what to do?

[johnanthony74]

i have a established cycled cichlid tank (south american) i would like to change my substrate from rock to sand, what i would like to know is it safe to just change it ??? or how long should i wait ... right now in there i have a electric blue JD, a Yellow Lab, a convict and a firemouth... oh and a clown pleco. i just don't like the dark black look and would like to go with a white and black sand substrate. my tank has been cycled for about a month or so.

 

[HUKIT]

Make sure whatever sand you decide on that it's extremely well rinsed prior to the switch, and make sure it's room temperature if the fish are going right back into the tank, nothing like ice cold sand and warm aquarium water.

When making the switch I use large Rubbermaid containers for the fish, placed next to the tank, fill with tank water and toss a airstone for aeration. Remove sand with a large plastic dust pan or cup. A 55g is easily moved so once the sand and water are gone I'd rinse it. Then fill the tank with a couple inches of water, add the sand slowly, fill the tank and switch on the filters. If you rinsed the sand properly there will be minimal cloudiness which will pass quickly, if your lazy on rinsing sand there will be a dust bowl for a couple of days, in which water changes will remove.

This whole process of switching should take 1-1.5hrs.