I had many more plants like dwarf swords, some banana plants, some crypts
but they all slowly died. Now I know it was due to low light levels. I
really want to carpet the front of my tank with something but never had much
luck in the past.

Well, with as much light as you have now and CO2, you should be able to grow a
nice carpet!

However, you really should get some fast growing plants. Stem plants. The
plants you have now are almost all low-light plants (not surprisingly).
Low-light plants tend to be slow growers. They don't suck up nutrients fast
enough to keep algae at bay.

And it's easier to prevent algae than to get rid of it once you have it....


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/