need some advice asap on adding new substrate to my cichlid tank

[kufan]

I have a 75 gal cichlid tank and im wanting to take out my gravel and use pool filter sand...is this a good idea...i love the white sand look...have asked my local pet store here in kansas city and this is what they told me...i will have to add the beneficial bacteria and ph buffer....how often will i need to add these and what other advice can you give me?...im plannin gon doing this on saturday....if i do add the pool filter sand and add the other stuff, how long will i need to wait before i add my cichlids back to the tank?...was told about an hr or so?...i would appreciate any tips or advice you guys have and your past expeirences....thanks in advance

 

[kufan]

anyone?...surely someone out there has some good advice...also im adding slate rock...any tips or places online i can look at for ideas on good formations or caves i can build?

 

[Markstanfill]

I have changed substrates while the fish are in. Just turn your filter off, scoop out the old and in with the new. The fish will be fine. Pool filter sand is just fine to use, Ive used it before, as well as sand blast slag if you would rather go black than white. Also, you dont have to worry about PH change, it wont happen unless you dont vaccum much and you stir out a lot of ammonia which can cause your ph to go up a bit. Bacteria I wouldnt worry about, all you are sacrificing is anerobic bacteria which does little at best.

 

[spoonman]

I dont know if I'm too late here but:

1. Take fish out of tank and put them in buckets of tank water with air pumps.
2. Drain tank and scoop out old gravel.
3. Put in PFS (after rinsing profusely)
4. Put decor back in tank
5. Fill tank with dechorinated, temperature matched water.
6. Put fish back in tank.

I have done this several times with little or no trauma to fish. Just keep the filter media wet and you will be fine.

 

[mgamer20o0]

good info is never too late ill 2nd spoonman on that.

 

[EscVelocity]

+1
I just switched substrate while leaving my fish in the tank, and i had 2 fatalities. Another fish began to act very ill. All of the fish were eating the debris stirred up, and now have white stringy poo. I immediately put them on a regimen of antibacterial food mixed with frozen bloodworm, and they are much better.
So yes, better safe than sorry.

 

[dkpate]

I would put the fish in a bucket. I did it 2 weeks ago. I would also wait a little while (1/2 hour-1 hour), before I put the fish back in because you need to turn the filter back on, and if the sand is not all the way settled, (which happened to me with tiny grains that were floating), it will get stuck in your filter and you will have to deal with that. Good luck! And I agree, pfs looks WAYYYY better than gravel.