Zach,

With no CO2, not a lot of plants, and close to 2 watts per gallon of
light you are planning a disaster.

I personally would use only one 36 watt bulb over the tank because of
you say you don't want CO2 in it. I would also spread the AHSupply
reflector - the way it comes it shoots a beam of strong light straight
down. It may be even better to now use a reflector at all. Things
will happen VERY slow in this tank but you will probably be very happy
to see that the maintenance is minimal.

If you go with 1 wpg of light or less you will be better off using low
light plants - Anubias, Java Moss, Pellia, Crypts. I was just looking
at an Amano tank this morning that was very much exactly that - Java
Moss as the lowest level of plants, Anubias draped on the rocks above
it, and brown/red crypts Wendtii behind and above the Anubias.

A dwarf sag will not grow well in a 1 wpg tank. Don't know about a
sword plant, to me it will obscure the shorter plants and it may not
be a good choice.

Yes, the wider the tank the better. A standard 55 is a nightmare to
make look good, and this 40 long sounds even worst. This 36x18x17
tank is very much 2 cubes put toghether - exactly as the Japanese
suggest using.

All of the above being said about the plant choice you may want to
check Valerie Grove's tank that was in this year's AGA contest. VERY
low light tank (about 1 wpg) but look at the plant growth! It does
have CO2 though:

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.or...=0&vol=2&id=55

--Nikolay