try not to put so much additives into the tank. Outside of a dechlorinator (a must have; absolutely required), placing a Flourish tablet in the gravel (each tablet lasts 3 months, comes in a 10 tablet package) is all the plants will need. The tablet includes iron as well.

I hope this info helps.

this is true Peter, the fish waste will provide fertilzer. This is teh reason I use only one tablet that lasts 3-4 months, because anything beside this muchm may cause more problems than relief. But by far, it is true, fish waste itself is a great fertilizer, or nitrate, after a tank is cycled, will provide much nutrients, all natural, for the plants.

The key to a good tank is its ecosystem. This is the reason it is good to have live plants, because in the wild, naturally, fish are around plant life all their lives. Plants & fish make a good relationship. And as fishkeepers, we must respect this regardless if the setting up of the plants in the first place and the nururing of the plants in the second place may be a chore. Personally, I find it as a no chore because if the ecosystem is set up right in the first place, mother nature will take care of itself (as long as we provide water changes, no overfeeding, and good filttration.

If yu think about it, if we as fish keepers can mimick the outdoors as much as we can: water change = flowing rivers/creeks, no overfeeding = fish get what they can in the wild; and filtration = (again) constant river/creek flow, then mother nature will take acre of itself.

When my platies gave birth, and the fry, I have 1 that is over 3 weeks old, lasted int he tank, and the tank is almost 3 months (August 8, 2008), then I know as a fact the water quality, etc is fine.

So for your question, I agree with Peter, good hardy plants (anubias are great low maintence plants) and less additives (if you do use fertilzer, use one like Flourish Tablet, each tablet lasts 3-4 months).

Hope this helps