New 53 Gallon Woohoo

[MermaidMel]

Ok my friends, I have taken a giant leap from a 22 gallon to a 53 gallon and I am wetting myself with joy

I have got mature media from both my 22 gallon tanks to put in there and get started along with a bunch of female bettas, 1 lonesome panda cory who's getting some homies and an ADF who will also be meeting new pals and 4 algae shrimp and 1 hardy hardy otto.

I have got 4 hoooooj pieces of heavy 2ft long slate, might not need them all. The tank is silver.

So what shall I do with this baby! Sand? Black background?

Stocking wise, I'm wanting to get lots of different types of shrimp, more pandas, more ADF's.

I want to try and get some bumblebee gobies to turn to FW.
I also want Rams.
I like the look of Mickey Mouse platys if I can hack the livebearing aspect of it.

I don't particularly want a pleco because of the waste issue even though I do love them. Similarly, I don't want snails.

What else what else

 

[nukeonekitty]

It is so much fun to get a large tank. You have a lot more options now, which is fun. I would go with sand and black background. I have that set up in my mbuna tank and think it looks wonderfully.

 

[MermaidMel]

It sounds daft but I honestly don't know what to stock it with, as I've been keeping fish so long now I have a long list of fish I don't want but not a list long enough to fill a 53 gallon.

Also, when you buy kids playsand, am I right in remembering it comes damp and could be tipped straight into the tank?

 

[calderfisher]

Hi MermaidMel,
I'd recommend washing the sand. I've heard the water stays cloudy for a few days when you don't.
I've not long ago set up a 65 gallon and washed two bags of sand in about an hour, the water stayed very clear when I filled it up.
Looking forward to seeing what you end up putting in the tank.

CraigM

 

[Matty P]

Yeh you should definately wash any sand, even if they are pre-washed. It gets rid of all the dust and other nasties in it.