my mom gave me her old setup, she had pretty much let it go to hell :hs: it needs a lot of cleaning but it is complete, pump, filtration system, heater, stand, etc.

any tips or tricks for getting the pH right before I start putting fish in there? I am thinking about picking up a couple of algae eaters and maybe a snail just to get it started.

going to the store today to get some charcoal canisters etc, anything else I should pick up?