Jump to content

Changing substrate


leungie

Recommended Posts

Hi all,

I want to remove my original substrate (gravel) to something finer (sand) in my tank for the geophagus.

I have driftwood and rocks in there already.

What's the best way to change the substrate such that the foam on the bottom of the tank won't float up whilst i'm doing the change....

you think i can just take out the gravel (without emptying the water inside), place rocks on the foam so that it doesnt float, and place in new, clean sand without having to remove the fish??

Your help is much appreciated~

James smile.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would syphon the old substrate out a section of the time - replace it carefully with the washed sand. With the water you take out you will need to add it back to the tank after the rubbish has settled to continue the syphoning operation. The other way is to use a spare tank. Keep most of the water from the tank in containers, put the fish in the spare tank with water from their own tank, clean out the substrate, replace with sand, add water back, get filters going, replace fish.

Hi all,

I want to remove my original substrate (gravel) to something finer (sand) in my tank for the geophagus.

I have driftwood and rocks in there already.

What's the best way to change the substrate such that the foam on the bottom of the tank won't float up whilst i'm doing the change....

you think i can just take out the gravel (without emptying the water inside), place rocks on the foam so that it doesnt float, and place in new, clean sand without having to remove the fish??

Your help is much appreciated~ 

James  smile.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

what type of foam are you refering to on the bottom of the tank?

I can see it possible changing the substrate without much issue. just siphon out the gravel into a bucket, with siphoning you can get all of the gravel.

Then slowly place the new substrate in one corner before spreading it out evenly over the rest of the tank. You dont really need to take the driftwood and stuff out but would probably make it alot easier, if you decide not to take it out just do half of the tank at a time and just move the wood to the other side of the tank.

Hope that helps although i may have misunderstood your post especially in regards to the foam.

cheers and good luck

haha beat me to it Bijengum, too quick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What's the best way to change the substrate such that the foam on the bottom of the tank won't float up

i think he means he put the foam in between the tank and the gravel.

he probably has alot of rockwork and did it to distribute the weight along the bottom of the tank.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i put foam on top of the glass under my gravel in my last tank...

had heaps of pointy bits of rock and didnt want any point pressure put on the glass.... worked really well til someone started digging up the substrate and the foam started shifting around and floating up in the corners!

i shant do it again :S

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i got a 25mm hose from bunnings and it also clogged. I ended up just using a large strainer (used in the kitchen for washing vegies tongue.gif) and scooped all the gravel into it and pulled it out thus draining the water from the gravel and keeping the mulm if you want. i think siphoned to get the last bits of gravel out. I will actually be doing this tomorow as i'm putting laterite under the gravel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...