Weekend project

[MRW]

This weekend I would like to change from gravel to sand, add lives plants and add some Kuhli loaches. The tank is 29 gallons

3x long-finned rosy barbs between 2 and 2 ½ inches

3x Giant danios between 2 and 2 3/4

4x long-finned danios three of them are around 1 inch and the forth is 2

3x yellow lab cichlids two 1 ½ and one 2 3/4 inch

And a bristlenose pleco 4 inches

First is this feasible or should this project be spread out over several weekends.

Second will I be able to add Kuhli loaches? None of the fish in the tank have grown for the past ten months, and if so how many?

Third what are good plants that don’t require that much experience. The lighting in the tank is a single florescent bulb 24 inches I think.

And forth how deep should the sand be?

 

[BHead707]

What's the wattage of the bulb you have?

 

[MRW]

Not sure. There's no marking on it, it came with a Tetra 29 gallon deluxe kit.

 

[MRW]

Any!!! one?????

 

[5x5]

I would recommend spreading this over two weekends. I just did a gravel to sand change and it takes a long time. First, just draining the water and getting all the old gravel out will take a couple of hours Them, when you add the new sand, it's going to take up to 24 hours before it settles.

 

[5x5]

Regarding the sand depth. I would aim for about 25 gallons of sand, which should spread to be about 3 inches deep.

 

[MRW]

Should I take the fish out of the tank when i do this?

 

[00youknowit00]

I recommend taking them out, it makes it much easier. And when I did it I changed it all at once and didn't have any problems. You only risk causing a mini cycle, so be just be prepared for that. But I didn't even have that.

 

[Tigroscr]

I did this a about 2 mths ago and finished mine in about 4 hours for a 75g tank. First I took about 60-65lbs of pfs and divided it into 2 really large buckets kept running hose in it churning it and draining off the top. This took a couple hours cuz I would let it sit awhile in the bucket. When I had the sand ready to go I put all my fish in 2 large plastic totes with the water I drained from the tank. Then I used a dust pan and removed all the gravel and put sand in. Then I tried to add as much of the old water back into the tank as I could salvage which wasn't a whole lot. Filled the rest with my python as close to temp fish were used to as possible. Then I added the fish back in and turned on the filters and voila!! Oh and of course I kept the filter media in a bucket with tank water to keep bb fresh and also added Prime back into tank! So far so good haven't had any problems LOVE the sand! Btw depending on how long you've had your tank and gravel there will be a lot of nasty stuff under your old gravel just a little FYI so don't be alarmed Lol! Hope this helps!

 

[MRW]

Thanks it does. Any plant recommendations and will i be able to add Kuhli loaches

 

[Tigroscr]

Sorry idk about plants and khuli loaches most of my tanks but just a couple have fake plants cuz when I've tried real plants my fish that I have either eat them or tear them out!! Lol! I mostly use Japanese moss balls! Or some other kind of moss like java moss! Maybe someone else can help you with this.

 

[GodFan]

I switched from gravel to sand (pfs) I had no minicycle very little cloudiness and no fish death. It took a good couple hours with a 20 gallon tall (PS put the fish all in a bucket with the filter RUNNING on the bucket. PRESERVE THE BB! lol My bros fishless 5 gallon took less than an hour. Im not sure about the plants but Ive heard you should add them slowly...