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 | Changing gravel |
fishlover89  Fingerling Posts: 46 Kudos: 14 Votes: 0 Registered: 16-Aug-2003   | I currently have some gravel in my 55g tank and i want to change it. how much should i be taking out to not disturb the bacteria in the tank and how offten? i would like to take out all of it before i put in the new one |
 Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:27 |      |
Babelfish         Administrator Small Fry with Ketchup Posts: 6833 Kudos: 8324 Votes: 1570 Registered: 17-Apr-2003    | The trick is to do it opposite the way you were thinking of doing it  .You want to take all the old substrate out, save some in either a shallow container or use a pair of clean nylon stockings. You'll use this to help seed the new substrate. After you switch the substrates, place your seeding gravel either behind an ornament in the case of the shallow container, or in the outflow of your filter in the case of the nylons. Leave in place for 3-4 weeks till the new substrate is well colonized. Using something like cycle or biospirawill help as well. HTH a bit  .^_^[hr width='40%'] It only hurts when I breathe"  |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:27 |    |
| fishlover89 Fingerling Posts: 46 Kudos: 14 Votes: 0 Registered: 16-Aug-2003 | well the thing is that what i meant by new gravel is the same one i have now. i want to take out the gravel to do a very clean clean out beacuse of my snail explotion and then i will put the same gravel back. so the gravel i take out i will put back in but i want to take out all of the gravel before i put the part i took out back in. |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:27 | |
| Babelfish Administrator Small Fry with Ketchup Posts: 6833 Kudos: 8324 Votes: 1570 Registered: 17-Apr-2003 | Okay well...same thing still applies. If you keep the gravel out for too long without providing it an air source and a food source you are going to lose a massive ammount of your biofilter. Depending on stocking and what other precautions you take you will possibly see a minicycle. ^_^ [hr width='40%'] It only hurts when I breathe" |
| Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:27 | |
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