Hi all........I would like to remove a good proportion of the gravel in my tank. In parts it is 2 inches thick, which I have just learned is a pretty bad idea in my very small, 9 month old tank 
. I'd like to get rid of the majority, rinse some with clean water, and return just a quarter inch layer to the tank.
Q.1 - I'm assuming it would be a big no-no to rinse it off with clean tap water, as I would kill off some of that lovely bacteria? I can give a good shake in tank water, but I wanted to ensure it was rinsed properly of all detritus!!
Q.2 - I cleaned the filter in tank water yesterday, thoroughly - squeezed out the sponge, rinsed through both packs of media, cleaned the housing etc (all in tank water only). I want to replace some of the media but I'm paranoid!! I take it its alright to replace one bit of media at a time, even though I'm losing some bio-load? Is it alright as long as you don't replace everything at once? My filter has a sponge and two separate packs of media, and I also have two of those little "star" shaped things on top from my ex-LFS (sorry not sure what they're called).
Q.3 - not strictly cleaning related.....I bought an air stone and pump assembly to create a teeny tiny "bubble wall", to help with oxygenation - agitation of the surface is poor in my tank, just trying to help it along. Trouble is, wherever I position it, its blowing bubbles into my filter intake pipe. I'm not very technically minded, but am I right in thinking that, aside from the dreadful noise the filter makes as it works on air, this is not very good for it long term? I'm trying to put the wall along an edge well away from the intake!
Thank you in advance for any advice.
S
. I'd like to get rid of the majority, rinse some with clean water, and return just a quarter inch layer to the tank.Q.1 - I'm assuming it would be a big no-no to rinse it off with clean tap water, as I would kill off some of that lovely bacteria? I can give a good shake in tank water, but I wanted to ensure it was rinsed properly of all detritus!!
Q.2 - I cleaned the filter in tank water yesterday, thoroughly - squeezed out the sponge, rinsed through both packs of media, cleaned the housing etc (all in tank water only). I want to replace some of the media but I'm paranoid!! I take it its alright to replace one bit of media at a time, even though I'm losing some bio-load? Is it alright as long as you don't replace everything at once? My filter has a sponge and two separate packs of media, and I also have two of those little "star" shaped things on top from my ex-LFS (sorry not sure what they're called).
Q.3 - not strictly cleaning related.....I bought an air stone and pump assembly to create a teeny tiny "bubble wall", to help with oxygenation - agitation of the surface is poor in my tank, just trying to help it along. Trouble is, wherever I position it, its blowing bubbles into my filter intake pipe. I'm not very technically minded, but am I right in thinking that, aside from the dreadful noise the filter makes as it works on air, this is not very good for it long term? I'm trying to put the wall along an edge well away from the intake!
Thank you in advance for any advice.
S
