I recently bought a 110 gal aquarium, that I want to set up as a cichlid tank. I've been looking at different setups on the internet and liked the terra cotta pots for hiding places. I'm just not sure on how to clean them up, before I install them into the tank. Can anyone help me?
terra cotta pots
- Thread starter lereg15
- Start date
New terra cotta pots don't require cleanup. Just rinse them off and soak them a few hours to overnight if want to pre-saturate them.
Old terra cotta pots may be loaded with minerals and fertilizers and even insecticides, which could cause problems. They should not be used in tanks.
Old terra cotta pots may be loaded with minerals and fertilizers and even insecticides, which could cause problems. They should not be used in tanks.
I too use them in my native tank... I think they add such a natural beauty to the tanks. Maybe you could post pictures after its all done? 
I do the exact same thing, Joe. I also crack mine in half, and I have recently found a way to crack one without fully breaking it... so that it just looks broken. Pretty neat huh? 
i confess. i used to think these pots are the most awkward things in an aquarium, but after visitng a breeder who used tons of these in his cichlid tanks i was thoroughly amused. with the pots stacked up, they look quite unusual and intriquing, very deviated from the "backyard" feel so to speak. good luck, and would love to see a pic of the tank when you're done.
Burying them a little on their sides give them a natural erosion look.aquariumfishguy said:I do the exact same thing, Joe. I also crack mine in half, and I have recently found a way to crack one without fully breaking it... so that it just looks broken. Pretty neat huh?
Exactly. In fact, I do not have any that aren't on their sides! I like the look and feel of the aquarium... but again, it depends on the tank. Some fish just wouldn't work with these pots.
As long as it's not a saltwater tank, I can't see why they wouldn't go along with any freshwater set-up.aquariumfishguy said:
Even if the fish don't use them to hide in, they look good in the tank.Edit..
I think it was WalMart that had very small terra cotta pots. They seemed to make the aquarium look larger since most terra cotta pots are normally large - too large for an aquarium. Maybe I can get a pic to give an example. I know years ago I could never find a pot that small..
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