How To Change Substrate?

[BigRed08]

Hi all,

I have a Jewel 210litre set up which has quite a few plants in it and lots of fish. the substrate is gravel and that's it.
(2 pearl gourmi's, 2 dwarf blue gourmi's, 10 cardinal tetra's, 5 platy's, 2 red eye charcin, 2 armored carfish, 5 five band barb, and 1 bristlenose)

When I bought it of a friend in the summer he told me that's all I would need. I was doing him a favour as he was moving to Brunei at short notice and wanted to get rid of the tank and fish

However, after researching and reading up, I'm starting to find that some of my plants would do better in plant substrate with gravel or sand on top.

Are there any pinned topic's on how to change substrate once set up? I'm sure some of you would have good experience doing this so any help would be great!

 

[scouse_andy]

It depends on how much disruption you will tolerate. You could empty the tank, keep the fish and media and some of the water in buckets with heat and aeration then start from scratch in a dry tank.

The other way would be to poke some root tabs (fertiliser tablets) under the substrate where you have planted without disrupting the tank at all.

 

[DevUK]

I'm going to be doing a complete strip down and re-plant in the next few days (if all my parcels arrive). I'll be taking all my fish out and housing them in a spare aquarium with filter etc running. I'll then clean the main tank walls with water in it, then strip out plants and wood, and then drain it down. Finally I'll remove all the gravel (looking for MTS that are in there somewhere) and stick it in some buckets or even sacks (to be cleaned later). Then I'll be adding my pre-washed black sand, after a bit more cleaning...

After the sand is in, I'll add some water. Then root tabs, then new wood decor, then start planting. When all the planting is done I'll add more water. Then I'll start adding equipment too, especially the heater, and try to get the water up to temp.

I think I'm going to run out of buckets to be honest, but I'll think of something Maybe a mid sized plastic bin.

 

[BigRed08]

Thanks,

For the replies. Since posting I have found some good info on changing the substrate. Now it's just the case of either pulling a sickie off work to do it or sweet talk the wife to take the kids out at the week end for the morning