It's been a hot minute. Changing substrate

[Slaphppy7]

Nah straight on my front garden lol best grass on the street

Do you use a nylon over your siphon end?

I water a flowerbed and part of my lawn, as well

 

[Boundava]

When I have done a substrate change for an established tank I always removed everything from the tank (plants, DW, inhabitants with enough water to safely keep the fish and plants for the time it takes me to do the switch). The I refill the tank with water and do a thorough gravel cleaning with my python to get as much muck out-there will be alot and if you have a planted tank you will probably have some degree for cloudy water. After the substrate cleaning I scoop out the substrate (a new handheld or fish designated dustpan works wonders for removing most substrates except the fussy plant/shrimp stuff). Then I would clean out the tank with a wipe down or two with some paper-towels and Mr Clean Original for any algae spots. then the tank is ready for the new substrate and plants/DW and finally a fill and the inhabitants. In my cases I had easy going/hardy fish/snails so I didn't bother adding any used tank water, just added Safe to the water and put the livestock back in. The bacteria I am most concerned about is in the filter, so long as that is fine-so is my cycle. Not to say I won't watch the fish for a week after, but I have never had an issue doing this from tanks 5.5 gallons to 75 gallons.

 

[Guyb93]

nahhh most my corys are big enough to just block the tube lol and if any of my tetra swim down to the sand to go by the big tube I’m sorry they deserve a trip ahaha so far no casualties

 

[thrujenseyes]

I syphon straight out of a window risky life for a fish in my tank

OMG YIKES!! THats a dangerous game! Haha

 

[thrujenseyes]

When I have done a substrate change for an established tank I always removed everything from the tank (plants, DW, inhabitants with enough water to safely keep the fish and plants for the time it takes me to do the switch). The I refill the tank with water and do a thorough gravel cleaning with my python to get as much muck out-there will be alot and if you have a planted tank you will probably have some degree for cloudy water. After the substrate cleaning I scoop out the substrate (a new handheld or fish designated dustpan works wonders for removing most substrates except the fussy plant/shrimp stuff). Then I would clean out the tank with a wipe down or two with some paper-towels and Mr Clean Original for any algae spots. then the tank is ready for the new substrate and plants/DW and finally a fill and the inhabitants. In my cases I had easy going/hardy fish/snails so I didn't bother adding any used tank water, just added Safe to the water and put the livestock back in. The bacteria I am most concerned about is in the filter, so long as that is fine-so is my cycle. Not to say I won't watch the fish for a week after, but I have never had an issue doing this from tanks 5.5 gallons to 75 gallons.

Good to know! Thank you!

 

[thrujenseyes]

I finally changed it out yesterday.
My God was that a MESS!!!!! NOTFUNATALL
Anyway, I tried the big wide siphon and it wouldn't suck up my old black florite...just the water.
So I had to reduce the water by half and remove everything and try to find all the shrimp and the snail in now totally murky water.
I think I was successful ....I didn't count as I was so stressed out about stressing them out.
I was putting them into a bucket with the wood, plants and filter stuff so they'd have homey places.
But when I took out one of the pieces of wood to fix the plants attached my amano shrimp (whom I've had for 6 years) jumped out and onto the counter top!
I was horrified and it took me a while to catch him.
I think they're all ok now that it's all said and done but I'm not sure if the stress has shortened their poor little lives.
I think it shortened mine!

Oh and I had to scoop the substrate out with a tiny cup...thanks to that small opening in the edge.
Again NOTFUNATALL

 

[Slaphppy7]

I finally changed it out yesterday.
My God was that a MESS!!!!! NOTFUNATALL
Anyway, I tried the big wide siphon and it wouldn't suck up my old black florite...just the water.
So I had to reduce the water by half and remove everything and try to find all the shrimp and the snail in now totally murky water.
I think I was successful ....I didn't count as I was so stressed out about stressing them out.
I was putting them into a bucket with the wood, plants and filter stuff so they'd have homey places.
But when I took out one of the pieces of wood to fix the plants attached my amano shrimp (whom I've had for 6 years) jumped out and onto the counter top!
I was horrified and it took me a while to catch him.
I think they're all ok now that it's all said and done but I'm not sure if the stress has shortened their poor little lives.
I think it shortened mine!

Oh and I had to scoop the substrate out with a tiny cup...thanks to that small opening in the edge.
Again NOTFUNATALL
View attachment 141540

Came out great, even with the stress....yep, amanos are jumpers, I found out the hard way....mine jumped out of a net and onto the floor, didn't realize it until I had stepped on him/her

 

[thrujenseyes]

Came out great, even with the stress....yep, amanos are jumpers, I found out the hard way....mine jumped out of a net and onto the floor, didn't realize it until I had stepped on him/her

Oh dear lord that's awful

 

[Slaphppy7]

Oh dear lord that's awful

I know, still beat myself up over it

 

[Boundava]

Congrats on the switch. Looks great. It is pretty stressful as the water does tend to turn into a cloudy mess.

 

[thrujenseyes]

Congrats on the switch. Looks great. It is pretty stressful as the water does tend to turn into a cloudy mess.

Yes it was 6 years of not really digging into the substrate (other than stirring around the top of it for water changes. So...it was horrendous.
I can't even believe I found all of my shrimp in that. I can't believe they survived "breathing" that in!!!!!!!!! I felt awful.

 

[thrujenseyes]

Oh and I forgot to mention...
I was so worried that they wouldn't survive and I had one shrimp that was berried and I thought for sure she'd lose the eggs but she didn't!
She's still got them! Hope they make it!

 

[Boundava]

I hope so too.