Easier way to replace substrate?

[VioletThePurple]

I'm changing my gravel substrate over to sand. I tried using a funnel, but the sand still ended up floating at the top, no better than before. My water also went cloudy, but that should go away in time. I scoop out the gravel with a net, then put it in a container to dump out later. I'm doing this in increments because I don't want to disturb BB too much. I rinsed my sand in my water change container, so I can't change any water out until I'm done adding sand. I might have to buy more sand because the current layer isn't thick enough to root my plants like the gravel did.

 

[Sgooosh]

I think it'd be a good idea to wash or at least soak your sand first.
that way less cloud and no floatng

 

[Byron]

I would never change the substrate in sections, but all at once. It is far less stressful on the fish (if fish are in the tank). I set up a temporary tank, you can move the filter and heater over, use the existing tank water, and net over the fish. Add some floating plants, and some of the wood/decor. Then you can take your time and the fish are fine. The temporary tank can be small. I put the fish from a 115g tank into a 29g tank for two days when I changed the substrate in the 5-foot 115g tank.

Rinse the sand before adding it, but don't go to extremes.

 

[Wills]

If you can't drain the tank down and want to add more substrate add it to a plastic bottle about 3/4 full and add that to the tank with the sand in. Let all the air bubble out and the sand in the bottle settle again. Then pour the sand out of the bottle underwater to the rest of the substrate. As long as the sand is washed well before this you should be fine.

Wills

 

[VioletThePurple]

I think it'd be a good idea to wash or at least soak your sand first.
that way less cloud and no floating

I did, it's soaked in a container but that still happened.

 

[VioletThePurple]

I would never change the substrate in sections, but all at once. It is far less stressful on the fish (if fish are in the tank). I set up a temporary tank, you can move the filter and heater over, use the existing tank water, and net over the fish. Add some floating plants, and some of the wood/decor. Then you can take your time and the fish are fine. The temporary tank can be small. I put the fish from a 115g tank into a 29g tank for two days when I changed the substrate in the 5-foot 115g tank.

Rinse the sand before adding it, but don't go to extremes.

Like I said, I'm changing in sections to not ruin BB. I think a little stress is better than risking a cycle crash. I don't have another safe tank to move everything over to. I did rinse the sand, but I didn't have anywhere else to sit it in besides the container.

 

[Byron]

Like I said, I'm changing in sections to not ruin BB. I think a little stress is better than risking a cycle crash. I don't have another safe tank to move everything over to. I did rinse the sand, but I didn't have anywhere else to sit it in besides the container.

It is easy to consider the extreme. There was plenty of bacteria in the substrate of my 5-foot tank that all disappeared when I changed to sand, but the fish did not suffer from this. I had plants, and lots of floaters. But if you keep the existing filter (don't clean it, just move it to the temporary and then back again), and because you have only a few fish (platies I think, and 1 cory?) this is not going to be an issue.

 

[Sgooosh]

I did, it's soaked in a container but that still happened.

Ok maybe its not soaking all the way through and air is being trapped in bubbles so i would say stir witha glove or sticks very thoroughly