Substrate change

[Taelen]

Hey folks,

I have been steadily replacing ornaments and working my inherited tank to the way I want it. Currently in the tank is your standard different shades of blue gravel. I am hoping to change this out for some black sand...question is, what's the best way to go about doing a complete change of the substrate?

Any negatives to going with a finer sand?

Guess I should provide the tank size as well, 38g =)

 

[hsherman1986]

sand is awesome. I love my sand tanks. When I added sand to my 55 (i have sand and gravel in it), we took all the fish out of the tank, and put them in a 2 gal bucket until we were done to lessen their strees from our hands in the tank for a long time. The best way to completly change it, imo, would be to empty the tank (except for 1/2 of the gravel), fish and all, rinse the sand REALLY REALLY well (swish it around until the water runs clear, then do it again, over and over). Only replace 1/2 of the substrate at a time, to reduce the risk of a mini cycle.

HTH, someone else will come along with more details for you. I am just about to eat dinner, so i have to go

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I have changed out substrates on many occasions. I took out the entire substrate every time and never had a mini-cycle. If your tank is established and has been running for quite a while, you don't need to worry about losing the bacteria as long as you don't clean your filters or any of the decor. Every one of our tanks is sand, I LOVE it. The only drawback with smaller grained sand is that it is lighter. It will have a better tendacy to float or be easily disrupted.

 

[Taelen]

Ok good, I'm not really comfortable with having to do any type of cycling at this stage, especially with no where to put the fish in the interim.

Fishy, did you just place your fish in buckets while you were doing it as well?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I took out all the decor and put it in one rubbermaid container. Then filled the container about 50% full of tank water (this was just to keep the stuff wet). We use canister filters so no need to do anything special there. Then I continued taking out water and putting it in another rubbermaid container, filling it about 50%. After that I netted the fish and put them into the rubbermaid. Then it was just getting rid of the gravel and the nasties at the bottom of the tank.

To put it back together I put in the sand, then filled it about 50% full of new water, put in the heater, filter, and decor. Turned it all on. Then I acclimated the fish into the tank again (about an hour) and let it sit for about a half hour so the fish could adjust. Topped it off after that. Slowly re-acclimate the fish since there will be a change in parameters.

 

[hsherman1986]

Fishyfanatic has it right. I just didn't have time to sit and type it all out

I was just paranoid about a mini cycle in my tank. Its a 55g, been set up since feb. But all of my fish are happy and healthy, they love the way the tank is set up now. I always catch my dojo loaches burying themselves in the sand.

 

[Taelen]

Sorry for the newbie-ness, a little confused.

When you acclimated the fish back in, did you just use bags and have them sit in it?

And secondly, when you topped off the tank, did you use new water as well or add the last 50% from the original tank water?

Thanks in advance!

 

[justrelax]

You can use fresh water to top off. That's why it's so important to make sure and re-acclimate your fish. You can just leave them all in the bucket and set up a drip right off the tank using some airline with a knot at the end of it. I changed my 55 over to sand with fishyfinatics advice a few months ago... worked like a charm! Good luck, and don't forget to add water conditioner...

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Yup, don't forget the dechlor.

We bagged the fish since we didn't have as many on the 29. When we did the 55 we used the drip method since there were more fish.