Gravel To Sand

[richchappy]

I have a tank with gravel in at the moment and it is fairly well established and i was wondering if i could change it to sand from gravel

Any help welcome

Rich

 

[Teelie]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=71021

 

[raptorrex]

you can send the tank into a mini cycle changing the gravel. though the same would be true if it were sand. one option, take the top 1/4" off and digard it. wash off as much of the gavel as you can in the remaining tank water. if you have it fill a stocking with some of the gravel too. the water will look like hell, with the residue of the washing. ideally you would let it settle, but that's not always possible. so put in 90% of the sand,. then put the stocking full of gravel into the tank. you can add the rest of the sand with next weeks water change. lol i almost forgot that the stocking was in there as i got so used to seeing it. i gave it 2 weeks.

 

[Teelie]

That's not necessarily true. Most of the bacteria are in the filter, not the substrate and if you do a few water changes to remove the built up detritus from the gravel, you should be fine. I've changed substrates several times over the years without geting minicycles from it.

 

[richchappy]

how many snails would you add per gallon of water

 

[Teelie]

Largely depends on the species. Apple snails, maybe 1 per 2-5 gallons, depending on the size of the snail and aquarium. Trumpet snails would be more like 5-10 per gallon. And there are dozens of other species inbetween but I'm assuming you mean Mystery snails which are often Apple snails.

 

[raptorrex]

That's not necessarily true. Most of the bacteria are in the filter, not the substrate and if you do a few water changes to remove the built up detritus from the gravel, you should be fine. I've changed substrates several times over the years without geting minicycles from it.

i would agree its not always true. the second word in my post was "can". lol being too careful is, was never a crime. removing the top 1/4 and discarding it, gets rid of most of the fish crap and sundry nasties. avoiding the need to do the extra water changes. in the end its up to the individual, as such its worth knowing all the possibility's.