If I was to upgrade my aquarium can I start anew and use new sand?

[Rocky998]

So I kinda want to upgrade my tank IF POSSIBLE and want to switch out to a finer sand.
Could I completely change our the sand without hurting the beneficial bacteria much?
I would be keeping my filter and just buy another one to run along side it so all the bacteria in the filter would stay and also the rocks in the tank.

 

[AbbeysDad]

Some hobbyists are convinced that bacteria only lives in the filter. This is quite incorrect. Oh the filter is a great place for BB and the ecology often starts there, but the colony is typically soon dwarfed by the inhabitants of the substrate. (see The Very Best Aquarium Filter).

I'm a huge fan of a sand substrate, either pool filter or play sand. 3-4" of sand, untouched except for Malaysian Trumpet Snails. I would not use a very fine sand as it not only inhibits plant root growth but also important biology that needs a certain amount of permeability.

Just my $.02, but although one might switch from gravel to sand 'on the fly', if I was replacing a sand substrate, I'd opt for a total tear down as it would be less stressful for any inhabitants as removing any sand most often creates a cloudy mess.

For a deep dive check into Filtration and Water Quality.

 

[Rocky998]

Some hobbyists are convinced that bacteria only lives in the filter. This is quite incorrect. Oh the filter is a great place for BB and the ecology often starts there, but the colony is typically soon dwarfed by the inhabitants of the substrate. (see The Very Best Aquarium Filter).

I'm a huge fan of a sand substrate, either pool filter or play sand. 3-4" of sand, untouched except for Malaysian Trumpet Snails. I would not use a very fine sand as it not only inhibits plant root growth but also important biology that needs a certain amount of permeability.

Just my $.02, but although one might switch from gravel to sand 'on the fly', if I was replacing a sand substrate, I'd opt for a total tear down as it would be less stressful for any inhabitants as removing any sand most often creates a cloudy mess.

For a deep dive check into Filtration and Water Quality.

I definitely know that a ton of bacteria resides in the substrate which is why I am questioning my choice I'm going to be making...
I love sand and have sand in the tank now but I want it to be a bit softer (less coarse) and have a deeper substrate layer.

When you say "total tear down" what exactly do you mean?
I'd be putting the fish into a bucket while I switch stuff over to the new tank and then draining the water to take out the sand easier.

 

[Colin_T]

Don't use really fine sand, it's a health hazard to you when dry and is bad for filters.

Sand doesn't hold as much beneficial filter bacteria as gravel does due to sand being more compact and having less oxygen below the surface. So you can easily change the sand without affecting the filter. You can change gravel without affecting filters too.

Your peacock gudgeons aren't going to be producing huge amounts of ammonia anyway.

 

[Rocky998]

Don't use really fine sand, it's a health hazard to you when dry and is bad for filters.

Sand doesn't hold as much beneficial filter bacteria as gravel does due to sand being more compact and having less oxygen below the surface. So you can easily change the sand without affecting the filter. You can change gravel without affecting filters too.

Your peacock gudgeons aren't going to be producing huge amounts of ammonia anyway.

Would this sand be ok?
FairmountSantrol AquaQuartz-50 Pool Filter 20-Grade Silica Sand 50 Pounds, White https://a.co/d/frhUs9L
I want fine sand for if I get corydoras or kuhli loaches...
I know some aquarists use fine sand with not a lot of issues... But maybe I'm wrong?

 

[Colin_T]

I can't tell how fine the sand is in the picture. If the sand is like powder, it is a health hazard to animals when dry because you can get it in your lungs.

If the sand is about the size of individual sugar grains, it's fine.

If you get finer sand, wear a dust mask and safety glasses so you don't inhale dust or get it in your eyes.

 

[Rocky998]

I can't tell how fine the sand is in the picture. If the sand is like powder, it is a health hazard to animals when dry because you can get it in your lungs.

If the sand is about the size of individual sugar grains, it's fine.

If you get finer sand, wear a dust mask and safety glasses so you don't inhale dust or get it in your eyes.

Sounds good! I will make sure to wear a mask and goggles just in case.
There are pictures in the reviews that shows how the sand is...
I think it is smaller than individual grains of sand but wouldn't that be better for corydoras that filter feed and dig?

 

[Colin_T]

I think it is smaller than individual grains of sand but wouldn't that be better for corydoras that filter feed and dig?

Finer is generally better for the catfish but be careful handling it when dry.

 

[Rocky998]

Finer is generally better for the catfish but be careful handling it when dry.

Will do!
I will be using it with black sand as well which will have a slightly bigger grain size. I won't be using a bunch, just enough to give a contrasting color and make it more natural looking... Hopefully it turns out well!

The tank I really want is the 65g tall but if that fails then I will hopefully do a 40g breeder.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Will do!
I will be using it with black sand as well which will have a slightly bigger grain size. I won't be using a bunch, just enough to give a contrasting color and make it more natural looking... Hopefully it turns out well!

The tank I really want is the 65g tall but if that fails then I will hopefully do a 40g breeder.

Bear in mind before you mix it together that as settles, mixes, gets turned by fish and settles again by gravity, that the one with the larger grain size will settle on top of the smaller one.

Why would you want a tall tank? Most fish need footprint and horizontal swimming space, and the vertical space is wasted on them. Bottom feeders like cories especially want the footprint over height.

I anticipate a mini-cycle any time I change tanks or substrates now, since it usually happens, and it's easy to be prepared for it if you expect it. So before I remove my fish take down their current tank and put up the newer one with the new substrate, I'll be;

1. Making sure I have some Prime in stock to keep the fish safe between daily W/Cs
2. Fasting the fish or at least feeding very lightly, to reduce the bioload
3.Anticpating a mini cycle so continuing to only feed very lightly and the test the water often while things settle in and
4.W/Cs as needed.
I feel like a mini-cycle is a pretty normal thing to happen, but doesn't have to be a disaster if you're prepared for it to happen.

 

[GaryE]

While there is a lot of beneficial bacteria in the sand, the filter population generally does the job. If you change out the sand and are not overstocked, the filter(s) will carry you through the dip.

Pool filter sand is really fine gravel. I think the word 'sand' markets better. It's coarser and grainier than any sand I can buy here. Down at the local beach, we have sand below the tide line, then a line of gravel like pool sand, then the pebbles, onwards and upwards in size. The pool filter sand I bought last week is very textured when I roll it between my palms, unlike the play sand that just falls away. So I don't worry about pool filter sand compacting.

I use play sand in air filtered tanks, but my kids never played inside a pool filter!

Somewhere out there, there's a gravelsandologist shaking their knowledgeable head at these gradations...

I loathe deep tanks.

 

[Rocky998]

Bear in mind before you mix it together that as settles, mixes, gets turned by fish and settles again by gravity, that the one with the larger grain size will settle on top of the smaller one.

Why would you want a tall tank? Most fish need footprint and horizontal swimming space, and the vertical space is wasted on them. Bottom feeders like cories especially want the footprint over height.

I anticipate a mini-cycle any time I change tanks or substrates now, since it usually happens, and it's easy to be prepared for it if you expect it. So before I remove my fish take down their current tank and put up the newer one with the new substrate, I'll be;

1. Making sure I have some Prime in stock to keep the fish safe between daily W/Cs
2. Fasting the fish or at least feeding very lightly, to reduce the bioload
3.Anticpating a mini cycle so continuing to only feed very lightly and the test the water often while things settle in and
4.W/Cs as needed.
I feel like a mini-cycle is a pretty normal thing to happen, but doesn't have to be a disaster if you're prepared for it to happen.

I know that larger grains are supposed to go to the top but I have not had that issue in my tank yet.
I have some pool filter sand with some black sand in my tank and the two are different sizes but mix well.
Well see, a 65g tall has the same exact footprint as a 40g breeder except it's just really tall. Which will let me do a deeper sand bed and also possibly stock the top-mid sections more with schooling fish and pearl gouramis. (I really really really want pearl gouramis)

I definitely am anticipating a mini cycle. I'm prepared for that if it happens but I honestly don't think it will with how many fish I have now and the tank size I'd be upgrading to along with all the bacteria I'd be adding to the tank to start it off.

While there is a lot of beneficial bacteria in the sand, the filter population generally does the job. If you change out the sand and are not overstocked, the filter(s) will carry you through the dip.

Pool filter sand is really fine gravel. I think the word 'sand' markets better. It's coarser and grainier than any sand I can buy here. Down at the local beach, we have sand below the tide line, then a line of gravel like pool sand, then the pebbles, onwards and upwards in size. The pool filter sand I bought last week is very textured when I roll it between my palms, unlike the play sand that just falls away. So I don't worry about pool filter sand compacting.

I use play sand in air filtered tanks, but my kids never played inside a pool filter!

Somewhere out there, there's a gravelsandologist shaking their knowledgeable head at these gradations...

I loathe deep tanks.

Sounds great! Thank you!
Why do you like deep tanks? I like them as well, I just want to hear from you why you do

 

[GaryE]

"Loathe" means "Really hate". I think they waste space - it's just extra gallons for no purpose. Plus even though I have good extra long ape arms, I hate getting my sleeves wet. I like to set my tanks up close to eye level, on 5 foot high racks.

 

[Valkyrie_Lips]

Purely anecdotal evidence here, but I've never had an issue changing out substrate in a well established tank. I've switched from gravel to white sand then most recently black sand. I've monitored parameters afterwards and never had any spikes. That being said, I've only done this in a small tank with a low bioload (only 1 betta). Imo as long as you have plenty of filter media you should be fine.

 

[Rocky998]

"Loathe" means "Really hate". I think they waste space - it's just extra gallons for no purpose. Plus even though I have good extra long ape arms, I hate getting my sleeves wet. I like to set my tanks up close to eye level, on 5 foot high racks.

Oh oops... Lol I wasn't thinking about the word you used loathe. I know what it means
I don't like tall tanks when they are not long at all. But tanks with the dimensions like the 65 I LOVE