Setting Up 40 Gallon

I recently purchased a used 40 gal tank with a black stand and several other things with it. I finally got around to cleaning everything I got today and moved the stand and tank into my room.

It's 36 inches length (37 in front with the bow), 20 1/2 tall and 12 1/2 front to back.

I am currently using Black Diamond Blasting Sand for the bottom as I've been told it helps plants thrive.

Current pictures of my progress are below. I'm hoping to have the tank half full today with some of the items I picked up at Petsmart (25% off everything in the store today) and work on getting some rocks in the tank as well.

Once I have everything set up and cycled I'm going to be putting in my 2 Dalmatian Mollies and 3 Red Platys. Would like some feedback on some other variations I can have in the tank. I'm thinking 1 pleco and 2 German Blue Rams so far.

 

Maybe a shoal of corys? (6 or more) Increase the school size of the platys & mollies to 6 each? Bristlenose or Pittbull Pleco?

 

Okay, so I got the tank filled up tonight and tried to put my filters in which are 2 TopFin 60 filters and they weren't sucking up any water. So I tried to put some water into the back part of the filter to get it going and heard water dripping. Looked back and the thing was leaking from the pump area!!! I ran it into my tub and dumped the water out. Tried tightening the pump onto the filter and still leaking... I'm going to run them to my LFS tomorrow and see if he can fix them. If not I'm looking at probably buying 2 new 30 filters... idk what brand yet.

 

Went to the LFS today and was told the 2 TopFin 60's were finished. They both leaked out of the pump area from a crack and there was no way to fix it.

So I picked up an Aqueon Quiet Flow 75 along with some more conditioner and an API kit to test the water.

So far have the tank filled with water and some of the fake decorations I got added. I'll be taking some things out of the 15 and adding them along with some rocks I found out in the field next to our house (currently doing a deep clean of those rocks).

Hoping to get the rocks added later today and do a bit more scaping. Kinda hoping to go down to the creek near my house next weekend and maybe find some driftwood I can clean up.

 

So I used the API and got my parameters which were.

pH: 7.6
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm

I didn't do Ammonia because I didn't have anything live in there yet. The filter is currently cycling the water.

As for the added fish I'm thinking a bristlenose pleco for that one. Still getting ideas on the other stock.

 

I added the rocks and going to let it cycle for a few days before I add in my current Mollies and Platys. I also plan on getting either blue or black construction paper for the background.