Substrate Switch - Gravel To Sand? - Done! Pics Later!

[fluffycabbage]

fab thanks very much

 

[Smurf]

Hey,

I was told if the sand gets into the filter then it can wear down the impeller. Doesnt take long for the sand to settle though, just make sure your intake in atleast 4 inches from the ubstrate, then you shouldnt get any sand in the filter

Hmm.... I posted about the same question & I was all set to go. Now I'm not so sure... My filter intake is only a couple of inches off the base (it currently sits on the gravel) & I can't change the height. Obv don't want to kill the powerhead but quite keen to get rid of the gravel & muck that must be in it!! Would a slope work? Or will it settle to a level anyway?

 

[fluffycabbage]

Hey,

I was told if the sand gets into the filter then it can wear down the impeller. Doesnt take long for the sand to settle though, just make sure your intake in atleast 4 inches from the ubstrate, then you shouldnt get any sand in the filter

Hmm.... I posted about the same question & I was all set to go. Now I'm not so sure... My filter intake is only a couple of inches off the base (it currently sits on the gravel) & I can't change the height. Obv don't want to kill the powerhead but quite keen to get rid of the gravel & muck that must be in it!! Would a slope work? Or will it settle to a level anyway?

Could you maybe create a little slate cave and sit it on that? Obviously wedge it in a bit, dont want it falling over!

 

[SimoUK]

Hey,

I was told if the sand gets into the filter then it can wear down the impeller. Doesnt take long for the sand to settle though, just make sure your intake in atleast 4 inches from the ubstrate, then you shouldnt get any sand in the filter

Hmm.... I posted about the same question & I was all set to go. Now I'm not so sure... My filter intake is only a couple of inches off the base (it currently sits on the gravel) & I can't change the height. Obv don't want to kill the powerhead but quite keen to get rid of the gravel & muck that must be in it!! Would a slope work? Or will it settle to a level anyway?

Why can you not change the height? is it an internal filter? get some suction cups or the intake and raise it up?

 

[SimoUK]

Here are a couple of pics, looks much better!

 

[gearhead65]

To prevent sucking up sand, I used some filter material and wrapped it around the intake and secured it with some rubber bands. I also have a "mid-tank intake" that I can also open and close if needed. This also saves my main filter from getting clogged prematurely. As far as getting sand in the impeller; I think I did one day. I would hear a groaning sound every now and then so I lifted the intake tube/impeller assembly while it was running so it would reseat and wash away whatever contaminate was causing the problem. Never heard the noise again. I love the look of my tank after switching to sand. The Corys love it and it's easier to stick the plants in. However, it's very easy to disturb the sand when pouring water in, etc. So, it has its drawbacks, but the advantages outweigh them.

 

[Smurf]

To prevent sucking up sand, I used some filter material and wrapped it around the intake

Ah - the simplest ideas are often the best! I think this would work nicely

I definitely want to do this; I've no idea what SimoUK's tank looked like before but its all bright and lovely now

To answer (I think SimoUK again) my filter intake is at the base of a long fixed length tube that's built in to the tank hood, leading to the filter media chamber (noodles, floss & carbon shelves).

Still worried about swallowing half the tank substrate when I do the vacuuming but I'll figure it out! Suspect I'll need to ditch my gravel cleaner siphoning gadget...

Thanks everyone

Daisy x

 

[fluffycabbage]

Tank looks great simo! daisy ive done that so many times already its not that bad actually, though i'd rather i got better at it

 

[Verminator89]

To prevent sucking up sand, I used some filter material and wrapped it around the intake

To answer (I think SimoUK again) my filter intake is at the base of a long fixed length tube that's built in to the tank hood, leading to the filter media chamber (noodles, floss & carbon shelves).

I run a Fluval 205 on a 60L tank, its planted thus the extra flow i want But i had a problem with the inlet pipe to the filter being too long. Combined with the prefilter cap in the tank to stop debris getting in it used to stick into the substrate. I have gravel so it wasnt to much of a problem but it still wasnt right. So i chopped the inlet tube down and i have a 1" stubby inlet pipe Combined with the pre-filter cap it reaches halfway down the tank which is ideal. And if i want to go back to using the filter on a bigger tank i still have the other huge piece of the original inlet tubing that i can swop over at any time.

Problem solved. No idea if you can implement the same thing as i have with your tank, but its an idea anyway.

 

[Rainbow67]

Well..... that was an experience.

God help me, i was so tempted to quit half way through, It did not go to plan at all, ill add some pictures later on.


So, i took the water down a little further, and proceeded to remove the gravel, now i pride myself just like all of us on keeping my tank clean, and under this subject comes gravel cleaning, well, god help me xD after removing a couple of jugs full of gravel, it was shocking to me how much dirt was actually under there, i mean tons, maybe this is just my bad maintenence i dunno, but it was ALOT, after doing about half of the gravel, the water was.. BROWN bordering on BLACK, at this point i felt like curling up into a ball and not contiuing because i diddnt know what to do, i pushed through it, whilst making a couple of emergency water changes to clear the water somewhat (so i could see what i was doing!)at this point i felt really bad, feeling that i had ruined my tank. I got most of the gravel out, theres a layer on the bottom of about 1cm, the rest on top is sand.


Simo

I know how you feel!

I changed my gravel in my small 40L tank about a month ago and it took me the best part of 5 hours!

The key though is to get organised and write down the steps one by one, and make sure you have enough buckets to temporarily house your fish, your old aquarium water and your filter material.

My gravel hadn't been changed for 14 years!.........the trick though is to syphon out as much water out of the tank as you can, and then use a small plastic container or similar to scoop out the rest of the water.
That I feel was your mistake Simo, not getting all the water out of your tank.
Once you are left with just the gravel and minimal wate,r it is so much easier to scoop out the gravel, and you don't get any cloudy water to obscure your view.
I used a clean plastic dustpan that I purchased from Wilkinsons for about £1, I just removed the rubber trim from the dustpan and it turned into the perfect scoop for the gravel, a small bucket and spade set I brought from the pound shop also proved useful in getting every last piece of gravel out.
Once you remove all the gravel then scub and clean the bottom and sides of your tank, remember you will rarely get the chance to access your tank bottom and sides again, so you might as well.
Once relatively clean then just lay your new sand or gravel with a scoop or platic spade.
Then add back your aquarium water and fish and top up the water as necessary.

It's hard work that can't really be rushed, but the results are well worth it in the end....just like painting a room I guess!