New Substrate

[sharkybubba]

hey guys,

how 'dangerous' is it changing the substrate in a tank that has been set up for a while? how would you go about it?

[Marc]

Hi Kat, I advise against changing substrate in a cycled complete setup tank with fish. While I have done it a few times now, it really does stir up everything!

If you cannot avoid doing it this way, then be sure to clean your filter (but not lose you bactertial colonisation) first as it's about to work damn hard, and gravel clean your substrate before doing it. This will limit the amount of stirring up that will be created and ensure your filter isn't already clogged.

It is always a risk though. Your water will be very cloudy for a few days until it settles down again.

[sharkybubba]

It is always a risk though.[/b]

hmmm, might leave it then haha! thanks Marc!

[wombat1100]

Hi Kat,
I was thinking if you still want to change your substrate, you could do it with the hose from your gravel siphon, just remove the large section so all you have left is the hose and suck out a quantity of gravel and water as you do your water changes.
This way you will be sucking out any muck that would normally get stirred up into the tank if you were trying to scoop out the substrate.
This might take a few weeks and water changes to do but is an option in my opinion.
Any one else think this will work??
Dazz

[Marc]

It should work Dazz. That's exactly how I did just this only last week to remove a sand substrate from a tank in preference of crushed marble (thouroughly washed).

[wombat1100]

Well I think i will be trying it soon, now that I have converted my cichlid tank into a Rainbow tank the white substrate must go and be replaced with something darker me thinks!
Dazz

[Aussie]

I do as marc does, clean ya fliter because it will get the biggest work out of it's life!!! But if you can add another filter to the water when doing it to share the work load, and u will get less cloudyness by doing it this way. And yes gravel vaccum all of it before removing, it's a long job, but good luck with it :)