Question: First Planted Tank Looks Ok?

Right-oh! My first planted freshwater tank! I am LOVING it!
(Sorry no light on the tank and there are a lot of windows. There are not metal bowls in the tank, lol, it's a reflection.)

I have an inch of insulation foam under the tank (thus the paw print ribbon) because my tea table is slightly uneven in the way I had to reinforce it.











I have a ton of plants in there for a silent cycle.

Surface:
*(6) Water Lettuce
*(4) Aquatic Forget-Me-Nots (Blue)
*(5) Water Hyacinth
*(Some little tiny free floating plants I got as freebies and hitchhikers)

Semi Surface:
*(2) Water Hawthorn
*(Lots of stems) Pennywort
* (1) Unidentified Freebie

Mosses:
*(A ton) of Peacock Moss
*(6) Mats of Flame Moss

Anubias (just a lot of each):
*Barteri Round Leaf
*Nana Narrow Leaf
*Nana Petite
*Minima
*Bonsai
*Golden
*Nanji
*(1) Unidentified Freebie

Other:
*(8) Windelov Java Fern
*(3) Marimo Moss
*(4) What I think may be Hygrophila Polysperma (Freebie)

4 Pieces of drift wood (which I think are leaking tannins into the water) and one I had to weigh down with the rock.

1 Quartz Rock

1 Part of an Aged Giant Clam Shell (to bring my PH up a smidge it was below 6). I also have a sack of shards in my 5 gal bucket for water changes.

Porcelain Tile for bottom. It looks like slate.

And 1 Snail Hitchhiker I discovered this morning. First living critter in there!

Tank: 40 Gal. Breeder

Parameters after I added the Shell:
PH: 6.8-7
KH: (3-4) 53.7-71.6 (about 60?)
GH: (3) 53.7
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

Temp: 68°F with chiller

And I have a Hydor external canester filter for 40-60 gal with charcoal and zeolite added.

I started the tank a little over a week ago (last Thurs) with about 1/2 the plants. I've added in the rest of the plants as they've come.

I've done 5 gal (or more) water changes daily.

Seems like everything is going really good. But I feel like it's going too well... Am I doing ok? It there something else I need to do? I'm looking into getting my first Axi soon and I'd like everything as safe and comfortable for the little guy as possible. Thanks!

Ok, so sorry but I'm going to bump this.

I have foam/ bubbles around a part of my spray bar. It's at the start (the most powerful drips). What do I do? What is it??? Bacteria?

The only thing I'm using is Seachem Prime for a few water changes and Seachem Flourish Advanced to help my plants get started.

My snail is doing really well. The darn thing is getting bigger every day. It's got spots on it's shell now and it's little body is purple. I've named it Flora. Lol, I've found it all over the place. The glass, on the Anubis, under floating leaves.

Parameters are the same. But PH is at a solid 6.8 now.

Planted tanks are the best for any setup in my opinion - I love them! I can't offer and opinion on your foam issue, but your tank looks really nice!

Awwww thank you I've been working really hard to make a beautiful, safe, and environment rich home for my Axi. That I just picked out! A freckled blue gill Lucy, breed by a member here! I think I figured out the foam too. It's​ probably a protein build up. I did a good cleaning and that seemed to help. Plants are messy before they establish!