Finally upgrading my all plastic tank to all natural!

[jaylach]

I will make sure to test the bucket water frequently throughout this 24 hour period to make sure nothing is building up

I don't understand the '24 hour period'. If you are pretty totally re-doing the initial tank it will need to cycle.

 

[Rocky998]

I will make sure to test the bucket water frequently throughout this 24 hour period to make sure nothing is building up

Great!
My rescape had to have taken 3-4hrs+... But it was worth it!

 

[foxgirl158]

I don't understand the '24 hour period'. If you are pretty totally re-doing the initial tank it will need to cycle.

I’ve kept the filter and almost all of the original tank decor the same, shouldn’t that keep it from not having to cycle completely?

 

[Rocky998]

I don't understand the '24 hour period'. If you are pretty totally re-doing the initial tank it will need to cycle.

See, what I did was put all the fish in the bucket of tank water I removed. Then I took all the decor out and placed it aside. Finally I put the new stuff in, took more water out and vacuumed the substrate. Then added the new water!
Of course it sounds easier being typed up

 

[connorlindeman]

I just rescaped my 40g.
New sand and everything.
I also rinsed out the filter floss really really good.
Filled it up with 100% new water.

For extra assurance i threw in some quick start. Just to make sure it was good.
You should be fine.

 

[jaylach]

I’ve kept the filter and almost all of the original tank decor the same, shouldn’t that keep it from not having to cycle completely?

But I don't think that you can safely do that. Unless I'm getting my topics confused your initial tank had some sort of pathogen. If you reuse the filter media and deco you may just be introducing the same pathogen to the new setup.

Here is what I mean... Not long ago I had a cycled tank that I decided to start shifting over to live plants. Sadly one of the live plants I got from a local chain store was contaminated and kill all my fish within 1.5 days. Even though it was obviously a toxin I covered all bases by first doing triple doses of antibiotics for several days. I then dumped in a bunch of bleach and let that steep for several days. During this I had the plants in a separate container container.

I then did a 50-75% water change to get rid of most of the bleach and treated with water conditioner. The tank actually started to cycle with a bacteria bloom so I decided to re-introduce the plants. Within half a day the bacteria bloom was dead and gone. The plants still held the pathogen.

Unless you know exactly what the pathogen happened to be you have to totally sterilize. I WILL admit to keeping an fairly expensive fake tree trunk as to decor but but totally scrubbed the thing inside and out several times.

 

[jaylach]

I just rescaped my 40g.
New sand and everything.
I also rinsed out the filter floss really really good.
Filled it up with 100% new water.

For extra assurance i threw in some quick start. Just to make sure it was good.
You should be fine.

Cool! I'm glad that it all worked well for you but was the tank contaminated as this one seems to be?

 

[foxgirl158]

2.5 hours later and it’s done, at least for now! The process went smoother than expected. Got rid of all traces of the clown gravel, and removed the blue plant and the bucket decoration. I will replace the filter floss soon, but for now I’m more concerned about having the tank recycle as fast as possible.

The process:

First we took most of the water out using siphons and buckets.

Then we took all of the fake plants out, and removed the tank from its stand. We emptied the clown gravel as best we could using cups, then we took the tank off of its stand and outside. We emptied the rest of the water by tipping the tank over, and used the hose to spray out the rest of the gravel.

Once the tank was empty, we brought it back inside and wiped out the inside and the rim.

Starting to fill it back up without the river rock.

River rock!

I didn’t get any photos of the decor and plants going in, but here’s the setup I have for now!

 

[Rocky998]

2.5 hours later and it’s done, at least for now! The process went smoother than expected. Got rid of all traces of the clown gravel, and removed the blue plant and the bucket decoration. I will replace the filter floss soon, but for now I’m more concerned about having the tank recycle as fast as possible.

The process:

First we took most of the water out using siphons and buckets.
View attachment 164568

Then we took all of the fake plants out, and removed the tank from its stand. We emptied the clown gravel as best we could using cups, then we took the tank off of its stand and outside. We emptied the rest of the water by tipping the tank over, and used the hose to spray out the rest of the gravel.
View attachment 164569

Once the tank was empty, we brought it back inside and wiped out the inside and the rim.
View attachment 164570

Starting to fill it back up without the river rock.
View attachment 164571

River rock!
View attachment 164572


I didn’t get any photos of the decor and plants going in, but here’s the setup I have for now!
View attachment 164573

Wait... At this time of night? You're in the U.S right?
I thought this was something you were doing tomorrow or in the coming days.
Looks nice. Are the fish going in tonight? I hope they don't have to spend the night in a 5g bucket...

 

[foxgirl158]

Wait... At this time of night? You're in the U.S right?
I thought this was something you were doing tomorrow or in the coming days.
Looks nice. Are the fish going in tonight? I hope they don't have to spend the night in a 5g bucket...

Yes, we started at 4 and got done around 6:30 CST. Unfortunately both my uncle and I are unavailable during the day, so they will have to stay in the bucket. However, the bucket has a clean filter, a heater, and a cave to hide in. I’ll test the parameters before I go to bed to make sure everything is ok.

 

[Rocky998]

Yes, we started at 4 and got done around 6:30 CST. Unfortunately both my uncle and I are unavailable during the day, so they will have to stay in the bucket. However, the bucket has a clean filter, a heater, and a cave to hide in. I’ll test the parameters before I go to bed to make sure everything is ok.

Ah ok, so a few hours behind. (I know the future!! )

I don't think it would be right to leave them in a 5g bucket even if it's heated and filtered. Couldn't you move them into the tank for a few days and then finish the scape?

 

[foxgirl158]

Ah ok, so a few hours behind. (I know the future!! )

I don't think it would be right to leave them in a 5g bucket even if it's heated and filtered. Couldn't you move them into the tank for a few days and then finish the scape?

The scape is finished, at least until I get more plants. I’m waiting to let it cycle a little, clear the foggy water and some crud out of said water, and making sure the parameters are ok. There are only two of them, and one of them is very small so it’s more like one largish platy.

 

[Rocky998]

The scape is finished, at least until I get more plants. I’m waiting to let it cycle a little, clear the foggy water and some crud out of said water, and making sure the parameters are ok. There are only two of them, and one of them is very small so it’s more like one largish platy.

Don't worry about it "cycling" if you still have some of the original decor and the original filter+media

 

[foxgirl158]

Don't worry about it "cycling" if you still have some of the original decor and the original filter+media

Another thing is, I had a mesh cover overtop of my filter intake, and the glue came undone so I need to re glue it. I don’t feel comfortable having fish, especially the fry, in there without the cover.

 

[Glenn407]

Clown gravel! I will never see that again without thinking of that perfect description.