Change in substrate?

[jhawk__]

I've had the same substrate in my tank for 2 years now ( it's gravel )

I was wondering if I ever need to change it?

 

[Convict2161]

I've had the same substrate in my tank for 2 years now ( it's gravel )

I was wondering if I ever need to change it?

You clean it right? Gravel vac here and there? Your fine IMO. unless your tired of it then switch to sand.

 

[jhawk__]

You clean it right? Gravel vac here and there? Your fine IMO. unless your tired of it then switch to sand.

I don't have a vacuum but I use my siphon and put it down in the gravel and tons of white stuff comes up into the tube. It's gross! I don't really wanna switch to sand though because I have it in one of my other tanks and it always floats to the top and drives me crazy!

I'm thinking about just buying some new gravel and leave half the old and put half new in? How does that sound? Or should I just change it all?

 

[Convict2161]

I don't have a vacuum but I use my siphon and put it down in the gravel and tons of white stuff comes up into the tube. It's gross! I don't really wanna switch to sand though because I have it in one of my other tanks and it always floats to the top and drives me crazy!

I'm thinking about just buying some new gravel and leave half the old and put half new in? How does that sound? Or should I just change it all?

If your gonna change it, change it all or leave it. It's gonna stir up a lot of debris when you do since it hasn't been gravel vaced.

How are your water parameters?

 

[jhawk__]

What is a good way to take all the gravel out? I'm planning in move all my fish to a different tank while I make the swap but it would take forever to pick all the gravel up by hand!

My parameters are
Ph: 6.8
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm

 

[AngelLover]

What is a good way to take all the gravel out? I'm planning in move all my fish to a different tank while I make the swap but it would take forever to pick all the gravel up by hand!

My parameters are
Ph: 6.8
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm

What I did when we removed the gravel from our 55gallon was i removed most of the water (which I'm assuming you could do since you'll be moving the fish) and used a clean dust pan to scoop up the gravel... It worked great just make sure it has a study handle!

 

[brennae]

Do you have plants? You could try eco-complete.

 

[AngelLover]

Do you have plants? You could try eco-complete.

I second this, I switched to eco-complete and love it

 

[jhawk__]

Do you have plants? You could try eco-complete.

Nope no live plants, just plastic.