farmchick Posted November 28, 2006 Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 Hi all I dont know if this is posted in the correct section but here goes......... I need to replace the gravel in my Malawi tank and Im not too sure where to start? 1) Will I be upsetting the bacteria levels by removing all the old gravel? 2) What is going to be the easiest way of getting the old stuff out (if the answer to #1 is no) All thoughts and experiences gratefully received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 1. Assuming you don't have an UGF, not a lot 2. I used a wide mouthed hearth shovel If you are concerend about bacteria in the gravel, do half one week then the other half the next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimTam22 Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 why are you changing it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmchick Posted November 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 Im changing it to the white stuff to try and help my PH levels that are far from steady at the moment I have oyster shells in my filter but the PH is swinging anywhere between 7ish and 7.8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freakyfish Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 What are you GH and KH levels? KH helps keep your PH steady Id more look at this b4 going and changing all your gravel cos Calcium Carb and stuff only work for so long Once they have a slime coating on them their usefulness decreases Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 If you do change the gravel (and IMO I wouldn't do it) make sure you give it couple of really good vacuumes before you do it otherwise all the nasty stuff that has worked it's way into it will be released and could cause your water to go bad. Keeping enough water ready to do some large water changes might be an idea also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldogod Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 What white stuff are you using??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmchick Posted November 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 I want to call it Dolomite but I dont think thats right :oops: The guy at the LFS told me its for malawis and/or marine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmchick Posted November 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 I would put fishies into another tank, and strip ya old one, fill it up, and cycle it. Then in go ya fish! Bummer, I was hoping that was avoidable. All the tanks are full up! And I dont think they would all want to cram into a 2ft until their refurnished house was ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 Nah i reckon that aslong as you give it a few GOOD gravel syphons, then scoop it out and put new stuff in, you will be sweet as. I wouldnt bother re-cycling the tank just for that, as long as you have a well aged filter youll be sweet as Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 Sounds like Aragonite you are changing to? When we changed over our Malawi tank, we syphoned all the water into two huge drums.. and transferred fish over into drums, ran air and heater and kept the filters running on drums... ran hose into the tank as we syphoned old gravel then emptied, took old gravel out, tank sparkling after this long process :lol: then moved the 6fter into our room, layed down the rock work and once all sussed put the freshly rinsed Aragonite in the tank, started pumping original water back into the tank and hooked the 2 big externals back up and we were away, fish as good as gold. Good Luck and btw, Aragonite is a stunning substrate! Mekhaela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmchick Posted November 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 Good Luck and btw, Aragonite is a stunning substrate! Mekhaela HAHA, thats the stuff. Dolomite is what we feed the horses :oops: Thanks heaps everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joze Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 dolomite is the beezneez for working horses, saves you no end of headaches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herefishiefishie Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 Assuming you don't have an UGF, not a lot Then again that depends on the type of gravel, how often it is gravel is vac & if you have snail problem too, they can turn the gravel over too. as long as you have a well aged filter youll be sweet as Once again, this depends on the type of filter. Some filters hold next to nothing when it comes bacteria. Internal filters with fine foam don't hold much at all. There would be more in the gravel. Which ever way you choose to go, they are varying factors. Just be careful, you will be loosing some bacteria. How much? well that depends, as mentioned above. I would only feed the fish lightly ever 2nd day for a while. Monitor your ammonia, nitrite...levels for a few of weeks. Frenchy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 Oh yeah, glad Frenchy mentioned the feeding... 8) even tho we changed over the best way possible, with most water and original externals running before transfer.. we still even limited their feeds over the next few days.. just had them on light feeds... wanted to be safer than sorry.. Mekhaela Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quack Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 i have done pretty much exactly what you have done. we took out most of the ordements (left a couple in for fish to hide in) and started on one side and scooped out the old stuff and added the new washed stuff. we left the fish in the tank too. we had no problem with water qualty after, but we gravel syphon every water change and have two canisters on the tank. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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