Replacing substrate in a running tank.

[GolemGolem]

I wish to change a running tank from ugly blue gravel to pool filter sand.
So how bad for my fish and HOB and Sponge would it be to get most but not all of the disco gravel out, rinse the heck outta the sand, and then add a couple cups of rinsed sand a day until I have a sufficency of substrate again? Would it sink in a reasonable fashion?

 

[siebertn]

I add new pool sand to my tank all the time as it gets less from all the cleaning.I add anything from 5 to 10 kg at a time.Just make sure you clean it very good as the sand is extremely dirty.

 

[felixxx]

this was my plan, although i was planning on pouring it down a tube. Let us know how you get on!

 

[GolemGolem]

Cool, I'll pick up a bag of sand tomorrow.

 

[siebertn]

When the sand is clean you can just poor it in to the tank.

 

[Addikted2Cichlids]

I think you would be able to take all of your current substrate out with the filters running, and shut off your filters for the time it takes you to replace it with sand. Especially if you fill the sand by slowly pouring it out on the bottom as opposed to dumping it in from the top, it will settle rather quickly and you can crank up your filters again. Your water will be cloudy for awhile, that's all the tiny particles and dirt and whatever else, that the filter will do work on, just make sure the sand is settled and you will be good to go. As long as you have good filtration, the lost BB that was in your substrate shouldn't affect your tank at all.

 

[GolemGolem]

I actually like Felix's idea, and I have some PVC pipes laying around that are long enough...I'm hoping not to have to turn off my filters and air (not that I won't if sand starts to fly up the intake). I have some juvie rams that I'm a little paranoid about, so I'll go slower than Siebertn suggests.

 

[GolemGolem]

Ohwell, went out today and of the two stores in town with pool supplies one didn't carry it, the other (Lowes) did not have an employee working who even understood there was such a thing as pool filter sand.
Saw a bunch of play and paving sand, the paving sand was a thought but it's still quite fine and an ugly brown color, and I didn't know if it had anything nasty in it. Droped by the LPS and they had the usual 30$ 20lb bags of sand, and an adorable fawn cap rat in with the feeders, that rat is currently sharing a sammich with me.
Another upside I found some nice small, round pea-gravel. Maybe sand next time.