How to remove Substrate?

[Prowler]

Hello all,
I want to remove the gravel from my 90G tank. Can anyone give me tips on how to do this? Also, what should I do with my Red Texas in there while I remove the substrate? I have no open tanks available to put him in, so can you reccomend to me something I can buy to keep him in for a short period of time. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks..

 

[Jason_S]

when I switched over the gravel in my 150, here's what I did:

first, I did a very thorough gravel vac and removed about 50% of the water

second, with the fish still in the tank, I used a scoop to remove all the old gravel.

third, I rinsed the new gravel and poured it into the tank.

fourth, I put all the decorations (plants, rocks, wood) back into the tank the way I wanted it

fifth, I refilled the tank.

there was some gunk kicked up into the water by the gravel because vacuuming didn't remove everything. however, the filters on the tank (3 AC 500's) cleared up the water within an hour or so. the fish may have been a little stressed by the ordeal but not as much as they would have been, imo, by me netting them all, removing them to a much smaller container and then moving them again back into the tank. good luck...it really isn't that difficult.

 

[Oddball]

You can scoop the bulk of the gravel out with an 8" aquarium net. If it's large grave, a cat litter scoop will work fine. Whatever remains in the tank can be siphoned out with a hose. The siphoned gravel will settle to the bottom of a bucket and you can pour the water off.

Get a plastic storage bin from a department store, add water from your tank, set at least an air stone and heater into it, and keep your red texas there until you're ready to place him back in his tank.

 

[Prowler]

Thanks for the tips.

 

[mcblack]

might want to try this method, vaccum the subtrate at the end of the hose put a net to get the subtrate, haven't done this myself but a friend of mine has and it worked when he remove sand subtrate from his tank

 

[riskistang]

I went a bought a kitty litter scooper......

 

[Prowler]

I went a bought a kitty litter scooper......

Thats what I plan on doing tomorrow. With the suggestions I've gotten this should be pretty painless. Although 100lbs of gravel will take some time I imagine.