Feedback and Advice for my first Zebra Tank

[CichlidWhisperer]

This is my first zebra tank and so I would like to know if how I have it set up will be good, or whether I should change anything .
I get my 5 zebras (looks like 2 males and 3 females; 2.25 to 3 inches) on Tuesday (3 days from now).

Here is the setup:
20 gallon long
fine round gravel substrate
9 zebra caves: 3 small (1 in), 4 large (1.5 in), 4 rectangular (1.5 in)
multiple round rocks, slate, and 4 pieces of wood
slate placed in middle of tank to try for 2 separate territories
slate placed to obscure human view of power heads
Fluval 204 filter with input foam cover
Penguin 150 filter with input foam cover
2 Power Jets with input foam cover: Aquaclear 30 (with air input) and 70

Water Parameters:
Temperature 82 (currently 84, but 82 goal)
pH: 6.9 (same as my tap water)
low KH and GH

I am planning to take filter media from my cichlid tank and also use Tetra Safe Start right before adding the plecos. And, of course I will be monitoring my ammonia and nitrite!

Here are pictures of the setup (doesn't look pretty to the human eye, but hoping it will be to the plecos.)










I would really appreciate any thoughts and suggestions. THANKS!

[TwoTankAmin]

Its probably too late now, but I would have done a fishless cycle on the tank before adding fish. Zebras will not like and ammonia or nitrite at all and and will have problems with elevated nitrates as well.

[coralite]

Add a little urine to get the cycle started and makje sure none of your decorations can shift and potentially pin or crush a poor zebra pleco.

[CichlidWhisperer]

Thanks for the suggestion. I had wanted to do a fishless cycle but I actually didn't have the time. I had about a week between actually finding the fish and getting them (barely enough time to really set up the tank), so thought it was best to well established filter media off another tank.

[jerry58]

Hi
It would be a good idea to hold off feeding a lot at the moment although your fish do need a good feed.
If at this stage of your tanks development (even with a fully cycled pump and old water) what with the new furnishings and new gravel I would expect a slight nitrite spike to happen in this case which is not good for the zebs and over feeding for sure at this stage would not be good for them.
Most likely feed up later say 2 weeks time when it is safer to do so.

Just my thoughts and hope this helps.

Jerry