Possible Changes To The Tank - Thoughts Welcome

Thanks, all - very helpful. (Have conjured up an image of your amano shrimp, LF - bet you'll find it will return to do that frequently due to enjoying itself so much.)

I don't have a timer, Apache; I'm at home throughout the day almost every day and so don't have a need for it. However, if the situation changes, then that would be a good plan.

I like the look of that, @Matt - thanks.

Sorry to hear that the autofeeder wasn't a success, especially after you had researched it so well.

As an update, I now have:
* redmoor wood with anubias, java moss and java fern attached to it (anubias and java moss ball look perfect; java moss and java fern doing ok - I've read that the dark patches on java fern are normal);
* vallis nana and vallis tiger - the former is doing better than the latter but I've had to remove some decaying leaves or parts of stalks from each;
* Brazilian pennywort - was looking good but developed holes in it overnight (despite a 20-min salt dip prior to putting it in the tank, 2 snails seemed to have been brought in with it and were to blame; I've since removed them);
* Amazonian frogbit and red root floater - the former looks better than the latter, and definitely my preference as it's less likely to clog up the filters and get swilled around the tank.

These were added in 3 fortnightly stages, to try to minimise algae growth.

The anubias was from the LFS; the java moss, java fern and vallis from Aquarium Gardens; the Brazilian pennywort and floating plants from Aqua Essentials. Overall, between the two online purchases, I felt Aquarium Gardens to be a more professional experience (answered queries immediately, packaging was much superior, standard of plants and quantity of free-floating plants better, didn't contain snails, sent an automatic e-mail with details of purchase and when dispatched) albeit more expensive (from recollection).

Still have some silk plants in but am removing approx 2 per week, to minimise loss of good bacteria.

Pic to follow.

Having a little play around on the Community Creator.

Current stocking level is dependent on whether I go with theoretical tank volume (54L) or 'true'/actual tank volume which takes into account decor plus lower water line due to my filter (45L) and whether I go with an internal filter or an oversized filter (which, with having 2, theoretically I do have, but would be reduced to one if moving one of those filters into the QT for whatever reason).

Stocking, therefore, ranges from 59% to 84% depending on which combination of the above factors is used, with 70% or 84% being based on the 'true' tank volume, depending on whether I base it on over-filtration or not.

Cardinal tetras are the top of the "contenders" list for future stocking but I think would be too risky to try now, as that would put corresponding stocking to 103% or 124% respectively. Ember tetras were particularly nice last week in my visit to the LFS but that would put corresponding stocking to 92% or 111% respectively, and, with the size and ravenous appetites of the female tetras, I'm not sure I would trust them with such small fish. I think, therefore, that shoaling fish are not an option for now as I don't want to take a risk - I know some do overstock successfully but I don't want to be forever berating myself if all goes awry.

I'm not keen on invertebrates for reasons I've mentioned before (ie heebie-jeebies if I found one feasting on one of the fish).

I do like rams but not sure that it would be fair keeping one on its own.

I take it there isn't really another option for now of any fish that could be accommodated in the tank?

Wow great minds think alike on this one Sue 

The other option id recomment would be galaxy rasbora, otherwise known as celestial pearl danio.

Thanks - very helpful suggestions.

unless yours defy Seriously Fish's size of 40 - 45mm.

The 2 female x-ray tetras are definitely nearer the 5cm mark but both the females are now about 3x the depth and 2x the width of the males - actually quite alarming to look at. As for the harlequins, 4 of them are nearer the 5cm mark while 2 of them are about 3cm.

I think that both the ember tetras and the green microdevarios are lovely looking fish.This is very exciting. 

I agree - am somewhat torn between the advantages of each of the suggestions. Shame there's no such invention (yet) as an expanding tank to accommodate one's desires, much like dining tables which can be expanded to accommodate extra guests.

Now that there's an additional, albeit unintended, tank resident in the form of a fast-moving snail (cf Think Fish Keepers Daily News), I just thought I'd check a couple of things.

Is this http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/fish/ornamental-aquarium-snail.html the advice (eg re size of tank, water hardness, temp, etc) which I ought to follow for care or not particularly?

If I were to decide not to keep him in the main tank but move him into a tank/tub of his own, would it need a filter?

Thanks, @Sue - very helpful, and interesting too.

Edited to add: I've just looked at http://www.molluscs.at/gastropoda/index.html?/gastropoda/freshwater/physidae.html and http://www.ots.ac.cr/rbt/attachments/suppls/sup51-1%20Physidae/Physidae%20Information.pdf - am I correct in my understanding that it may be a hermaphrodite and thus can reproduce itself?

mmm - that sounds like a recipe for disaster waiting to happen.