Is It Possible To...

[Sasha]

I was thinking about redesigning my 29 gallon tank. I want to replace the gravel with smaller pieces and a lighter shade of color. Maybe replace all of the plastic plants for live ones. It that possible?

Of course, I might not leave the fish in the tank. I want to do it in the next few months, so after my 46 gallon aquarium is all established I plan to transport all of the fish over there. Does that sound like a good idea? Any advice?

 

[JoKeR]

Yup it sounds good especilly the live plant one. but for real that would be a good idea just wash ur new gravel nicely okay and careful with sanils.

 

[cutechic]

Just make sure you save the water you took out of the 29 gallon before redesigning everything, so you can fill it back up later. I forgot to do this when I changed the substrate and added live plants in my 5 gallon and it cause a mini cycle

 

[Sasha]

I plan to keep a ton of empty water gallons, so I can use them for save the tank water. I don't want it to cycle again!

 

[De Plano]

At least one person on this site has made the excellent suggestion of putting your old gravel in a section of panty hose and putting it back in the tank to save all the good bacteria. From what I have read on this site all the good bacteria is on the stuff in your tank and not in the water. Someone has said it pretty much makes almost no difference to save the water, just put every thing you pulled out of the tank back in for a while to get all the bacteria from it. It takes a little longer but it should stop a big cycle from happening.

It also makes the fake plants look better to be mixed in with live ones. It would be good to leave them in for a while.

I am sure someone will come along and give you some more specifics on the matter

 

[Sasha]

I wasn't sure how to put the old gravel into the tank while the bacteria colonized in the new gravel.

 

[Bol]

Sasha, I'm having trouble figuring out what exactly you want to do.

Do you want to redocorate your 29g, put the fish back in, and have them live there or at least a few months -- possibly moving them later when your 46g is ready?

 

[Sasha]

I'll explain it more carefully, so it's a little less confusing. I didn't really tell everything what I want to do in the post above.

1. I want to redecorate the whole 29 gallon tank by replacing the grvael and adding new live plants. Since I might have to take out the fish (it'll be messy when I scopp out the old gravel and the water would be yucky), I might transport all of teh fish from the 29 gallon to teh 46 gallon aquairm.

2. When the fish are safly in the other tank, I'll take all the gravel out from the 29 gallon and put in new gravel but something smaller and a lighter shade of color. The old gravel I have are large and I don't really like the color, but I bought it since it was cheap. I'll also add live plants and rearrange the decorations.

3. I would have to let the water filter through to get the water crystal clear because I know that everything that was trapped in the old gravel would stir up when I take it all out.

4. Since the bacteria colonized in the old gravel, I might have to find a way to put it in the 29 gallon tank so it can multiple in the new gravel. Hope this is more clear!

 

[phoenix]

Ok by removing everything from your tank at once and replacing it, you will most likely end up with some cycling. Most likely almost a full cycle.

Mixing the old plants with the new was a good idea that was suggested, it will keep some of the bacteria in there. But make sure you dont let it dry out or it will kill off the bacteria.

Keep your old filter media wet as well for the same reason. And use it after the change to add more bacteria.

As for keeping the old water most people say it contains little to no bacteria, but if you want to put some back in I dont see where it would hurt.

Unless the old gravel is totally a different color then the new, I would suggest leaving a small section of it in your tank or mixing some back into your tank with the new gravel. That too should keep some of the useful bacteria in place.. And that too should be kept wet.

I think even if you do some or all of the things listed above you will have some cycling happen. The more you do the less cycling it will take for your tank to be up and running again.

And I wouldnt recommend adding all your fish back in at the same time to avoid a possible bioload overload..

Good luck and have fun.

 

[pebbles]

as mentioned before , when changing gravel it is good to use some old gravel in an pair of new tights or pop socks. it works , i did this when setting up my barb tank with new gravel , washed new gravel and arranged it , used a pair of tights with the feet end cut off[about 6in long] filled both with gravel from established tank ,and tied a knot ,dont wash it or anything , cos you want to conserve all the bacteria. i just laid them on the top of the new gravel . i used a pait of black tights because i had new black gravel , just looked like a rock!! the bigger the tank possibly the more of these you should have , just cut off further up the leg and knot both ends!they are easy to remove later when the tank is stable from the gravel change.....

 

[Bol]

Ah, I see now.

Personally, I would just get rid of the old water, except for a little of it, which I would use to keep the old gravel and the old filter media wet (in a separate container) while the change was going on.

Three main reasons for chucking the water:

1) It's probably not going to help you much, bacteria-wise. Especially if you can put in your old filter media and some old grave.

2) It's probably going to make an awful mess, and most of the "mess" you'll be removing anyway, through the filter (which will get clogged up quickly).

3) In my experience, planting plants in a full tank of water is a pain. It's much, much easier to do if the tank is 1/3 to 1/2 full.

As far as the gravel goes, the panty hose idea seems sound, as does maybe a breeding net, or to go real low-tech, just put a bowl of the old gravel in your tank (provided there's room).

 

[guppymonkey]

With adding new gravel there is always going to be at least a minicycle if not a complete cycle. If you are using the same filter that should shorten the time but since you are adding completely new gravel to the tank there is going to be ammonia and nitrite spikes. I wouldn't even bother with keeping some of the old gravel, most likely its just going to spill out into the new gravel and the different colors are going to look weird together. Just do a quick fishless cycle and it will all be fine especially if you are adding live plants.

 

[De Plano]

I wouldn't even bother with keeping some of the old gravel, most likely its just going to spill out into the new gravel and the different colors are going to look weird together.

That is what the nylon (pantyhose) is for. Tie off one end (or use a foot) put the gravel in, tie off the open end, and put it in.

Why would there be a cycle if you are using the same gravel, plants, and filter? Maybe a small one from everything being disturbed, but it would be fairly minimal since everything is going back in. Not putting the gravel back in would certanly cause a cycle. Just curious, not trying to pick on you

 

[bob16]

if you realy want to. It will be lots of work but it mite pay off. My 55 busted a leak so I had to rearange it and it looks a lot better