Ive read on here about sand being much better than gravel, so have decided to change it for my 6 little corys. Ive only had them for about a month, and havent had my other fish much longer. How would I change the gravel and put the sand in without stressing out the fish? The tank isnt overcrowded at all but i have quite a few tiny fish in there so dont wanna have to take them all out and put it in a bowl cause it might stress them out and would also take ages! Also, what sand would i use? Suggestions please!
Changing Gravel To Sand
- Thread starter f1sh
- Start date
jollysue
Fish Connoisseur
I am not perfect at this particular task. 
I waited to answer because I like to try to give others a chance.
But congrats on making a decision based on the fish's needs.
Maybe this thread will help. It has several respomnses as I remember.
try reading this thread then ask again
another more detailed
I don't agree BTW with the recommendation to pea gravel in the first
I waited to answer because I like to try to give others a chance.But congrats on making a decision based on the fish's needs.
Maybe this thread will help. It has several respomnses as I remember.
try reading this thread then ask again
another more detailed
I don't agree BTW with the recommendation to pea gravel in the first
jollysue
Fish Connoisseur
f1sh, the second thread is a much more detailed and better answer to your question I think.
f1sh, the second thread is a much more detailed and better answer to your question I think. Well maybe not I just reread it.
f1sh, the second thread is a much more detailed and better answer to your question I think. Well maybe not I just reread it.
jollysue
Fish Connoisseur
If you check out the "similar topics" group below, you may find some more info.
Shrimper
Fish Addict
Not something I've done but can say don't just pour the sand in the tank when it is full of water... It will go everywhere and you will probably clog the filter.
It would probably be best to move the fish to a temporary tank with the heater and filter (it doesn't need to be a glass tank they will be ok in a bucket for a short time while you sort out the tank).
When they are out of the way strip the tank and refill it as quickly as possible, when the tank is back up to temperature and the sand has settled put the fish back in.
To stop the sand going everywhere when you fill the tank put a bin liner along the bottom and pour the water onto this.
Your doing a good thing, my corys much prefer the tank in my new tank compared to the gravel in the old one.
Edit: just read your profile and seen how many fish you have... Another method i have heard of is pouring the sand down a plastic tube to the place you want it. You would need to get a tank divider and keep all the fish at the other end of the tank. Then take out the gravel and carefully pour the sand into place a little bit at a time. That said this would take ages to do the whole tank this way. You could just create a sandy area at one end for the corys to play in doing it this way.
It would probably be best to move the fish to a temporary tank with the heater and filter (it doesn't need to be a glass tank they will be ok in a bucket for a short time while you sort out the tank).
When they are out of the way strip the tank and refill it as quickly as possible, when the tank is back up to temperature and the sand has settled put the fish back in.
To stop the sand going everywhere when you fill the tank put a bin liner along the bottom and pour the water onto this.
Your doing a good thing, my corys much prefer the tank in my new tank compared to the gravel in the old one.
Edit: just read your profile and seen how many fish you have... Another method i have heard of is pouring the sand down a plastic tube to the place you want it. You would need to get a tank divider and keep all the fish at the other end of the tank. Then take out the gravel and carefully pour the sand into place a little bit at a time. That said this would take ages to do the whole tank this way. You could just create a sandy area at one end for the corys to play in doing it this way.
Hi f1sh
The best way to get good answers in this forum (or any other, for that matter) is to have a little patience.
If you have only had the corys and other fish for a short time, are you sure your tank is completely cycled? If not, please don't risk changing the substrate yet.
BTW, is this the 16 gallon tank you mentioned in your gourami thread?
The best way to get good answers in this forum (or any other, for that matter) is to have a little patience.
If you have only had the corys and other fish for a short time, are you sure your tank is completely cycled? If not, please don't risk changing the substrate yet.
BTW, is this the 16 gallon tank you mentioned in your gourami thread?
Hi f1sh
The best way to get good answers in this forum (or any other, for that matter) is to have a little patience.
If you have only had the corys and other fish for a short time, are you sure your tank is completely cycled? If not, please don't risk changing the substrate yet.
BTW, is this the 16 gallon tank you mentioned in your gourami thread?
Yeh it is..
jollysue
Fish Connoisseur
Hi Shrimper, I was actually addressing the "Check the threads below" comment to f1sh. but I appreciate your response. Those are both reasonable methods in, as Inchworm says, a cycled tank. I have actually changed the substrate in many tanks and added sand to quite a few. I don't remember ever losing any fish in the process--except perhaps in moving, which is a whole other dilema. I don't give my method because it is not the more "recommended" way. I use the "rip the bandade off and be done with it" method.
I just added several small buckets of sand to the Brochis multiradiatus tank. All I did was make sure that the sand was well rinsed, which with play sand is not hard when done a bit at a time. It is already fairly clean. Then I turned the filter off, and poured sand from the submerged bucket into the opposite end of the tank from where I feed them. I kept them shooed away as they were curious. There was no big dust storm and the tank was settled immediately. I turned the tank light off and gave them time to settle in. An hour later I turned the filter back on. I frequently turn the filters off or down for brief periods to feed.
I also changed substrate awhile back, because I had mistakenly put high PH/marine sand in. I did not want to fool around and don't have lots of spare time. I again turned the filter off, removed the decore--which really freaks the fish out--and shoveled the substrate out. Then I vacumed the tank bottom to remove as much of the coral as I could, and bucketed the new rinsed sand back in. I did not lose any fish. Of course they were upset, but no matter how I did it it would upset them, I figure. In this instance there was lots of calcium dust from the removed sand.
I assume I will get some back handed and impatient remarks or something, but that's what I do. It works for me. I do not recommend it since it is not the orthodox method. I was a little stressed last night and had just been accused of "kissing ass," which really isn't my style. I usually get in trouble for saying what I think. I assume the person was projecting their own motives on me.
Anyway, if it felt that I was abrupt, I do appologize.
I just added several small buckets of sand to the Brochis multiradiatus tank. All I did was make sure that the sand was well rinsed, which with play sand is not hard when done a bit at a time. It is already fairly clean. Then I turned the filter off, and poured sand from the submerged bucket into the opposite end of the tank from where I feed them. I kept them shooed away as they were curious. There was no big dust storm and the tank was settled immediately. I turned the tank light off and gave them time to settle in. An hour later I turned the filter back on. I frequently turn the filters off or down for brief periods to feed.
I also changed substrate awhile back, because I had mistakenly put high PH/marine sand in. I did not want to fool around and don't have lots of spare time. I again turned the filter off, removed the decore--which really freaks the fish out--and shoveled the substrate out. Then I vacumed the tank bottom to remove as much of the coral as I could, and bucketed the new rinsed sand back in. I did not lose any fish. Of course they were upset, but no matter how I did it it would upset them, I figure. In this instance there was lots of calcium dust from the removed sand.
I assume I will get some back handed and impatient remarks or something, but that's what I do. It works for me. I do not recommend it since it is not the orthodox method. I was a little stressed last night and had just been accused of "kissing ass," which really isn't my style. I usually get in trouble for saying what I think.
I assume the person was projecting their own motives on me.Anyway, if it felt that I was abrupt, I do appologize.
Coryman
Fish Crazy
Removed under protest
Ian
Ian
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