Planted Tank Total Rearrange... Pitfalls?

I have a tank that I have just let run wild, and the results are... well... WILD! I have all kinds of plants growing in every direction and every bit of real estate.

I was thinking about doing a complete pull and re-plant, but I am hesitant to do so for fear that I might somehow rock the ecosystem which is doing very well, but is rather ugly... even for a grow-out tank. Does anyone have any experience to share on the subject? Will it go into complete chaos? Might there be chemical spikes while the plants re-establish themselves? Will there even be a period of re-establishment? Could they all melt?

Plant list (that I can see/remember):
Val Americana
Dwarf Sag
Water Wisteria
Java Fern
Java Moss
Amazon Sword (maybe if it survived the messy canopy)
Rotala Indica
Rotala Vietnam
Bolbitis Heteroclita
Frogbit

Fish & Inverts:
3 SAE
2 RCS
Pond Snails
Assassin Snails

I think that's it. The substrate is straight EcoComplete, and I have a spare bag here that I never opened that I was considering adding a bit of to thicken the substrate layer up some. The tank is 18 gal and I wish it were taller, but it was free Last water test was perfecto!

It's really a jungle in there. I sent Sean W. from AC some of the dwarf sag to make some available real estate to work with. I am starting a new 55 gal, so maybe I'll wait til it's ready to be planted and rearrange when I make even more room in the 18 gal. I've just let it run wild, so now we all know what happens. It looks like the trashy neighbor's yard. Maybe I'll find that Mustang I put up on blocks somewhere in there when I rearrange.


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jasonfishaddict said:

Sounds like a good idea. I've put some Bacopa cuttings in one of my other tanks. Since this is my first planted tank, I'm trying to maintain trimming with an artistic eye so it won't get to that overgrown state and still look good.


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I really under-did my first planted tank trying to keep costs down and artistry clean... I've learned from that experience. With plants it's almost Go big or go home... because of the ecological impact plants make. I thought they would just take off, but that took months! Speaking of Bacopa... I'd love to snag some cuttings from you if you wouldn't mind sharing. Maybe I have something that interests you too for an even swap I like trading

ROYWS3 said:

Yeah, if your starting the 55 soon, I'd wait and just utilize the plants from the 18

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That's definitely what I'm going to do, Roy. I have a bunch of Java ferns "on hold" in another tank that are also intended for the 55.

gmh said:

When I last did major pulling and replanting I removed 70% of the water before, then slowly added back water with a good dose of Prime to mitigate any short term ammonia spike that may have occurred from all suspended crud in the water.
Most those plants you listed are hardy and should do fine when replanted provided the water parameters are similar.

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I had a nightmare scenario happen a few months ago and I had to do a 80% water drop so I could fix a leak in my 40 gal tank's side. I actually saved the water I removed in big plastic storage tubs in my office (I am the boss, so I can do what I want.) and moved the filter and heater into one of the tubs to keep it going. My fish FREAKED and my betta croaked from the shock. I've never seen an angry fish before, but he was pissed off for sure.

The plants did okay, but the fish hated it. I think I'll just pull what I need for the 55 and rearrange what's left. It will be a jungle again before I know it I'm sure. The grow-out tank gets the least care but works the hardest for me. I guess that's the nature of man.