Changing gravel

[r.zanello]

I'm aware that the amount of gravel can seriously affect your water quality. Is it possible to remove the gravel in my tank, clean it, and only put back half without having any casualties?

Should I just remove the amount i want and siphon the rest or can I remove the gravel completely.

Please advise

 

[Gill Blue]

if you have standard aquarium gravel the odds of it changing your water quality is low, no matter how much you have in there. and vacuuming your gravel on a weekly or even bi-weekly basis will keep it clean enough. you don't want to wash it because then your removing lots of beneficial bacteria.
what's going on with your water quality?

 

[lp85253]

if you have standard aquarium gravel the odds of it changing your water quality is low, no matter how much you have in there. and vacuuming your gravel on a weekly or even bi-weekly basis will keep it clean enough. you don't want to wash it because then your removing lots of beneficial bacteria.
what's going on with your water quality?

x2 .. if you think it's real dirty or have to much to keep clean,,remove some and gravel vac the rest real well.. it doesn't take very much gravel in a tank to look nice ,,imo

 

[r.zanello]

I want to remove it because I have way to much about 5" deep. I figure if I remove half I could up my water volume

 

[Skurj]

Remove the gravel that will be permanently removed and gravel vac the rest. I wouldn't remove the gravel all at once, perhaps remove 25% at a time over a couple weeks.

 

[Gill Blue]

how long has it been setup? do you regularly vacuum the gravel? if it's been there for a while and feces allowed to stagnate you could have pockets of toxic gas created by anaerobic bacteria. moving the gravel would release it into the water.
if I was doing it to an iffy tank, I'd remove the fish, scrape the top layer of gravel to one side, remove the gravel you want removed and level out the remainder, suck out the water by vacuuming the gravel, replace with treated, temp correct water, and replace the fish.

 

[skjl47]

I want to remove it because I have way to much about 5" deep. I figure if I remove half I could up my water volume

Hello; I like to have deep gravel and 5 inches does not seem excessive. I like to have rooted live plants and the deep gravel has proven to be helpful for growing plants.
That said, I have removed gravel from tanks often with no ill effects.
One method used was to have a siphon tube large enough to pass the gravel. I would vacuum the gravel out while doing a water change. This method causes the least amount of disturbance. I would either allow the gravel directly into the catch bucket or run it into a sieve. The draw back is the amount of gravel removed is limited to the volume of water removed during a water change. Over several water changes a lot of gravel can be removed.

I have scooped out gravel with a plastic tub. This tends to create a lot of detritus clouding the water but any amount can be removed. I usually do it this way when tearing down a tank and try to remove the fish first. There have been times when a fish or few were missed and remained in the tank during the process. I once found a kuhli loach under the plate of an UGF when tearing down a tank. I am sure the fish were stressed but they would do fine and survived the process.

You mention feeling that the extra gravel taking up water volume and I suppose this is true to an extent. On the other hand I suspect there are benefits to deep gravel as deep gravel tanks have always seemed to do well for me over the decades.
Good luck

 

[convict360]

I had a very thin layer of gravel in my tank a few days ago, not even an inch thick, decided to remove it in place of sand. As soon as I went to scoop it out my tank became deep brown murk lol, so I'd highly recommend gravel vacuuming hell out of it before doing anything, but still be prepared for a literal sh*@ storm when u do agitate it

Sent from my Nexus 4 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[r.zanello]

Thanks for all the Ideas. I currently siphon the gravel every other water change. So it should be so bad. I currenly in the process of turn my geo tank that has been running for 4 years to a discus tank. I have never done them before and I am a little paranoid about the water quality. I have never had an issue before, but the risk is always there.

 

[lp85253]

you might want to consider bare bottom or a little sand with discus .. they ,as you know , need good water quality....