Morning all!
Well, my new tank arrived yesterday and, after much cursing and swearing, the cabinet is now set up – built by my own fair hands (so chuffed with myself, I've never done this before).
I'm now about to put the gravel in and fill it with water, and I just wanted to check that I'm doing everything in the right order:
1. Setting up tank and heating dechlorinated water for 24 hours before adding mature filter medium and 8 silver tip tetras from friend's decommissioned tank (Sue's already said this is OK).
2. Setting heater temperature to 24 degrees (eventually plan to have cory cats, cardinal tetras and possibly a pearl gourami at some point) – hope that temperature will be Ok for all these fish?
3. After 24 hours, I will collect the fish, some plants and the filter medium from friend's tank and add to new aquarium (will float fish in tank in bags and add water gradually till they're acclimatised).
4. Frequent water testing for 4 weeks before adding anything else.
Have I forgotten anything?
Also, one more question (maybe a bit of a dumb one). I would like to put a couple of terracotta flower pots in as hiding spots, but wondered if the fish might get stuck in the holes at the bottom – should I knock out the whole base of the flower pot before putting into the tank? Will it be OK to run this under water to clean before adding.
Sorry this is a bit 'War and Peace' and thanks in advance.
Diz1