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I've been moving around for the past several years, and rather than keep my 29g freshwater stocked while moving, I let the fish I had gradually die of old age. I'm settled now, and I'm down to only my 10-year old 4-inch female bristlenose pleco. It's finally time to restock so I'm currently cycling a small QT for when I find a new LFS. While that's cycling, now is a good time to make a plan for restocking and make changes to the substrate, plants, etc.

So, I'm looking for stocking suggestions! I'm not really a beginner, but I'm very busy so I'm looking for generally easy, beginner-level community fish.

Tank info:
29g
Appropriately-sized filter with biofilter (I don't change the carbon very often)
Submersible heater set at 72.5 degF (but my apartment is warm, so the water temp is often around 75 degF)
Aquarium light
Small airstone buried under the substrate(right now it's on the same timer as the light)
Substrate: One layer of blue/purple coarse aquarium-safe gravel
Hiding places: Fake plastic hollow rock (the pleco's favorite), a curved piece of broken terra cotta pot, PVC pipe in the back
A couple plantings of swordplant in the middle of the tank (relatively small - not a good hiding place)
One piece of driftwood which I boiled and added several years ago. The pleco has been slowly wittling away at it

Water quality:
Hardness: 75 ppm (soft)
Alkalinity: 0 ppm
pH: 6.8 (acidic - tap water is 7.2)
Nitrate: usually around 40 ppm. Sometimes the tap water has nitrate in it at baseline

My current thoughts on stocking:
Guppies - my husband likes them because they breed spontaneously
Zebra danios
Barbs - I've kept tiger barbs in the past, and they would probably enjoy the airstone and water current. But I'm thinking this time I would be better off with barb species less e to fin-nipping
Corydoras - I've kept leopard and bronze corys in the past. In their old age though, the bronze corys lost their fins and barbels, and I wonder if the gravel was too coarse for them. If I plan to get corys again, maybe I should add a layer of fine gravel?

I'd also like suggestions on what other plants to get, and how much. I think adding plants might help with the nitrate level and create more hiding spaces for shy fishes. I've tried java moss in the past and never had much luck with it. I'd also like plants that can handle low light - I keep the light on for relatively short intervals to avoid algae blooms.


Please let me know your suggestions! Thanks!

not sure why the word p-r-o-n-e was censored

there are plenty of more peaceful species of barbs
cherry barbs make a nice addition to a community tank, especially the bright red males. Red torpedo barbs are also a nice addition, only downfall is they are hard to find and can be expensive!

2 tanks (for now)
1 30 gallon
1 22 gallon
Barb and oddball/predatory fish fan