Swapping tank around

[Adam2]

Hi I want to change stuff around in my fish tank Like remove all bog wood and put new plants on them, was just wondering Would I have to take all my fish out and do it or would I be able to keep them in there?

 

[10 Tanks]

Hi I want to change stuff around in my fish tank Like remove all bog wood and put new plants on them, was just wondering Would I have to take all my fish out and do it or would I be able to keep them in there?

Hello Adam. No need to move your fish. Netting is stressful for them. Just take a little time to figure out exactly what you want to change and then take care doing the remodel. The fish should stay out of the way by moving to the opposite side of the tank.

10 Tanks

 

[Byron]

There is a real risk here though, depending upon how long the tank has been the way it is. Areas of the substrate under chunks of wood or rock or other decor can become anaerobic. This is not a problem if it is left alone, as it provides the second part of a healthy substrate and aquarium water. But if disturbed or especially removed, the anaerobic patch in the substrate can kill fish fairly quickly. We had a member here a couple months back who killed all the fish in her tank doing this.

One way to avoid (hopefully) this while still leaving the fish in the tank is to have your water changer in hand, and as you move the wood do a very deep vacuum under every bit of substrate that was under the wood. You will probably see some pretty black water, depending upon how long this has been set up, and that is what could kill the fish if not removed.

 

[10 Tanks]

There is a real risk here though, depending upon how long the tank has been the way it is. Areas of the substrate under chunks of wood or rock or other decor can become anaerobic. This is not a problem if it is left alone, as it provides the second part of a healthy substrate and aquarium water. But if disturbed or especially removed, the anaerobic patch in the substrate can kill fish fairly quickly. We had a member here a couple months back who killed all the fish in her tank doing this.

One way to avoid (hopefully) this while still leaving the fish in the tank is to have your water changer in hand, and as you move the wood do a very deep vacuum under every bit of substrate that was under the wood. You will probably see some pretty black water, depending upon how long this has been set up, and that is what could kill the fish if not removed.

Hello Byron. I like that point. If you have sand as the bottom material, I totally understand the water problem that would result if a void in the sand would be disturbed. I've never used sand, because of this potential problem. I use fairly large gravel, so water easily flows through it and provides good water circulation.

10 Tanks

 

[Byron]

Hello Byron. I like that point. If you have sand as the bottom material, I totally understand the water problem that would result if a void in the sand would be disturbed. I've never used sand, because of this potential problem. I use fairly large gravel, so water easily flows through it and provides good water circulation.

10 Tanks

Sand has nothing to do with it, I have had this with gravel which I used for years. Dead spots will naturally form under wood and rock. Areas under large solid objects does not have water circulation unless you move the object every week during the water change. Something I do not recommend because normal anaerobic areas are part of a healthy substrate. Malaysian Livebearing snails can help too.

 

[10 Tanks]

Sand has nothing to do with it, I have had this with gravel which I used for years. Dead spots will naturally form under wood and rock. Areas under large solid objects does not have water circulation unless you move the object every week during the water change. Something I do not recommend because normal anaerobic areas are part of a healthy substrate. Malaysian Livebearing snails can help too.

Hello Byron. I've really never heard of this happening in anything other than tanks with sand that isn't moved periodically. Never noticed this in my gravel tanks and I use a lot of local drift wood and rocks.

10 Tanks

 

[Byron]

I had gravel in all tanks from the 1980's through the 1990's and into 2000's. Changed to play sand about 9 or 10 years ago. Dead spots occurred under chunks of wood and rock, as I found when tearing down a tank to move. And what a stench. But left alone, no issues. My sand never had anything worse.

 

[sharkweek178]

There is a real risk here though, depending upon how long the tank has been the way it is. Areas of the substrate under chunks of wood or rock or other decor can become anaerobic. This is not a problem if it is left alone, as it provides the second part of a healthy substrate and aquarium water. But if disturbed or especially removed, the anaerobic patch in the substrate can kill fish fairly quickly. We had a member here a couple months back who killed all the fish in her tank doing this.

One way to avoid (hopefully) this while still leaving the fish in the tank is to have your water changer in hand, and as you move the wood do a very deep vacuum under every bit of substrate that was under the wood. You will probably see some pretty black water, depending upon how long this has been set up, and that is what could kill the fish if not removed.

How long does it take for those anaerobic pockets to develop?

 

[Byron]

How long does it take for those anaerobic pockets to develop?

I never worried about this so I never tried to find out. Some of my tanks were running for four or five years when I moved in 2000 (all had gravel in those days) and these were largish tanks (70g, 90g, 115g). I tore them all down in 2008 when I moved them into the new dedicated fishroom. It was a couple years after that move that I replaced the substrate with sand, tank by tank after I tried one smaller tank and liked the effect over 2 years. Then I moved in 2019 to my present townhouse.