Frick, that is not bueno. The gravel is round, but better safe than sorry. Should I return them? Dang, its hard to censor myself right now. I frickin love these fish plus they are present from one of my friends.
Some....news?
- Thread starter HoldenOn
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Its not ideal for them to be honest but perhaps not worth taking back to a shop. You're obviously taking care of them with regards to water changes etc. Theres far worse situations they could end up in. If you are concerned then you're better to find a fellow fish keeper who has sand substrate to donate them to. Or, just switch over to sand, its not that tricky to do
You don't need to panic and return them. If it's rounded and soft, it shouldn't hurt them. My dad has kept cories for years on riverstone/gravel/sand mix, and it's smooth so hasn't damaged them. They'll be okay if it isn't sharp enough to damage their barbels and things, as long as you keep it clean. But is there a possiblity you can change your substrate to sand for them further down the line? They really do enjoy pushing around and filtering fine sand to find things to eat, so they would love it, and you'd see a whole new aspect of them.
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I can totally change it, but might take a while. I'm 16 so keeping a consistent flow of cash for this hobby is rough, and I pay for my own insurance and gas so I can't splurge. Plus school just started. Probably can squeeze 400 out before I'm going to have to quit. The reason he gave them to me is because he has huge chunky gravel way spikier than mine. I'll keep them comfy as possible, and change it when I have money and time, maybe next time I have a break from school. How do I change substrate with rooted plants though and stuff.
I understand! The hobby has been draining me of cash lately too! But at least now you know they're probably okay on your gravel for a while (make sure to clean it well and not overfeed the tank, so the cories aren't pushing down into the gravel too much to pick up leftover fish food), you can save up and plan ahead to switch it to sand later on down the line when you can manage it.
Play sand over there in the US is cheap, and I think @PheonixKingZ knows a brand that is aquarium safe? Which brand was it PK, and do you know a rough price?
So at least you know you don't need to spend a fortune on expensive aquarium sand. Play sand is nice and fine, perfect for cories, and super cheap compared to gravel or aquarium sands.
As for swiching, you just move fish into a bucket or tote with a heater and airstone, drain tank and remove hardscape and plants, then scoop out all the gravel. Give it a good wipe around with paper towels because it'll be gross underneath all that, then add well rinsed sand. Replace hardscape, fill tank a third of the way or so, re-plant plants, fill tank the rest of the way, replace filter/heater/airstone etc, replace fish. Ta-da!
It's really not as bad as it seems. Most healthy plants can cope with being disturbed and replanted as a one-off. You don't want to be moving them around every week, but just like buying an outdoor plant and re-planting it in your own garden, a healthy plant can cope with being moved once and then re-establishing itself in a new spot.Nice, sounds good. Just need to not run into anything and I can put some money asideI understand! The hobby has been draining me of cash lately too! But at least now you know they're probably okay on your gravel for a while (make sure to clean it well and not overfeed the tank, so the cories aren't pushing down into the gravel too much to pick up leftover fish food), you can save up and plan ahead to switch it to sand later on down the line when you can manage it.
Play sand over there in the US is cheap, and I think @PheonixKingZ knows a brand that is aquarium safe? Which brand was it PK, and do you know a rough price?
So at least you know you don't need to spend a fortune on expensive aquarium sand. Play sand is nice and fine, perfect for cories, and super cheap compared to gravel or aquarium sands.
As for swiching, you just move fish into a bucket or tote with a heater and airstone, drain tank and remove hardscape and plants, then scoop out all the gravel. Give it a good wipe around with paper towels because it'll be gross underneath all that, then add well rinsed sand. Replace hardscape, fill tank a third of the way or so, re-plant plants, fill tank the rest of the way, replace filter/heater/airstone etc, replace fish. Ta-da!
. It'll actually be a nice chance to do a little rescape! Will I need to re-cycle? Could hopefully do it in like a month or so!
. I'm actually kind of excited for this
They are much better off with you, than going to Petsmart. Who knows where they'd end up. I know you love them and are doing your best for them. Most people have had less than ideal set ups for their fish, found out later, and it's not always easy to fix it immediately. But you're taking good care of them, you'll keep an on eye on their barbels and keep their substrate clean I'm sure, so a couple of months on a smooth gravel until you can switch it to sand is far from a terrible home for them! They might end up far worse off and not nearly as loved if you gave them away. You're doing a good job with them so far and you clearly care a lot
Not a full recycle, no, you can just remove and replace the filter which will have most of your beneficial bacteria on it. But it's very likely that you'll have a bit of a mini cycle, since you'll lose all the beneficial bacteria that was on the gravel, and it'll take a few days to a week or so for the colony to grow back again to handle the same bioload as before. I just experienced this last week when I moved to sand, but used an established filter from another tank. Got low readings for nitrites, so needed to do 50% daily water changes for a few days to keep the ammonia and nitrites at zero. I was confused about it at the time and made a postNice, sounds good. Just need to not run into anything and I can put some money aside
So once you switch, test the water daily, and be prepared to do daily water changes for a short time as the bacteria colonies re-grow. It's not like cycling from scratch, since you still have the type of bacteria you need, it'll just take a little time for the bacterial colony to re-grow enough to make up for the ones lost from the gravel. I think it took my tank four days to be fully cycled again, and nitrite levels were zero after a water change, and on the lowest reading when there were nitrites, so with water changes, it didn't get dangerous.
Were you planning to add more fish? If so, might be best to wait until after you've switched to sand, so the mini cycle isn't too bad. More stocking means more ammonia/nitrites/nitrates, so it's easier to ride out the mini cycle if the tank is lightly stocked, then gradually add your new fish in small groups later.
Nothing is an inexpensive as a bag of Quikrete Play Sand. About $5 or $6 in US ($6-7 here in Canada), from Home Depot or Lowe's. The Quikrete Play Sand is safe on all counts. Not all "play sand" is. One 25kg (50 lb) bag will more than suffice a 3-foot long tank. I used one bag in my 4-foot 70g even.
It does make a difference. I used fine gravel for 15 or more years until those who know convinced me to change. I did notice a difference in the cories, though I would be hard pressed to say exactly what it was.
It does make a difference. I used fine gravel for 15 or more years until those who know convinced me to change. I did notice a difference in the cories, though I would be hard pressed to say exactly what it was.
I personally like sand better - Quikrete sand is great.
Just saw this - I use Quikrete (as @Byron already said) brand. $5 for a 50lb bag.
Military, 24 hour, same thing.I've never heard it called military time
Yea, I have practically nothing in the tank right now. Just 4 cories.They are much better off with you, than going to Petsmart. Who knows where they'd end up. I know you love them and are doing your best for them. Most people have had less than ideal set ups for their fish, found out later, and it's not always easy to fix it immediately. But you're taking good care of them, you'll keep an on eye on their barbels and keep their substrate clean I'm sure, so a couple of months on a smooth gravel until you can switch it to sand is far from a terrible home for them! They might end up far worse off and not nearly as loved if you gave them away. You're doing a good job with them so far and you clearly care a lot
Not a full recycle, no, you can just remove and replace the filter which will have most of your beneficial bacteria on it. But it's very likely that you'll have a bit of a mini cycle, since you'll lose all the beneficial bacteria that was on the gravel, and it'll take a few days to a week or so for the colony to grow back again to handle the same bioload as before. I just experienced this last week when I moved to sand, but used an established filter from another tank. Got low readings for nitrites, so needed to do 50% daily water changes for a few days to keep the ammonia and nitrites at zero. I was confused about it at the time and made a post
So once you switch, test the water daily, and be prepared to do daily water changes for a short time as the bacteria colonies re-grow. It's not like cycling from scratch, since you still have the type of bacteria you need, it'll just take a little time for the bacterial colony to re-grow enough to make up for the ones lost from the gravel. I think it took my tank four days to be fully cycled again, and nitrite levels were zero after a water change, and on the lowest reading when there were nitrites, so with water changes, it didn't get dangerous.
Were you planning to add more fish? If so, might be best to wait until after you've switched to sand, so the mini cycle isn't too bad. More stocking means more ammonia/nitrites/nitrates, so it's easier to ride out the mini cycle if the tank is lightly stocked, then gradually add your new fish in small groups later.
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