Help i hate this substrate!!!

[SanDiegoRedneck]

Is it fluval stratum? I had it. Did the same exact thing. What a mess.

I don't know but it's a disaster. Only tank out of 7 that clouds up.

 

[Kamdavid]

Remove the fish to a bucket. Add the heater. And a bubbler if possible. Empty the tank of substrate. Add your new substrate. Add dechlorinated water. Add heater. Filter. Bubbler if you use it. Add fish.

 

[SanDiegoRedneck]

Remove the fish to a bucket. Add the heater. And a bubbler if possible. Empty the tank of substrate. Add your new substrate. Add dechlorinated water. Add heater. Filter. Bubbler if you use it. Add fish.

That tank has spong filter. And thank you. Temp in my fish room is 75 so they will be ok in bucket w sponge filter while I work I think

 

[Kamdavid]

That tank has spong filter. And thank you. Temp in my fish room is 75 so they will be ok in bucket w sponge filter while I work I think

Ok well let us know how it goes.

 

[SanDiegoRedneck]

Ok well let us know how it goes.

Will do, ordered eco complete online. Will be here Friday. I will update

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Yes I can. And if I don't change filter, plants or clean glass I'm assuming I'll have enough BB to switch all at once.

Yes, just reuse your filters and keep the plants and your fish will be fine.
You can clean your glass. It should be fine.
In fact, it's the best time to clean your glass when the tank is empty.
My tank is a bare tank. I wiped my tank glass quite often.

 

[seangee]

I agree with others in that you should remove the fish. From your description of the substrate who knows what is lurking in there. If you plan it out and have your new water ready you can be done in less than an hour so there should be no cycling issues whatsoever. When I have done similar I cleaned the filter a day or 2 before the actual change as its one less thing to do when you do the change.

As long as your source water is the same as your tank water iro pH, hardness and temp I would just do a 100% change

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I wouldn't have personally gone down the road of Eco Complete, but you seem pretty sold on it. Its your tank and your choice. Good luck!

 

[Byron]

You cannot have substrate fish like cories or loaches with Eco-complete, just so you know. This was one reason I got rid of Flourite, not only did it not make any difference (and I can assure you, believe it or not, E-C is no better), but it tore into my cories like I wold never have believed. And Flourite is slightly less abrasive than E-C so E-C is even worse. All the catfish experts will say this.

 

[SanDiegoRedneck]

You cannot have substrate fish like cories or loaches with Eco-complete, just so you know. This was one reason I got rid of Flourite, not only did it not make any difference (and I can assure you, believe it or not, E-C is no better), but it tore into my cories like I wold never have believed. And Flourite is slightly less abrasive than E-C so E-C is even worse. All the catfish experts will say this.

I can quote over 10 Cory breeders that use gravel. I'm the type of guy who does my own research and read alot of articles and take bits from everything.
I also don't run heaters and my tanks swing 10+ degrees over a time. Lol. I know I do everything against "the norm" but I have plenty of research to back up each of my decisions.
Have a great day

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I can quote over 10 Cory breeders that use gravel. I'm the type of guy who does my own research and read alot of articles and take bits from everything.
I also don't run heaters and my tanks swing 10+ degrees over a time. Lol. I know I do everything against "the norm" but I have plenty of research to back up each of my decisions.
Have a great day

@Byron was just trying to help...

He is correct in the fact that Cory’s need to have a fine, sand substrate. If they don’t, it will damage their barbels. They also won’t be able to sift/scavenge for food like they do naturally.

 

[SanDiegoRedneck]

@Byron was just trying to help...

He is correct in the fact that Cory’s need to have a fine, sand substrate. If they don’t, it will damage their barbels. They also won’t be able to sift/scavenge for food like they do naturally.

I agree to disagree

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I agree to disagree

The point is, by providing your Cory’s with gravel as a substrate, you are making their life terrible. @Byron has been keeping fish longer than a lot of us all combined. He knows his stuff. But if you still don’t believe me, here is the SF profile on a Pepper Cory (which has many similar needs to a lot of other species) https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/corydoras-paleatus/#notes

“Corydoras species prefer sandy substrate as they enjoy rooting about in it looking for morsels of food. Can be prone to infection of the barbels if kept in poorly maintained gravel. Corydoras will appreciate some cover in the form of rocks or bogwood.”

But, it is your decision. We are just asking you to look at the facts...

 

[Byron]

I can quote over 10 Cory breeders that use gravel. I'm the type of guy who does my own research and read alot of articles and take bits from everything.
I also don't run heaters and my tanks swing 10+ degrees over a time. Lol. I know I do everything against "the norm" but I have plenty of research to back up each of my decisions.
Have a great day

Clearly some of the articles you are reading and using are inaccurate or misleading. But aside from that probability, a lot of cory breeders use bare bottom tanks, that is another issue enitrely, and others use light sand. But it only shows there are many options--but what you appear to be unable to recognize is that these are specific situations, not the permanent maintenance of a group of fish, that can live as long as 40 years.

The problem with Eco-complete is the sharpness, the grain size, and the biological/bacterial properties. If your research really has been so exhaustive, you would have come across these, and given that they are issues referenced by trained knowledgeable biologists, microbiologists and ichthyologists, they have the necessary authority behind their observations.

|How many of these article authors have ever been to South America to see the fish in their habitats? How many of them have spent years studying biology and ichthyology in order to learn how DNA governs all this? How many have even the remotest conception of how a fish's physiogy operates? People who have done these things are the ones who do know, and any responsible aquarist who cares for the welfare of his fish will take the time to research and learn from them.

And let me make something perfectly clear...I do not voice my own opinions when I am writing about fish species and habitats. I research and learn from the recognized authorities. This is how society learns and progresses, and each of us must do the same; if we didn't, we would still be sitting in front of a cave rubbing sticks together to make fire. There are idiots and charlatans all over the internet. Learn to recognize the true authorities, and you will have healthier fish and more success.

 

[jimwg]

i am all i was just asking how to switch it out (one substrate for another) then everyone told me not to use it lol. No answers on actually how to switch. Lol , I'll Google it and do research. Just though I would ask. But glad you all think wrong substrate but not question I asked. Lol

LOL yeah that's the way they do here often. I removed all my substrate a month or so back a cup at a time with fish in the tank. Of course I have a very robust bio-bed in my canister filter to ensure no ammo spike but I had no problems at all.