Changing substrate in an established tank

[Gsdsar]

Hello, a friend has asked me to help her with her boring 30 gallon tank. She would like to change the substrate, as well as get some " pretty fish"

What is the safest way to change the substrate and keep the existing fish safe?
Will she have to recycle the tank with new substrate? any way to save some of the BB? She is concerned about losing fish( her 8 yo daughter made her professionally cremate the last one that died)

Right now she has a Pleco, 3 catfish, and "an orange a black striped fish that hides a lot". I plan in going over and actually seeing what is going on and what kind if fish they actually are, but that's what I know right now. That and it does not have a heater.

I am still a newbie myself, so any advice is appreciated.

Thank you

 

[GNarnian]

All tropical fish require a heater to keep them happy and in the correct temperature zone. Most tropical fish need temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees, depending on the type of fish. So investing in a heater would be a very good idea.

As for the substrate, you could change it one of two ways:

Take the fish out and pull the old substrate and put the new one in, then replace the fish,

or

Carefully take out the substrate, and add the new substrate with a small cup or something to the bottom of the tank.

Depending on what she wants to change it from and to, and how dirty or clean the substrate is, you would want to go one way or the other. If the substrate is rock, for example, there is bound to be debris under it that will get stirred up when it starts to get moved around

As for the BB in the tank, most of it is in the filter, so as long as the filter media stays wet, everything should be fine.

 

[Gsdsar]

Thanks, so here is another stupid question. In my personal tank I just have and over the back filter, I change the cartridge every 1-2 months. Is that too often if that is where the BB live? I always thought they lived in the gravel. Feeling stupid now and worried about the frequency of that cartridge change. Am I doing it too often?

I know this is now off topic, sorry.

 

[GNarnian]

No worries!

For the filter cartridges, you really only need to change them out when they are falling apart. You really don't even need the carbon in them, the carbon is only good for a short time, and really only for taking things like medications out of the water. the next time you do a water change, just swish the filter cartridge in some old tank water to get the nastiness out of it and put it back. That's all there is to it! When you feel like you need to change the filter, try putting the new filter in with the old one for a week or so, then take the old one out and toss it. That way there will be BB on the new filter as well

Hope that helps!

 

[sobersteve323]

I actually just switched out my substrate. I was originally going to leave the fish in but I'm glad I took them out.

I drained the tank and scooped all the sand out. Quite a bit of mulm/poop/whatever you want to call it. Even after rinsing a couple of times I still have a tiny bit of ammonia from the switch. I'm glad I decided to net the fish out.

Just my experience tonight so you can take it for what it's worth. It was also much easier to work with no fish in the tank.

 

[GNarnian]

Just my experience tonight so you can take it for what it's worth. It was also much easier to work with no fish in the tank.

I would second that thought!

 

[Gsdsar]

Thanks everyone. That's what I was thinking, remove the fish and then redo the tank substrate.

She asked my to come over, look at the tank and give her a list of supplies. So a heater is a definite!!! Since I can't afford a new tank right now, gonna have fun doing hers.

I think, since she has so many bottom dwellers that a nice school of some kind if Tetra will be a good addition to start. Of course nothing new will be added right awAy. Gotta make sure the tank stabilizes after all the changes. But would adding, say 5, Bleeding hearts or something similar, be too much at once in a 30g?

Thanks again everyone. So glad I found this forum. It's tough being seen as a fish expert amongst your friends when you know how much you don't know!!!!

 

[GNarnian]

What they don't know won't hurt you!!!! Hahaha Depending on what kind of catfish is in the tank, and what kind of "striped fish" is there, we can figure out what kind of stocking we can do! Get pics if you can!