Changing Gravel

[DawnMichele]

Basically, I make about 3 sandwiches a day.
I'd love to stay and chat but I must clean my bedroom and bathroom upto a neat freaks standard or else I lose a $150 bet. I'll make a thread with the before and after pictured lol.
All within 24 hours while having stayed up for 2 days going on 3

It was fun talking with you. Thanks for your help!!!!

 

[DawnMichele]

Basically, I make about 3 sandwiches a day.
I'd love to stay and chat but I must clean my bedroom and bathroom upto a neat freaks standard or else I lose a $150 bet. I'll make a thread with the before and after pictured lol.
All within 24 hours while having stayed up for 2 days going on 3

It was fun talking with you. Thanks for your help!!!!

I'd suggest getting a plastic large tub and moving the Oscar in there while you remove the gravel and install the new one.

It'll annoy him, but if you're prepared you can change gravel out quite quickly, even if it kicks up a lot of sediment you can easily change the water, then once it's settled add the big fella back in.

Hello. I have been putting off changing his gravel for so long because I know how annoyed he will be!!! LOL!!! Too bad so sad I want new gravel in his tank!!!! LOL!!! IM going to leave him in the tank. IM too afraid to move him.

 

[Jexnell]

I have added to a bare bottom (I was impatient and couldn't wait for gravel so Toni was on her 6ft tank for a month barebottom) when I added it I just used s big Tupperware bowl and gently poured the rocks in on the bottom, not letting them drop on from the top. And yes Toni and friends were in there when I did it. The friends were all at the end I wasn't working on. Toni of course was right in the mess seeing whats going on. I did rinse the rocks 3x times, then placed into a big tote full of Prime water to kill the clorine. Then placed into Toni's tank.

 

[DawnMichele]

I have added to a bare bottom (I was impatient and couldn't wait for gravel so Toni was on her 6ft tank for a month barebottom) when I added it I just used s big Tupperware bowl and gently poured the rocks in on the bottom, not letting them drop on from the top. And yes Toni and friends were in there when I did it. The friends were all at the end I wasn't working on. Toni of course was right in the mess seeing whats going on. I did rinse the rocks 3x times, then placed into a big tote full of Prime water to kill the clorine. Then placed into Toni's tank.

Hey Sean!!! Hope your doing well. When I do water changes Big Boy always goes to the other side from where IM at. IM hoping that's what he will do when I change the gravel. I don't have a lot in there so I don't think it will take me too long to scoop out the old and put in the new. Wish me luck!!! LOL!!!

 

[skjl47]

Hello; Here is a way I have removed gravel with fish in tanks many times. All will depend on the size of the gravel. I get a length of clear plastic hose with an inside diameter big enough for the gravel to pass thru.
I start a siphon and siphon out the water and gravel at the same time into a bucket. This is a part of my WC routine. My purpose was to remove some gravel so I could clean it. I had extra cleaned gravel ready to put back. I would do this with pretty much every WC.

For your purpose it might take a few WC times to get all the gravel out. This is a very clean way to remove gravel. Scooping out the substrate will get you a cloud of detritus which will take a while to settle.

 

[imabot]

Basically, I make about 3 sandwiches a day.
I'd love to stay and chat but I must clean my bedroom and bathroom upto a neat freaks standard or else I lose a $150 bet. I'll make a thread with the before and after pictured lol.
All within 24 hours while having stayed up for 2 days going on 3

What kind of sandwiches?

 

[fishhead0103666]

I'll pm you so we don't derail this lovely thread made by an even lovelier lady

 

[burntrubber]

Scoop out the gravel with a fish net and vac whatever else is left along with the crap that stirs up.

 

[fishhead0103666]

I've tried that and it's the worst way if you ask me. I've done 2 80% water changes back to back after doing it that way and there was a till crap floating. Don't ask me how because I don't know :/.

 

[JohnnyHyde]

Nah, the majority of the bacteria is in the filters I believe. If you are worried you can take it out in parts. How big is the tank and how much gravel are we talking about?

The filter, gravel, glass, decorations - it's everywhere where bacteria grows, the only difference is the surface - that's why you try to get as porous filter media as possible - to increase the possible surface. The surface in filter is more important only because higher amount of water goes through it (however the place near outtake is almost the same, then the difference goes to surface).

On changing gravel - I'd go against it, because of two things. First of all, bacteria population is still quite large on that surface, so possibly, change 50% in 1 week and another 50% in the week after that - that way you'll be able to maintain more stable bacteria colonies. Secondly, it's a mess. Here, I would recommend using constant vacuum cleaner in place, where you remove the old gravel and before starting the whole process - vacuum it many times.

On the other hand, what would I do - buy a plastic box/bucket for the fish, store as much old water from the tank as possible, leave water in filter too and then change all of it at once. If you're scared about the instant bacteria colony change - just do more vacuums/cut a bit on feeding/change water more frequently for a week or two - that's all.