[SovXietday]

Sorry should have mentioned that, it's a 30gallon tank. I have a 6.7K bulb now, think that's enough?

Thing is, what I would LIKE to do and what I really can afford to do at the moment are two completely different things. I would love to do a canister filter with an inline CO2 system but I really don't have the money. Thing is, I NEED to buy a new filtration system, the current HOB filter I have is noisy as hell and is way too powerful for the tank. My old baby cichlids couldn't even swim in the fricken jet stream that thing creates. I really want to try and not disturb the surface of the water too much, keep CO2 levels up and let the plants do the oxygen for the fish. Thing is, are there available canister style filters that can be had for ~$50?

CO2 isn't really a viable option at this very instant, but it's something I would at least like to add later on in a few months maybe. I do plan on fertilizing the plants once they become more established.

I'm really looking for the wild "overgrown" look, full of plants from top to bottom with smaller fish swimming in and out. I think I'm going to stick to mostly communal non-aggressive fish (tetra's, cory's, and look into some different barbs or other "neater" fish) and have some cherry shrimp and a few snails (hence why I'm staying away from cichlids this time around).

Ideally I would really like to have a tank that just needs the basic water changes, ferts, and a trim now and then. I understand that it will take work to get up to this point and to establish the tank, but that's the ultimate goal.