Subtrate Change

[steve1]

what's the ebst way too change the subtrate just remove EVERYTHING from the tank and start from scratch?

i have gravel at the moment and want too change too sand will my pleco be ok in sand?

 

[Fishy friend2]

Your Pleco should actually be better in the sand. And when I changed the substrate I took everything out, kept the filter media wet added the sand and then put everything back the way I wanted it and added the fish/filter/heater

 

[Jenks74]

Get some big buckets, an drain as much as you can into them.

It's abit of a pain to be honest, but pretty much the only way. Your plec will love the sand, hope you've not got any live plants lol

 

[steve1]

nope there's no live plants in there YET? i was wanting too get some on saturday aswell are they no good with sand? seem too see ALOt of pics with live plants in them, or is it just because they will need uprooted

 

[Cazgar]

I just changed from gravel to sand.
It was only in my edge so not a big hassle, but I took everything out & placed in a spare tank with heater

 

[Jenks74]

Alot of the bigger plec's are notorious diggers, so would uproot a lot of plants.

I've a bulldog plec in my planted, he digs a little but has yet to up root anything (famous last words lol).

Tank will look alot better with sand in though.

 

[snake007]

My plec splashes sand everywhere, even into the filter at times.

 

[Fishy friend2]

Do you have an internal? I can't even imagine the Pleco being able to get sand in an external filter

 

[snake007]

I have 4 fluval u4's for now til I get my external and he kicks up the sand real hard, especially when someone tries to invade his territory.
Dont ever underestimate a pleco, they can defend themselves very well!

 

[Fishy friend2]

Lol, okay

 

[KISSfn]

I did my change with fish in the tank. Drained half the water out. Back when I had plastic plants. Did half first and other half second. Didn't bother the fish one bit. Sand is so much better than gravel. Wish I had made to sure to remove every single piece of gravel. Got lazy and just put the sand on top. Those darn pieces work their way to the surface and I have to pick them out one by one. I like my black sand to be completely black.

 

[riffraff]

steve1, dont know where your located but, one of the bestest tips i read on these forums was to buy these plastic containers from argos My link i got 2 to do a substrate change, heater, airstone, plants, fishies, wood, water, everything in these.
cheap as chips and will last forever.