Changing From Gravel To Sand? :)

[annaw123]

Hi there, i have a 95 litre that is currently gravel, but love the way i've seen some of the tanks on here looking with sand! I've heard that argos play sand has been recommended, so would this be okay if i wash it out really well so that it does not cloud my water? I have quite a lot of plants, and bogwood, but i just seem to be rubbish at organising it so it looks as cool as some of the tanks i've seen on here! so any tips or advice would be really appreciated thanks!

 

[Noahs ark6]

take the plants and wood and put them in a bucket of the aquarium water. get a cup or something you can scoop the gravel up with and put it in a seperate buck, when you've got all of the gravel out throw it away (or keep it if you want) and start to wash the sand, make sure you wash it realy, realy well, slowly pour the sand into the tank (turn the filter off) keep repeating the process until theres enough sand in the tank. When all the sands in you can put the plants and wood back in.

 

[fluttermoth]

I have Argos playsand, and yes it's fine once it's really well washed. Do it even more times than you think and be utterly ruthless about tipping away any particles that don't sink immediately.

As for aquascaping, try and put your main features a third of the way along your tank, as that makes it look more pleasing to the eye than if they're in the middle, and put your plants in clumps of the same type as that's how they grow naturally, rather than spreading them out too much.

And don't be afraid to keep fiddling with things until you get it right; I've always got my arms in my tanks moving things six inches to the right, lol.

 

[annaw123]

thankyou very much, i'll be sure to rinse it out REALLY thorough, and get out any bits with a net that dont sink yeah i cant seem to stop fiddling either! my fish probably hate me

 

[annaw123]

oh and sorry to bother you again, but do either of you happen to have, or know anything about the Fluval U2 filter? My old filter has just about conked out, and the people who sold me the tank i have now also gave me their filter which they used to use with it (the Fluval u2). Problem is the fluval u2 has loads of filter bits in it, my filter currenty is very simple, with just the sponge-like filter in the bottom! So not really sure how i would change from one to the other? Thanks!

 

[fluttermoth]

Chop your current sponges up if you need to and replace some of the media in the U2 with it so you don't lose any good bacteria

 

[annaw123]

i see but the media in the u2 currenty had already been used by the previous owners who had the tank as an axolotl tank .. would it matter or should i just rinse them really thoroughly, as i guess all the bacteria would be dead by now anyway!