Re-organizing

[PrairieSunflower]

I'm going to be re-organizing my tank probably next week once I have received my bog wood and had time to soak it properly. Just want one more piece of advice/opinions.

If I am going to uproot and move my plants around and add the new bog wood and so on (will really only take me a half hour maximum) then do a 90% water change to get rid of any disturbed debris that may have been there..... Am I best off removing all my fish into a container during this process or is it ok to leave them in the tank? Or is that too dangerous in case I disturb any debris and cause an ammonia spike before I've completed the water change?

 

[Flute]

I've always left my fish in the tank when I've done this. I usually take out about 20% (so you can reach the bottom easier), switch off the lights, pull everything out (plants, bogwood, rocks, etc) and stick them in a bucket out of the way. I then use this opportunity to run my hands through the substrate and suck up the plec poo that gets lodged under the bogwood and any other debris. Re-arrange everything (be careful once you start putting plants and bogwood back in, the fish will all flock to anything they can hide in/by), and then re-fill back up. I unplug the heater, but keep the filters running as long as the water level doesn't drop too far. Re fill the tank, wait a few hours and then the lights can go back on.

I do it quite regularly and have never lost fish from it. It's also a good chance to do a head count and make sure no one is missing

 

[Chad]

I like to take my fish out. All that moving about, stiring up of detritus etc just seems to stress them. Or at least it stresses me thinking that it stresses them.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I don't think my fish get stressed with me fiddling in my tank, they usually are there nibbling my fingers... my home reared ones swim straight into the next when I am trying to fish out a stray leaf or whatnot.

 

[Chad]

Crazy fish!

 

[DrRob]

Yeah, I'd not consider moving most of mine for a rescape, they enjoy playing and hunting for scraps in the mess.