Time For A Change Me Thinks...

[darrel69]

Ok, so i got offered a really good deal on ocean rock the other day and took it! ... also, ive just ordered a big bag of aragonite sand. So as soon as my agragonite arrives, ill be starting on the change over..

So ive been thinking... will it be too much of a set-back on the bacteria?.. taking out all the rocks, decor, sand ect and replacing with new.. keeping in mind i have two fully cycled mature filters on the go..

At the moment im using bi-carb and a cichlid conditioner to keep the water hard and alkaline.. but ill not need those anymore with using ocean rock and aragonite will i ?? ... is it ok to completely stop using them straight away do you think ? or should it be like weaned off ?? .. also ive just ordered fome filter bags so i can put some of the aragonite in my filters.

How long does it take for it to harden the water ? are we talking like hours or days ? ... And, i know ive asked this before but i feel the need to ask it again lol.. Suppose i stop using the additives i use now and let the aragonite do it for me.. surely im going to get temporary low levels of hardness and ph when doing water changes of 50% ?? stressful for my fish ??

Any input would be great thanks

 

[kj23502]

I'd say about 90% ish of the bacteria are in the filter anyway. So you'd be fine w/taking out the decor and sand

It does take time for the new decor to leach hardness into the water, although I'm not sure how long and it also depends on how much you're putting in and how big the tank is. I'd go ahead and use the water treatment you've been using when you put water back in after your done redoing the tank. Then when you do your first wc don't use it and test the water afterwards(if it's not quite up to par that's alright if you do smallish wc's.) Test the water before so you can compare it, too!!

But not using it and having a largish hardness swing is what's hard on most fish. Plus if the hardness decreases enough, it'll make the ph unstable I was reading on TFF that it's mostly the hardness that affects them (and that's also tied to PH a bit)..

I hope that answers your questions...and I've been reading soooo much since last winter that I'm extremely confident in my answer and would do it the same way as I described for my fish

 

[Ferris]

I changed the entire substrate etc in my 150gal without removing the water (or fish). Just did half the tank at a time after emptying approx 30% of the water. The fish stayed in the other half of the tank and i had no real problems - it also saved the worries about Ph/Temp/Hardness shock etc - didn't take that long either.

 

[darrel69]

Yea good tips Kj, thanks. Things seem to be going a little faster than i thought since i just ordered my stuff yesterday and got them first thing this morning!!.. so ill be cracking on with it later..

Ive been thinking.. to have a less as possible swing in the hardness/ph, maybe i should just change 25% each week instead of 50%. Or maybe i could do 25% every 4/5 days instead 7??... ill have to think about it..

Im a little reluctant to take everything out and replace with new (for bacteria reasons), but i cant think of any other way to do it other than doing it over a week or so.. i dont really have the time though, its either this weekend or not at all.

Ferris, you changed everything then at the same time ? and you didn't experience a mini-cycle or anything ??

The last thing i want is a mini-cycle.

 

[kj23502]

The last thing i want is a mini-cycle.

Darrel, as was previously stated 90%ish of the bacteria is in the filter. Bacteria, in established tank, have the ability and capacity to double in 24 hours or so if needed. You will not have a mini cycle as long as you don't let your filter dry out or leave it for a day or two w/out it running

An afternoon of it sitting will be fine as long as the tank water is still in it.

 

[Ace Of Spades]

The last thing i want is a mini-cycle.

Darrel, as was previously stated 90%ish of the bacteria is in the filter. Bacteria, in established tank, have the ability and capacity to double in 24 hours or so if needed. You will not have a mini cycle as long as you don't let your filter dry out or leave it for a day or two w/out it running

An afternoon of it sitting will be fine as long as the tank water is still in it.

Agreed, Common misconception that the bactieria is mainly in water and gravel, As long as you keep your filter media wet youll be fine mate

 

[kj23502]

Plus, Ferris would not have done it himself if he thought it would endanger his fish

 

[Ferris]

The amount of beneficial bacteria in the substrate and decor is negligible - it's all in the filter(s). The reason i left the water in was to avoid drastic short term changes in the water parameters and to be honest - it was still quite straight forward.

 

[darrel69]

Thanks guys!.. made me feel alot better now.. ill just go ahead and do it then .. soz, i can be a little obsessive compulsive at times lol.

Btw...

Bacteria, in established tank, have the ability and capacity to double in 24 hours or so if needed.

I never knew that!.. is good to know..

 

[kj23502]

Bacteria, in established tank, have the ability and capacity to double in 24 hours or so if needed.

I never knew that!.. is good to know..

I just learned since being on TFF. I believe it was one of Miss Wiggles posts. She's full of awesome information!! As well as soo many others on here

 

[darrel69]

Kewl...

Im all done rescaping now.. wern't as stressful as i thought, all went smoothly actually.. It looks so different and really bright. Ill take a pic and replace the one in the members thread with it later..

Thanks.

 

[darrel69]

Before and after pics...

Before..

After..

Better ? i think so...

 

[dthoffsett]

It looks great darrel, of course the other way looked good too. Wish I could get my tanks to look that good when I try to scape them.

 

[kj23502]

WOW! you did a great job

 

[darrel69]

Thanks