Originally Posted by horsensnowrider

Thanks for the warm welcome.
I was a long term member of a Military family support groupfor a number of years while both my sons served in the Marines and it was so amazing what close cyber friendships were formed with other people sight unseen. The internet has made the world so much smaller in a good way.

I'm going to commit blasphemy for this site...the aquarium is a pleasing hobby but not a passion for me. The horses and wintertime slope shredding on a snowboard are my obsessions, hence the "horse and snow rider".

I do truly enjoy the fish and am looking forward to a natural looking healthy planted aquarium with the 90 gal setup. Once it's newly sealed (thanks for the advice on the DIY thread), I'll add my water changes from the 20g to the 90 g to help with establishing the bacteria colonies. I plan on a school of Mossy Barbs for the anchor species..I was really considering going with some cichlids but with research decided I didn't want a mostly single species tank and the higher maintenance. I like the rainbow shark too much and want some variety.

BTW, read your profile, I'm a Grandma of one also (though no more on the way yet)....isn't it great. My son Kyle is coming from the East coast this summer with my Grandson. They live in VA. Last fall when I visited I took Cole to the VA Living History Musuem. They have wonderful habitat exhibits...everything from the coast to the Appalacians...including wonderful aquaculture displays. Cole loved those. The year before when he was one we took them to the Pine Knolls Aquarium on Emerald Island NC. Those displays were really something. Cole would stand in front of the floor to ceiling tanks pointing and jabbering about the fish. So I'm really hoping my new tank is ready for him to watch when they get here.