How Can I Put In Sand With Fish In The Tank.

[Jazziecatz]

I have a 15 gallon tank 10" deep 20" long 18" tall.  It has 4 tiger barbs (they are happy together and dont like other tiger barbs they have their own little "clicque" its kinda cute actually so dont say I need more) and one Dwarf Gourami (they get along just fine!)  I wanna add a few corys to the tank because the bottom of the tank is quite boring.  I need to put sand in for this though I have a very thin layer of gravel but now I wanna add sand.  How do I thanks so much!

 

[BelldandyShanny]

how thin is your layer of gravel? you should be able to just get a bag of sand (after properly rinsing it) and just add it, I have sand and gravel in my tank and it works just fine! (more sand than gravel) Just add it to one side of your tank then flatten it out as you go and you won't have to take the fish out.

 

[fluttermoth]

You really need to get all the gravel out first, or the sand will sink through the gaps to the bottom.
 
I really would recommend you don't get cories however. They're very peaceful and the tigers will be too aggressive for them. I've tried it myself, and it didn't work out; i had to remove the cories after about four days, as their fins were being nipped.

 

[Jazziecatz]

Non agressive tigers.  These tigers are nice tigers its strange.  But they are babies though any bottom feeders that could go in with tiger barbs and not overstock the aquarium?

Well not babies juveniles.  They are all each about 1 inch long.

 

[FishGuy2000]

to add sand id scoop all the gravel out and take the sand out them in round pitchers fill them half way and put the hose in there and let it over flow but dont turn the hose on to high or youl lose all your sand ! belive me when i say this works all my tanks have sand and if your wondering what kind this is what i usualy use http/www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753227&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo

 

[jakroebuck6]

I had gravel and wanted sand so I removed the gravel by hand/net and placed the sand in by hand slowly because it can take days to settle if just dumped in! made that mistake before!!

 

[KirkyArcher]

I too have peaceful mature tiger barbs (8), "Fish in" gravel removal is going to be a little distressing, but if it's the only option available to you, I'd slowly hand scoop the existing gravel into a square plastic food container in a bid to minimise disturbing as little dirt as possible (a good going over with a vacuum  prior to starting wouldn't go amiss) then when complete introduce the very very clean sand*  back into the tank again using the food container filled with sand and deposit the sand as close as possible to the bottom of the tank (I'm trying to stress don't pour it in from the water surface) For a good coverage of sand in your tank that's going to be about an inch deep you'd be looking at about 5-6 Kg of sand

 
*(very very clean sand will need only minutes to settle and won't cloud your water)

 

[Meeresstille]

After you've washed the sand thoroughly, I'd get a large-ish rubbermaid container, take the tank decor, place it in the container. With the gravel vac syphon out half the water from your tank into the rubbermaid container, net you fish and put them in that container. Place your filter on that container and now you can work without worries on removing gravel/adding the sand. If possible I'd lay the lid loosely over the container with the fish in it, the darker environment will be calming for them. 
 
Let the sand settle in the tank before working on returning everything back to the tank, especially the filter!

 

[Jazziecatz]

Ok it went succesfully thanks guys!

 

[FishGuy2000]

post some pics !!