Gravel ---> Sand Conversion
- Thread starter GBG
- Start date
If you keep your gravel clean by using a python or gravel vac, there should be no problem in removing the gravel without creating too big of a mess. You can leave the fish in.
How big are your pieces of gravel? If the stones are small enough to be siphoned, do it that way. Just get a 3/4" ID (or bigger) piece of vinyl tubing and siphon out as much gravel as you can with each water change. Plus, if you would like to mix some gravel in with the sand, you can of course leave a little gravel in the tank; makes for a more realistic substrate.
I have used this method on tanks up to 72"x18" and it works well. It should work on your 300, although it is going to be time consuming. It actually goes faster that you might think this way.
Note that you cant just jam the siphon down into the gravel; you will pick up too many stones at once and they will clog in the tubing. You have to hover the tubing right at the surface of the gravel to pick up stones and water at the same time. I takes a little finesse, but you will quickly get the hang of it.
Also, if your wet/dry intake is at the tank's surface (surface skimmer), you should not have much of a problem with sand getting into the wet/dry filter.
I am planning to remove some gravel soon too; I think the gravel is making it more difficult to keep my tank's nitrate lower. I am going to try reducing the substrate to a very thin covering of gravel and maybe some sand (barely enough to cover the bottom).
Good luck.
How big are your pieces of gravel? If the stones are small enough to be siphoned, do it that way. Just get a 3/4" ID (or bigger) piece of vinyl tubing and siphon out as much gravel as you can with each water change. Plus, if you would like to mix some gravel in with the sand, you can of course leave a little gravel in the tank; makes for a more realistic substrate.
I have used this method on tanks up to 72"x18" and it works well. It should work on your 300, although it is going to be time consuming. It actually goes faster that you might think this way.
Note that you cant just jam the siphon down into the gravel; you will pick up too many stones at once and they will clog in the tubing. You have to hover the tubing right at the surface of the gravel to pick up stones and water at the same time. I takes a little finesse, but you will quickly get the hang of it.
Also, if your wet/dry intake is at the tank's surface (surface skimmer), you should not have much of a problem with sand getting into the wet/dry filter.
I am planning to remove some gravel soon too; I think the gravel is making it more difficult to keep my tank's nitrate lower. I am going to try reducing the substrate to a very thin covering of gravel and maybe some sand (barely enough to cover the bottom).
Good luck.
I did my 210 a while ago and it was a slow, slooooow process, but I think that it was worth it. What I did:
Step 1: Remove gravel with a large fish net, i put it into a 5 gal bucket so I could carry it easily.
Step 2: After all of the gravel is removed fill your 5 gallon bucket with sand, wash the sand (put a hose in it and run water through it to get the particulates out so what is left is just the heavy stuff that will sink) and add it a little bit at a time by hand until you have the bottom covered how you like.
The whole process took a couple days but it was worth it.
Another thing you might concider is, if you are going to put in live plants, just put the sand over the rocks. If your fish arn't mainly bottom dwellers. It makes it easier on the plants and you.
Step 1: Remove gravel with a large fish net, i put it into a 5 gal bucket so I could carry it easily.
Step 2: After all of the gravel is removed fill your 5 gallon bucket with sand, wash the sand (put a hose in it and run water through it to get the particulates out so what is left is just the heavy stuff that will sink) and add it a little bit at a time by hand until you have the bottom covered how you like.
The whole process took a couple days but it was worth it.
Another thing you might concider is, if you are going to put in live plants, just put the sand over the rocks. If your fish arn't mainly bottom dwellers. It makes it easier on the plants and you.
Just last week I removed 120lbs of black sand from my 150G. I used my fish net to take the sand out. Depending on the weight of your gravel you may be able to do the same. I managed not to damage the net even.
Bare bottom is awesome my water has never been this crystal clear.
Bare bottom is awesome my water has never been this crystal clear.
Ozkar;984761; said:
Don't fall victim to that myth. Nitrates are only the end result of the nitrogen cycle. Nothing else contributes to it (unless you are doing some industrial strength chemical reactions in there (kidding...you wouldn't have any fish)).
CHOMPERS;984807; said:Don't fall victim to that myth. Nitrates are only the end result of the nitrogen cycle. Nothing else contributes to it (unless you are doing some industrial strength chemical reactions in there (kidding...you wouldn't have any fish)).
What about all the waste that stays in the gravel? Wouldn't it be better to remove as much of the fish waste via the filter and siphoning than to have a lot left in the gravel to add to nitrate (eventually)?
I would love to hear more on your opinion on this Chompers! I am grasping at straws trying to improve my nitrate levels. Even with large water changes, it never gets below 20ppm. Any ideas? (without hijacking the thread of course
)
You need alot more/better filtration if your never getting below 20ppm and doing alot of water changes. How big of water changes are you doing? What sort of filter are you running currently? Fish housed in the tank?
As far as the gravel sand debate, I've changed the substrate on two different occasions in my 240, twice in my 55, and once in my 20. I've run playsand and estes sand (playsand is horrible to get clean and to fine to keep clean) It looks really good with the estes sand but all the fish waste in the tank sits on the surface of the sand so to keep it clean you really have to clean it alot.
I use smaller gravel now on the final iteration of substrate in my 240 and like it the best because of looks and its fine enough to keep most fish waste on/near the surface. If your using a python or similar gravel vaccuum device you will get the recessed waste from the subsurface levels in the gravel. ~Trent
As far as the gravel sand debate, I've changed the substrate on two different occasions in my 240, twice in my 55, and once in my 20. I've run playsand and estes sand (playsand is horrible to get clean and to fine to keep clean) It looks really good with the estes sand but all the fish waste in the tank sits on the surface of the sand so to keep it clean you really have to clean it alot.
I use smaller gravel now on the final iteration of substrate in my 240 and like it the best because of looks and its fine enough to keep most fish waste on/near the surface. If your using a python or similar gravel vaccuum device you will get the recessed waste from the subsurface levels in the gravel. ~Trent
CHOMPERS;984807; said:Don't fall victim to that myth. Nitrates are only the end result of the nitrogen cycle. Nothing else contributes to it (unless you are doing some industrial strength chemical reactions in there (kidding...you wouldn't have any fish)).
from what I understand...... Poop causes ammonia. beneficial bacteria will break down this ammonia and convert it to Nitrites. The bacteria will then further break it down to Nitrates, where it will stay until water changes remove them.
Now gravel wont trap teh nitrates, but gravel will however trap the poop which will in return KEEP releasing ammonia, which will KEEP converting to nitrites which will KEEP converting to Nitrates. So you will always have some Nitrates. So in a bare bottom tank, you can get every single bit of poop out, which will stop the ammonia to nitrite to nitrate cycle.
You'll always have some nitrate, but getting the poop out fast will limit the amount a bit.
Chompers please let me know if there is something you know that I dont, this is what I always understood, but I would love to know if I am missing somthing.
TCZeli;985062; said:from what I understand...... Poop causes ammonia. beneficial bacteria will break down this ammonia and convert it to Nitrites. The bacteria will then further break it down to Nitrates, where it will stay until water changes remove them.
Now gravel wont trap teh nitrates, but gravel will however trap the poop which will in return KEEP releasing ammonia, which will KEEP converting to nitrites which will KEEP converting to Nitrates. So you will always have some Nitrates. So in a bare bottom tank, you can get every single bit of poop out, which will stop the ammonia to nitrite to nitrate cycle.
You'll always have some nitrate, but getting the poop out fast will limit the amount a bit.
Chompers please let me know if there is something you know that I dont, this is what I always understood, but I would love to know if I am missing somthing.
Yeah, that was my thinking exactly! Chompers, I want your thoughts on this too.
Thanks!amazonfishman;984969; said:
Better filtration? I'm not having problems with ammonia or nitrite, just the final result Nitrate, which is supposed to be removed by algae, plants, and water changes (as in my case).
Am I missing something here? What are your thoughts? I would love any advice that would help me, I just don't know of a Nitrate filter that would work in my case.