tank notes

I have been trying to get a good tank picture, but it's hard to avoid glare on the watersprite thicket in center. This one is okay

but it actually looks more like this now, after I trimmed the rotala again:

Another overhead view:

It is starting to look full and green! Same doses on ferts with the water change, today. Most of the plants look good, so I'm hoping that java fern is just having an adjustment period and will recover too- at least the new fiddleheads coming up are nice. It's supposed to be a tough plant, so I'm surprised it seems more sensitive to changes. On the other hand, it's my only epiphyte in this aquarium, maybe that has something to do with it- since the other plants get nutrients from substrate, and this one only pulls out of the water column? I did cut out a few mottled leaves today, and tried to attach some down better. Have noticed that the ones that were tied tightly or held with rubber bands, with good contact to the surface, are clinging firmly. Others that I didn't tied so well (very tricky to do with wet thread!) are pretty loose, not holding well. I have weighed down one in the back with pebbles (but they fall off all the time, have to be replaced) and fastened a front lower one with new rubber band.

Now that the plants are looking better I'm starting to think about aesthetics again. Maybe the fine-leaved plants are better as background, and the apono crispus which I admire so much should be in the front. I am starting to try this out, gradually. Gave away my amazon sword (it just wasn't doing well in my tank) and moved one of the smaller aponos to front center:

I have also learned these plants like to stand alone, have space. Not sure if it's the reason, but the biggest apono (widest leaves) has surprised me with a new shoot- looks like a flower stem. I was not expecting, or even hoping, for my aponos to flower. I'm tickled that this one is- it means the plant is happy!!

Half a dozen rotala stems reached the surface again, so I've cut those back and replanted, two in back left corner behind apono, a few more behind the java log. Already I'm liking the effect:

Some more rotala pics- from above

and in dim light, the young green seems to glow (bad reflections in this one but I still like it)