Best way to do substrate change

[Dave+Amy]

I'm wanting to pull up my under gravel filter (and replace it with a new filter) and replace all my substrate with silica (5foot tank's worth) - has anyone done a whole substrate change and done it quickly etc?

I've got 7 large Discus, 10 dwarf loaches, 4 GBAs and 2 red whips + 1 token SAE to put somewhere during this substrate change as well - any suggestions? Can't put them in bath tub 'cos I will need to use it to refill my tank

1. Do I need to keep both my canisters still running during substrate replacement?

2. How long did this take?

3. where did people put their fish during the substrate change? Did anyone bag all the fish?

Thanks heaps

[oO SKIPPY Oo]

i was trying to find the post where i had done this before but couldnt find it - heres what i did anyway

• * move as much water into buckets and chilly bins as possible

• * move the heater and fish in the chilly bin

• * pull out the stones with a dustpan

• * put in the washed sand

• * replace the water from other buckets and make sure the water is back up to normal temp

• * move the fish back to the tank and top up the water as required

i turned my canister off until the water was back up to the top, about 1.5 - 2 hours, i didnt bother bagging just in the chillybin with as much water as possible.

seems to be the least stressful way for the fish bar catching them to begin with

Thanks heaps

[Dave+Amy]

Hey Skippy, thanks that's very helpful - I've got to go buy a couple of chilly bins then

have wanted to revamp the tank is SO long!

[tracytrout]

If you'd like some help, let me know what day and I'll pop round .....can see your boys as well.

[oO SKIPPY Oo]

since your in welly you can borrow my one if you like - think its about 40L - i have used it for that purpose a couple of times now

[Dave+Amy]

Tracytrout - are you sure you want to commit to that? it's not going to be easy I know for sure those loaches are going to take forever for me to round them up...I thinking rounding and netting will take the longest and be the hardest. I will let you when I've bought the silica and everything - David's making it sound like a chore :roll:

Skippy - oh that would be awesome, which suburb in wellington do you live in?

think I may have to put a broadcast and ask for people's chillys for over a weekend

[oO SKIPPY Oo]

We are in Miramar, have pm'd you my contact numbers.

[tracytrout]

Have pm'd you

[paekakboyz]

to catch the loaches lower the water level then use your glass lids as partitions to reduce the space they can be sneaky in! better yet leave a small opening covered by your net and cattle drive them into it. That's how I caught my 4 chain loaches in my 4ft. Would have been chasing them for days if I tried to corner them with two nets.

[Dave+Amy]

to catch the loaches lower the water level then use your glass lids as partitions to reduce the space they can be sneaky in! better yet leave a small opening covered by your net and cattle drive them into it. That's how I caught my 4 chain loaches in my 4ft. Would have been chasing them for days if I tried to corner them with two nets.

that reminds me of the nightmare of trying to get my old skunk loach out from under the undergravel filter took ages and that was just one fish!

[henward]

i have done many of this while fish is inside.

first, DO KEEP the canisters running, to ensure youa re filtering and sucking up as much crud as posssible.

second, i have a better way that is cleaner:D i didnt read all posts lol but correct me if its said already.

dont buy a dust pan, buy a large fish net for 3 to 7 dollars or if you have one. (usually they et destroyed) but its cheap.

use the net to scoop up the gravel or substrate, thsi awy it drains before you put it into a bucket.

so you need towels anyways, you need buckets but less mess.

just litereally net up the substrate as much as the net can stand.

this works for me.

one problem, silica is fine.

you cannot do this wtih silica, but can with any other substrate even coral sand. silica is diffucllt and you must have a very fine mesh net.

water i find is the biggest mess maker here.

[Dave+Amy]

Thanks for the tips guys just holding off at the moment - If we need to move out then might as well do the substrate change with the move and been thinking about getting a new tank made to fit my pre-existing stand but just a good 20/30cm taller so Discus would enjoy it more... :bounce: :bounce:

So many options..but will definitely be doing a substrate change, plants seem to propagate better on a finer substrate I find.

[FishBen]

I also changed from gravel to sand and because I was currently using an UG filter, which wouldn't work with silica sand.. I had to remove it and replace it..

When I did this I bagged fish (stuck em in another tank to keep 'em warm), stuck most of the water in a bucket (note i was doing it in a 30L tank :oops:) pulled out all the gravel and poured sand over the crap in the bottom of the tank (it gets really disgusting there with all the stuff that collects under the UG filter ). Had no problems, and only kept the water for bacteria~, though if you have canisters as well you clearly won't need to keep as large as a percentage

I used a net (like someone said previously), but I think in a larger tank a dustpan would probably work better..

[Adrienne]

IMO its not a good idea to do a change with discus in the tank. They are very sensitive to particles in the water and if you irritate their gills ime you will pay the price for it. Much much better to take them out of the tank and wait for it to resettle before putting them back. No reason they can't live in a plastic bin overnight even if you keep the temp up.