Conerting from Gravel to Sand

[emjay653]

I've got a 3ft tank up and running with gravel and an undergravel filter. I was planning on swapping the gravel with sand and the U/G with a Fluval 3 filter (Due to lack of space).

The question is what is the best way to keep bacteria in the tank, so that I don't have to cycle the tank again?

a) Would I run the Fluval in the tank with the U/G filter turned off, with the gravel substrate for about a month to get bacteria started in the Fluval
B) Would I put the Fluval in the tank and leave both filters running?
c) Is there another preferred method?

Mj

 

[A.K.A Zak]

well if you don't want to wait you can leeve a small layer of gavel and put sand on top of that or you can wait like a month by doing a 1/5-1/3 gravel change every week.

 

[Eelzor]

Changing gravels is an EXTREMELY dirty job (and I mean extremely) so you should have choosen your gravel from what you have wanted at the start.


emjay653: Shut up Eelzor. I want to change my gravel now tell me how you idiot.


Eelzor: Ok, ok, well If you really wanted to do that, then you must remove your fish and then take out the gravel etc. It really is quite impossible underwater so basically you have to take your tank apart to do such a job. You could use a large scoop to remove gravel parts by parts, but it would not take all the gravel 100%. Maybe 90%. After that you can add sand. But Bacteria lives in the gravel so it may disturb it alot, then again you have filters and the water etc. So in short, yes, it can be done, but a long dirty job. I wouldn't do it. Start another tank from scatch, or if you really wanted the sand in the tank then do like, or something like what I have basically explained.

 

[Lithril]

Okies if you change all your gravel in one go you're definatley going to be losing a lot of beneficial bacteria. You're going to need to find something that you can divide the gravel up with, like a length of perspects. Then push divider into the gravel to the bottom about 1/5th of way along the tank and change the gravel for sand (the sand should be thoroughly washed before you do this), leave it for a week and then push another divider into the gravel about another 1/5 further along, change the gravel inbetween the dividers and remove the first one. Keep doing this until you've covered you're whole tank.

Personally with the filter I'd get this cycled before you change substrate that way when you remove the ugf the new filtration will already be in place... and you really do want to remove the ugf as all sorts of debris gets trapped underneath. When you're changing the ugf just break it off up to each divider.

For changing filters run the fluval along side the ugf for at least 2 weeks before you even think about switching off the UGF, there won't be any bacteria at all in the fluval so if the UGF is switched off too early you'll get major ammonia/nitrite spikes.

HTH

 

[jhd]

I changed tanks, from 29g to 55g using all rocks, plants and ornaments. Gravel was washed and cleaned, so I killed all bacteria there, and than I added a lot of new gravel. New tank did not cycle at all. Bacteria on rocks, plants and undisturbed filters was enough to start new tank without hick up. A used most of old water. I monitored toxins for 2 weeks and nothing was registered.
Changing tanks the way I did is kind of what you want to do with your tank, except tank is the same. Worked for me but I have a lot of rocks and life plants.