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Starting up a 34L nano tank

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Silviu Man said:
Looks nice!
Maybe if you put the big rocks from the front of Anubias close to the root and make a "free" space instead, will look better (just my opinion).
The bigger one, in center, under the root and the smallest, in the right side, in a small group ?!
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Good advice. Newer arrangement.
 
The Hygrophila Salicifolia was planted as a bunch and rotted away within a week! Replaced with an Anacharis Elodia and I'm going to put some Java Moss in too. Aged ceramic bio media introduced yesterday so hopefully livestock soon.
 
Crypt Wendtii added to foreground and all readings now good so some occupants have been added. Ember Tetras and Otocinclus and a zebra striped Nerite. Cherry Red Shrimps will be added in a day or so.
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This is the latest pic of my little project. The crypt in the foreground has been in a week and no sign of melt! The Nerite gets around the tank at a fair old pace. In the photo he is on the uppermost branch of the Azalea Root. The Begonia at the rear right is in decline but all other plants are thriving. Four Cherry Red Shrimps added but they aren't "very Cherry" with two being reddish and two quite clear.
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Long time since I posted anything about the tank. Had hair algae problems so bought a couple of large-ish Amano Shrimps, which are busy munching their way through it. Very rarely see my 4 Cherry Shrimp but the Amanos are very visible and active so I might get a few more. Had a mollusc problem with little things that look like limpets around 2mm long on my glass and wood so I introduced an Assassin Snail, which, after 5 days, has laid eggs all over my wood! .

Took the Lymnophila out as I don't think it enhances the look of my scape (and it was going a bit brown) and got another Java Fern and another Crypt Wendtii. Photos to follow, if anyone's interested.

I do water readings weekly and pH is 7.0, Ammonia is 0, Nitrite is 0 but Nitrate is around 20-40ppm so I do at a 35-50% water change weekly to balance this out. I now have 6 bags of various ceramic bio-media in the middle compartment and can't fit any more in. All in all, I'm really enjoying the hobby.
 
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Anyone got any ideas as to why my fish (Neons and Embers) are hardly ever seen free-swimming in the mid to upper layers of the tank? They spend most of their time relatively stationary near the bottom and behind rocks and plants except, of course, at feeding time.
 
Lack of cover, lighting too intense, high water flow dynamics...
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Probably guilty on all counts. I think the tall design of the Flex doesn't help and a longer rectangle shape might be more conducive to shoaling fish being more mobile. However the Flex is a very user-friendly tank for a beginner so I'll have to persist with it. The plants may grow-on and I can adjust the lighting and possibly do something about the rate of flow from the pump vents.
 
If I put a block of sponge over the water outlet nozzles to diffuse the flow will it put the pump under stress and shorten its life? I definitely think the flow is a contributing factor to the fish not moving around freely.
 
IMG_1070.JPG Just observing my tank and noticed this biggish Shrimp that I didn't know I had. The only Shrimps that have been introduced to the tank are 4 Cherry Reds which were very small and almost clear, and 2 Amanos only introduced 2 days ago. This shrimp is around 1.5" long and brownish with a lighter strip along the back. Anyone know what it is?
 
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