# New 65G - aquascape suggestions



## Windowlicka (Mar 5, 2008)

Well, she wouldn't buy into the idea of a nice long 125/135 until I start work on finishing the basement... but she did let me go out and treat ourselves to a nice new 65g tank (36x18x24) to sit in the family room!

Got it home yesterday, set it up with a pair of XP2's (again, one for mech, one for bio, water returning to tank via spraybars) & a Hydor 200w in-line heater. 

Also threw on a 36" T5 Coralife unit with 2x 21W tubes (1x Colourmax Full Spectrum, 1x 6700k) - NO S*DDING FANS!!!  

On the way home, we stopped at Rona and I picked up a nice big bag of Silica Sand for $18 or so - which I thoroughly rinsed before putting it in the tank (depth: ~1.5-2")

Will be visiting either a landscape yard for or Lake Simcoe (if this snow EVER moves on!) for some nice rounded rocks to place in the tank in two piles.

Intention will be to (hopefully) add a ~few~ plants and a few peacocks... looking for thoughts, comments, suggestions, cash donationsp ) on my ideas so far???

I am a complete and utter noob to plants - I've always kept mbuna until this point, and for the most part, plants and mbuna obsiously tend to be at opposite ends of the compatibility matrix! Please go easy with your contempt and scorn!  

Cheers!


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

Windowlicka said:


> Well, she wouldn't buy into the idea of a nice long 125/135 until I start work on finishing the basement... but she did let me go out and treat ourselves to a nice new 65g tank (36x18x24) to sit in the family room!
> 
> Got it home yesterday, set it up with a pair of XP2's (again, one for mech, one for bio, water returning to tank via spraybars) & a Hydor 200w in-line heater.
> 
> ...


Use a lot of really good carbon for a couple months.

Non-aquarium specific silica sand is very high in silicates which will leach for some time. you want to switch the carbon out weekly. I mean lots. Go nuts. Seriously. Silicates are bad.


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## Windowlicka (Mar 5, 2008)

Thanks Pablo - even though the tank's empty other than substrate/water right now, I'll remove the bioballs from the one XP2, and throw the carbon bag back in (the second XP2 has carbon in it already).

Do I simply rinse the carbon each week, then hurl it back in the canisters? Or am I better advised to replace with new each time? (which'll be expensive, and may well result in me replacing the silica sand with pool-filter/play sand)

As you can guess, I've seldom used carbon in the past! Time is not an issue here - I have no immediate plans to add livestock/bio-load, so I'd rather do it right - right now...

Cheers.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

Windowlicka said:


> Thanks Pablo - even though the tank's empty other than substrate/water right now, I'll remove the bioballs from the one XP2, and throw the carbon bag back in (the second XP2 has carbon in it already).
> 
> Do I simply rinse the carbon each week, then hurl it back in the canisters? Or am I better advised to replace with new each time? (which'll be expensive, and may well result in me replacing the silica sand with pool-filter/play sand)
> 
> ...


Well if thats the case just do frequent super large water changes for a month until it stops leeching


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