Gravel Help

[Shawna]

SO im thinking I desperately want to change my gravel in my tank. I got the tank second hand, and it came already bioestablished with this ugly green rocks, and paint flecks come off every time I do a water change. Not good im sure.

I saw these smooth pebbles in a bag at the dollar store. There round smooth pebbles, and I thought they'd make for a great fish tank bottom. So what should I do - Ive been slowly removing some of the green rocks when I do a water change, and not to mention theres these red clay particles throughout the rocks.

SO do you suggest I take the fish out to do a complete rock change all at once, or will that effect my bioestablishment in some way. Or should I slowly add and remove. Should I treat these river rocks from the dollar store first? They don't look varnished or anything, just look like they were tumbled a bit to be smooth.

Thanks for the help.

[Kasakato]

Do you have a filter? How about gravel? How new is the tank?

[Shawna]

I have a filter, its gravel thats in it now, but its peeling paint, and ive had the tank for several weeks now, but it came bioestablished, and I dont know how old it was before that.

[TipStylez]

take your gravel out, and if the pebbles you got at the store is big enough to where you can clean it all around to where dust cant get caught in like the little aquarium gravles, then do the gravle change all at once but dont pour it to where you end up burrying your fish.

And the bio wont get affected, its already on your aquarium glass and decor.

-Q

[Kasakato]

Yes, its totaly safe. Just be sure to check your levels for 1 week after the change.

[judgemax]

i agree ...you already have your bacteria in other places ..like filter and other decorations ..i know what rocks you are talking about they are the natural river rocks ..i use them as accent in my tanks ..when you clean out your gravel ..take some of your tank water out and wash the rocks in there ...i do this and have had no effects from using those stones ..

[Shawna]

Should I remove the fish when I do this gravel change? Any tips on how to get it all out, including the clay sand besides just scooping?

If I do have to remove the fish, is it possible to take out all of the water - for instance do my normal water change removal, then the remaining water that I would normally leave in there, syphon it into a bucket to be put back later? Or would that upset the balance?

[TipStylez]

take a gravle vac, pull off the plastic part of the hose so you just have the hose, then do a gravle vac with that the hose will suck up all your rocks and what ever you want, scoop abunch of rocks out first then sue the hose to get the stuff you cant and keep like 30% of water for your fish to swim around in. then put the rocks in after cleaning and pour more water in then set eveything up then do the W/C treatment, and turn the lights off but not to where its compleatly dark so your fish can relax from all the stress put on them.

[Shawna]

So I changed my gravel to the rocks. Looks soooo much better then the neon green crappy stuff. I boiled them first. Lotta waxy stuff came off, so i guess they WERE proccessed. Hope I got all the stuff off. Would it hurt my fishys if there was any that didn't come off?? Tank seems fine tho. No residues floating on the water surface.