The bookshelf-shaped standard tank that fits 35x12x12 that I wanted is shipping, along with the added cat tree that mom's always wanted for a while to make four in their greenhouse... so... hopefully when it arrives mother will not be Proper Controlling despite be having all the stuff already and such.
It's only a 24 gallon long, with a lil sponge filter and pump as well as some good sandy substrate with a bit of added Stoney River pebble as well, which should be fine for eventual corys and/or bristlenose pleco. Following schools will depend on after plants and bottom-feeders arrivals, of course. If I end up with breeding shrimp or possibly smaller fish like dwarf oto catfishes and endler guppies (my two limited species for the 10 gal) I could move excess of those to the big one, and excess shrimps to a small one I've yet to have if I slip in a cheap 2.5 or something later.
I have all the substate for the new one, as well as some anacharis which will work nicely, and eventually a new banana plant. The other plants I want I will need to be on the lookout for since I would like to try to aquascupt a tank which has only North American native plants as part of the environment for the varying fish/inverts (I want pearl weed, a cardinal plant, and a micromeria (Creeping Charlie) as well as Jungle Val for it along with some Azolla and other plants!.











