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I really should do something with my nano tank.
I want to increase the amount of gravel but not use that neon stuff, and redo the plants.
Trouble is its wall to wall shrimp, guppy fry and apple snail juvies.
I also have an anubias nano on small dw arriving tomorrow which I was hoping might squeeze in this tank.

Rather than removing the old gravel, have you considered just adding on top? I'd try pushing it away from the sides then slowly and gently!!!!! adding a small handful of washed gravel to the edges first. Let that settle for a week or so then add new gravel to the top slowly and gently (so as not to startle or scare anyone).

Might want to remove some of the java moss as I'm sure it's being used, but is also taking over, and trim down and replant any of the ones reaching the top.

Not sure how big a piece of DW you're getting in, but you may want to bring in a few small smooth stones to have a center of focus.

^_^

Yeah that java moss is a weed in my tank and I am always thinning it out.
Great idea on the gravel, babel.
Bit of an unknown atm until I see what size anubias on "mini" dw is. Sometimes my supplier is generous with size.
Tricky bit is, moving the baby apple snails out of the way. Some are smaller than the pebble gravel. They have exceptionally clean shells as the glass shrimp constantly groom them.

I personally would carefully remove all the gravel but do not clean the bottom of the tank.

Take out about 3/4 of the water and toss all the plants and as many fish and snails as you can then quickly add all the washed clean new substrate then replant it. Then carefully add all the water, fish and snails

Add some Sera Nitrivec or Stress Zyme plus a little Melafix.

As long as you keep the filter running the whole time there should be no problem.

When I Betta tank leaked I placed everything into a clean plastic bin and put every thing back the same day and not a problem. I kept the filter, heater & air-stone going at all times.

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Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

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If you just cap the existing with new more natural gravel won't the coloured stuff all end up being mixed through and visible after the first gravel vac? Am I missing something here?

If you really want to keep the old gravel, you could try pushing it all to the back or sides of the tank where it would be more easily disguised with ornaments or dense planting.

G_T

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

My suggestion on not removing the gravel was to keep as much of the mulm as possible. As you remove old gravel it turns the water very mucky and not something I'd try doing again with fish in the tank. I had altogether too many illnesses and deaths after I tried to do it the easy way and not remove the fish. With the number of fry in the tank I can't imagine it'd be easy to remove them all.

With planted tanks deep gravel vacs aren't always done as the plants want the nutrients. Just a light skim of the surface or slight vac doing only the very top layer of the gravel. However mixing may occur, that is a valid issue. Might be able to pick whatever comes to the surface out by hand...

^_^

I have never rescaped a tank before. You didn't tell me it would look like a snow storm hit it.
Now I know what happens when you fiddle with the substrate.
Oh well it will clear...eventually.

Normally until the next day is cleared. If you will still find some brown dirt on the plants, don't worry, the shrimps will clean it.

Yeah ummm we don't want the fish dealing with the wastestorm...if they're still in there and it's still unsettled, I'd run the filtration on as high as possible.

Like Gaia said, usually a noticeable difference overnight, but it'd be like us being stuck in a port-a-potty overnight
, if not worse .

^_^

I packed up the filter with filter wool and that did the trick. The water, although smoky from new gravel, is now clear of sediment.

I didn't remove all the old gravel as there was more in there than I thought so bits might drift up to the surface during vac times. I will just pick those little bits out if they are bright neon.

I also moved many of the snails and fry on to the next size up tank so the nano has some extra room.

Still waiting on the mini dw with anubia to arrive.

Thankyou so much for helping and giving me ideas. I wasn't entirely sure what I was doing but I seem to have been fortunate enough not to kill any of the live inhabitants.

Just a bit more tinkering and settling, and I should be able to take photos. Stay tuned.

It all takes time and it will settle down and you will have a far better aquascaped tank.

I would change the filter and wash the filter material as soon as it clears up you will be surprised the amount of gunk it has picked up other wise the filter may not be working to its full capacity.

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Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
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Yay, it's all happening today, my nana on mini dw arrived.
It just fits in the tank widthways.

I trashed the place yesterday looking for my mini porcelain pagoda to no avail. I did however find a bit of petrified wood I had found once and kept, so I popped it in the tank to hold back that pesky Java moss.

Wow!!!! What an improvement!!! Kudos and bravo to you! Just be very careful, and dont replace any of the filter media as i did, as the bacteria from the gravel is almost all gone, if not completely gone. I just covered up my gravel after two weeks of a new media, and it still went full cycle. You do have a lot of animals in your tank, and i would highly suggest using stress zyme, as it dosent need to be refridgerated, and it does better than cycle, IMO & IME. Next time you visit your LFS, get a small pagoda then. It would look neat in there, as long as it is subtle colored.

Also, how high is your WPG? You should consider complete removal of the Java moss if you have high wpg, and put in riccia, glosso, or any other foreground plant.

Congrats!

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Bren , Well done.... a vast improvement . I would go for a few very small crypts to fill out the scape a bit , but otherwise fantastic job .


Garry

Small Crypts eg Nevilii are harder to buy than hens teeth I have been looking/waiting most of this year for them.
For some reason they are not for sale in Aust at the moment.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
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Looking good bren

As a way of managing that java moss you could try creating a moss wall with it... maybe use it as an in-tank background or end wall. I've been thinking of trying it myself in one of my smaller tanks

G_T

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

Great goin Bren!
You have a completely different tank now. Nicely done!

Good job !

Also recommend another small crypt called C parva which makes a nice foreground filler.

The Amazon Nut...