Total Substrate Change

Ryan45

Ryan45

AC Members
Jan 15, 2005
134
0
0
Well today is the day. I am about to do a substrate change. I am changing all of my gravel and going 100% Flourite. Anyone have any suggestions on how to make this work? I was thinking Put the fist in a 10 gallon bucket with Aquarium water and A heater. Empty tank, scoop out gravel, and put in florite. Fill back up with water, wait an hour or 2 and put fish back in. I am guessing I wont have to cycle because all of my good bactiria will still be in the canister.
 
You are heading for disaster methinks!

You better soak and rinse that flourite for a few days before you add it to your tank. I would change once side at a time. You could create a new cycle in your tank, if you are too do it all at once. The bacteria does colonize on the substrate, not just in your filter. By changing all, you are depleting a large amount of your colonizing bacteria, and the stuff in your filter may not be enough to carry your tank until it recycles again.

If you do it as planned, I'd have some bio-spira onhand just in case.

I'm thinking of doing this also, but I would do it over a 2 week period, half and half, one side at a time, should I do so. But that's just me.
 
Last edited:
What I did is:
1. A few weeks before the change, I put extra filter media in the filter to get more bacteria build up, in your case try to get a HOB filter.
2. I took out the fish and put them into another tank. This extra tank can be keep it the dark to keep the stress levels low
3. I took out all of the old gravel and put about 2 cups of it into a nylon stock and tossed that into the tank
4. Add the CLEAN new gravel and put the fish back in.

Notes:
-You want to take out the fish becase there will be a big pop storm when you start to move the gravel.
- You might want to lower the water lever to about 50% because adding/talking out the gravel may splash some water

As long as you add some old gravel to the tank you should be ok. And the bacteria in the canister should be ok too. Just remember to wash out the florite because it is very dirty.
 
i did changed mind one side at a time, and it is very hard to get it ALL rinsed out!!! i saw myself doing 1 CUP AT A TIME!!!!! it took me all night, i was doing this in my tub! yes my tub! very nasty looking after words. my wife almost killed me!


i thought i will never see clear water after 30 minutes runing the flourite under water. once you think is clear, you move the gravel, boom! brown water again!

patient patient and leave yourself time to do this if your moving your fish out to the tank.
 
I like the idea of putting old gravel into a filter bag or nylon sock. I did that when I upgraded my aquarium. I am a big fan of sponge filters for new, fry, and hospital tanks. They are REALLY cheap and contain a lot of bacteria. You can keep one going in your main aquarium and it will only help the water, then move it to any new tank when needed, along with all that bacteria. Fluorite is tougher than regular gavel because it produces so much dust.. think of it like sand. Thats your main problem I think with putting the fish in right away so you may need an extra tank. Rinse the flourite REALLY well with a hose. That will eliminate most of the dust.
 
I have changed gravel in two tanks, never with any problems. The first time I did the change, I kept some of the old gravel in the tank to keep some of the biological filter in tact. Second time, I didn't (didn't want pink gravel in the tank) I didn't have any problems with the bio-filter the second time around. But, if I were to do it again, I would put some of the new gravel into a nylon sock and let it leech in the tank for at least a week. Then put this gravel on top after you do the swap.

I put the fish in a temporary holding facility (2 gallon tank), removed most of the water via vaccuming (the more poop you remove the better), scooped out old gravel, put in new gravel. Filled up the tank, hooked up an etra filter and let them do their work for an hour. Put the new fish in to the mostly clear water.
 
I just put some flourite into my tank. I took out as much gravel as I put flourite in. I then spread what gravel I left in the tank to begin with over the top of the new flourite: I hopefully will avoid a new cycle by doing it this way.

Everything seems ok now. We'll see as the week goes by....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom