So I want to switch my 75 gallon tank from gravel to a dirt capped with sand substrate. My concern is with cycling the tank, as I have some delicate fish that can’t take a fish in cycle. So assuming that I have adequate filtration (2 Fluval 70s) can I expect a huge cycle? Are there any steps I can do first to reduce any ammonia spikes? Am I overthinking this?
Dirt tank cycling
- Thread starter kzimmerman
- Start date
Hey
If you are only gonna change the substrate in the tank you dont need to worry about cycling. If you use the same filters, they will already be cycled. Its in the filters most of the important bacteria lives.
For the other questions it really depends on the fish and stocking level. What fish do you have and how many?
If you are only gonna change the substrate in the tank you dont need to worry about cycling. If you use the same filters, they will already be cycled. Its in the filters most of the important bacteria lives.
For the other questions it really depends on the fish and stocking level. What fish do you have and how many?
I would say that the bacterial life in the substrate is many times that of a small filter, and is important.
Well yes you are right there is a lot of bacterial life in the substrat, but the important heterotrophic bacteria that feeds on disolved organic compounds and the bacteria that do the nitrogen cycle lives mostly in the filter, even in a poor filtered tank.
So yes, you will loose some bacteria when you change the substrate, but your filters will still be cycled and they are the most important.
When it comes to the dirt substrate i cant help you cus i dont have much experience with that. But I would recomend to feed lightly after changing the substrate, since you will loose some bacteria
So yes, you will loose some bacteria when you change the substrate, but your filters will still be cycled and they are the most important.
When it comes to the dirt substrate i cant help you cus i dont have much experience with that. But I would recomend to feed lightly after changing the substrate, since you will loose some bacteria
I’m not worried about the bacteria, I’m worried about the organic in the potting soil causing an ammonia spike. The tank contains a freshwater moray that is very precious to me.
I see. Well the heterotrophic bacteria feed on organics like that, så the more of these bacteria, the less ammonia spike you will get. I hope someone else here ca say more about that type of substrate, cus i dont really have much experience with it. But if the moray usually diggs, that could probably be a problem