I would like to redecorate my 10 gallon FW tank

[Duydawg]

I have two dwarf puffers and five ghost shrimp

I currently am NOT happy with the set up. It is very cluttered and I want to redo the substrate and move the plants around.

several questions

1) what is the best way to remove the fish? Should I place them in their current tank water?
2) how long can they be out of the tank (in their temporary home)
3) Will removing the substrate get rid of good bacteria?
4) will removing some decorations remove the good bacteria?
5) whats the best way to acclimate the fish after i am done redecorating?

 

[Amicus]

IMO what I would do is change things a little bit at a time. Yes, if you remove all of the substrate and other physical structure at once you are removing almost all of the beneficial bacteria. I would would work on the substrate/decorations in 1/3s So you can take the first third and remove the gravel and decorations in that third and replace the substrate and leave it for a week or so to allow the beneficial bacteria to recolonize. Then do the next third and so on. You may go through a mini cycle but not an entire one. IMO you can leave the fish and shrimp in there, if you go slowly the fish, and you , should be OK. Make sure you leave your filter alone during the transition.

 

[Amicus]

Are the plants live?

 

[jcolon]

I have two dwarf puffers and five ghost shrimp

I currently am NOT happy with the set up. It is very cluttered and I want to redo the substrate and move the plants around.

several questions

1) what is the best way to remove the fish? Should I place them in their current tank water?
You can put them in a separate container like a rubbermaid bin with some tank water. But as was already said by Amicus ... work slowly and in 1/3's and you be able to keep the stock in the tank.


2) how long can they be out of the tank (in their temporary home)
Hours ... especially if you run an airstone and the heater ... rubbermaid bins work just fine as a temporary home ... again work in 1/3's and this is a non issue.

3) Will removing the substrate get rid of good bacteria?
Yes you will remove some BB ... but that's where your filter comes in .. a good chunk of BB lives in the filter media. Work in 1/3's and losing too much BB is a non issue.

4) will removing some decorations remove the good bacteria?
Complete non issue in most cases ... Filter and Substrate is where the majority of BB is found.

5) whats the best way to acclimate the fish after i am done redecorating?

Work in 1/3's and it's ... you guessed it a non-issue. Unless you completely switched out all the water and really swapped out the substrate (drip acclimating would be a really good idea) .. you can just put them back in.

Answers are in Red above ... hope this helps!

 

[Duydawg]

Thanks! I was thinking of changing the substrate to sand. Sounds like i have a lot of work cut out for me

 

[Amicus]

Sounds like it'll be a nice setup, just remember that when you add the sand you will get diatoms. The diatoms will go away on their own, usually, just giving you a heads up.

 

[ktomminello]

Be careful with the shrimp if you have a mini cycle- I just lost 2 peppermint shrimp when I moved my puff into my BC29g.