Terra cotta pots?

Hi all!

Just got myself some terra cotta pots from the nursery to use as breeding caves in my apisto tanks.

Two questions:

1. Is any preparation needed on the pots before putting them in the tanks?
2. The price tag stickers..... what's the best way to remove it and all the glue and poisonous gunk that may be on it....

Thanks!

 

1... Nope - just rinse the dust off...

2... Medicinal alcohol on a sponge - wipes it off easily...

 

@PappaBear, I didn't worry too much by way of preparation all I did was give them a good scrub under a hot running tap (Obviously without burning yourself, but as hot as you can stand it) with one of my special tank brushes and as for the stickers, use water and your thumb or a brush and then take some salt to where the tag was and that should help to sterilize the area.

My cleaning was successful because I've already had 2 spawns from 2 different tanks and pairs...

 

Nail polish remover works for removal of stickers. Its what we use in the labs. Follow this by drying it with a hairdryer and all the nailpolish remover will evaporate away. Its really just acetone while the medicinal alcohol is absolute ethanol.

 

I wouldn't use nail varnish remover, as most brands have lanolin and other essential oils mixed with the acetone, that are designed to replenish the oils in your nails removed by the acetone. Just go to your local chemist and buy a small bottle of acetone. It works very well and evaporates without leaving any residue. Personally, I just soak my pots in very hot water until the sticker and glue can be rubbed off with my thumb. Never had any issues.

 

Thanks for all the help guys! Tomorrow being public holiday, hopefully I can complete my setup over the weekend.

 

If all else fails use peanut butter to remove the last of the glue. Just make sure to rinse the pots off well after that. And dont ask where the peanut butter trick comes from. But you can use it to remove tar from cars, labels from items and a few other things - something with the peanuts that helps loosen the glues.

 

Peanut butter? Thats interesting. I think I will stop eating it now.

 

lol it loosen glues and oils joints lol:alberteinstein:

 

Trust me I was just as surprised Fortunately I hate peanut butter on bread So it gets used to remove labels and tar from the cars.