Switching To Sand Instead Of Gravel

[metulburr]

I currently have a gravel setup in a 30G tank. I have a couple kuhli loaches. I now am thinking about swtiching to sand 1) because of the loaches, and 2) because i like the look of that better.
 
However  i have a couple of issues:
1) I am still in my cycling (fish-in). Should i wait to complete this or would the switch mess up even after the cycling?
2) Is there any more care needed in sand versus gravel?
3) Should i remove all the fish into a temp tank while doing the switch? 
4 Should i just add the sand with the gravel and have it just a hair over the gravel level? (to attempt to keep the current bacteria that has grown).

 

[Byron]

1) I am still in my cycling (fish-in). Should i wait to complete this or would the switch mess up even after the cycling?
 

 
How exactly are you cycling?  I hope you are adding a bacterial supplement at the least, with fish in the tank.  And what stage are you at now (timeline)?
 

2) Is there any more care needed in sand versus gravel?
 

 
No.  I had fine gravel for years (15+) before I decided to try sand in one of my seven tanks, and after doing that, I set about changing all of them.  Some of the tanks I never touch the sand, in others I vacuum over it.
 

3) Should i remove all the fish into a temp tank while doing the switch? 
 

 
Yes, this is absolutely preferred.  I cannot even imagine trying to change the substrate with the fish present.
 

4 Should i just add the sand with the gravel and have it just a hair over the gravel level? (to attempt to keep the current bacteria that has grown).
 

No.  This will not work, as the finer sand will work down to the bottom, leaving the gravel on top.  This rather defeats the reason for changing substrates.  I may comment more on the bacteria issue when I know the answers to my earlier questions.
 
BTW, I have found common play sand to be ideal.  It is darkish, very inexpensive, looks very natural, and fish love it.  My corys and loaches are doing very well.
 
Byron.

 

[metulburr]

I am doing fish in cycling. I am 2 weeks in on one, and 3 weeks on the other. I added a bacterial supplement, but it was only because i received a free bottle from my LFS. I wasnt planning on adding any initially. Ive been doing daily to every other day 75% water changes to drop ammonia levels from 3-4ppm to 1ppm-0.5ppm. I just did a water change a few hours ago after reading a 3ppm ammonia level. I dont read any nitrites yet. But i think my tests for nitrites are faulty. So im not sure if i have them or not. 
 
Thanks for the info. 
 
How long should i let the substrate sit before adding the fish back in?

 

[Byron]

This is not good, the cycling I mean.  Ammonia at 1 ppm has consequences for fish.  Nitrite even worse in some ways, and it will be above zero if it isn't already.  I am very serious in asking if you can return the fish to the store, explain the situation, and start over (with the sand) and cycling properly?

 

[metulburr]

Well i bought all the fish before researching and knowing about fishless cycling. So i am doing what i can. The return time has already passed for the store. So i am stuck with them.

 

[Byron]

Well i bought all the fish before researching and knowing about fishless cycling. So i am doing what i can. The return time has already passed for the store. So i am stuck with them.

 
That being the cdase, keep ammonia and nitrite at zero, with daily water changes if needed.  A good bacterial supplement will help; Tetra SafeStart is good, and I have used Seachem's Stability.  Dr. Tim's One and Only is another.
 
I would get the cycling settled before changing the substrate.  At least then the filter should have a colony of bacteria.  However, some fish may "live through" cycling but are severely weakened, while others will die along the way.

 

[metulburr]

thanks mate.