UNS 60L, with monte carlo carpet, red crypts, hydrocotyle, weeping moss, and salvinia minima. Terrestrial plants are some kind of scindapsus, syngonium, pothos, dragon's tongue, and a heartleaf philodendron, some of which is growing in a HOB with filter media removed. No CO2. I haven't done a water change in maybe 4 months now.
Stocked with crystal red shrimp, some orange neocaridina, pygmy cories, and ramshorn snails.
I see you use a very high riser. I think most modern lights and tanks/lids always have a light far far too bright to the tank and too low as well. What filter type do you use? I'm curious about your flow inside the tank.
The light is actually just mounted on the bottom side of a shelf above the aquarium, so that I wouldn't have to figure out a riser long enough for the terrestrial plants. To some extent I agree that many modern lights are very bright and often hung low. I think for an extremely high tech tank or really really demanding plants... they might be necessary but I don't have enough experience on that side of aquarium keeping to know for sure. I'm using the Marina S10 filter (claims it's for up to 10 gallons and this tank is only 6.8) I found on Amazon. I have zero filter media in it, and instead have the scindapsus and philodendron in there to help with mechanical filtration. I'm running the filter at about half "flow" adjustment, which is enough to keep any biofilm forming on the water surface and not enough to cause any stress to the fauna.
I like your setup a lot. I been thinking of doing a shallow tank and I really like the idea you got going here.
I find almost all plants don't like a ton of water flow which is why I was curious about your filter and flow setup. That sounds perfect to keep the top skimmed but it won't off gas like a sponge filter will starving the plant's of co2.