Swapping gravel for sand. Do this without killing?

[Big Jay]

I have a 55g that was just wiped out from nasty velvet outbreak. I've had the tank medicated for 2 weeks. There is one L200 Pleco surviving and doing well that I'd like to keep alive. I want to switch the tank over from gravel to sand. I am thinking of placing the L200 in a bucket with a heater/aerator for an hour or two while I do the swap.

The tank is running MEGA filtration. It has a wet/dry running 450 gph and a Xp4 canister running 450 gph as well.

Few questions:

1) Should I be able to do the swap without worrying about a mini cycle? I keep my gravel really clean to begin with. I also have a very high rate of filtration.

2) What have you all found to be the best method to remove the gravel?

3) What have you found to be the best method to add the sand (Leslies Pool Filter Sand)?

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

1) Any bulk replacement of gravel would most likely cause a mini cycle in your tank as there are colonies of BB in the tank and a major swap would definitely not let them have the time to repopulate the tank substrate. Stability would come in handy in this situation.

2) Place your pleco in a bucket. Drain the entire tank, start scooping out the gravel.

3) -N.A- I dont use sand

 

[Big Jay]

1) Any bulk replacement of gravel would most likely cause a mini cycle in your tank as there are colonies of BB in the tank and a major swap would definitely not let them have the time to repopulate the tank substrate. Stability would come in handy in this situation.

2) Place your pleco in a bucket. Drain the entire tank, start scooping out the gravel.

3) -N.A- I dont use sand

What if i took the gravel and placed a good amount of it into a filter bag, put it in the aquarium while the sand takes, and pull it out a week or two later?

For scooping out the gravel i was thinking about using a plastic cat litter box scoop.

Thoughts?

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

that could work

 

[inssane]

What if i took the gravel and placed a good amount of it into a filter bag, put it in the aquarium while the sand takes, and pull it out a week or two later?

Exactly what I was going to suggest.

Also, for good measure, maybe use some of the refridgerated cycling liquid (don't remember brand) but I used it before with total success.
Good Luck