Changing Substrate??

[Mattei]

I currently have a 20 gallon tank which is moderately planted and looking to switch my boring plain gravel to flourite. Is this okay to do, because I am not sure if I will be disturbing the biological bacteria in the tank that keeps everything in balance.

If this is okay to do, is there anyway in particular I should be doing this? I only have 6 guppies and 2 oticinclus in the tank at the moment.

 

[meegosh]

You will probably see some type of mini cycle but if you monitor your readings and keep up on water changes you should be fine. I did the same thing to my 10 gallon a few months ago with no problems or even a mini cycle. Good luck!

 

[T Dawg]

If you can do it in chunks you minimize the possibility of a cycle, but that may not be pactical for you. If you can take out a third or quarter at a time then add the apropreate amountof new material you shuld not have any trouble.

We Stared out with what we called the Cory's beach, and it gew to encompass the entire tank a bit every few weeks.

 

[joy13]

There is a lot of dust in fluorite.