Switching substrate

[captkrill]

Hi there,

Very new to the aquarium keepers hobby and MFK.com. My girlfriend got me into this and I am loving it. Brackish is by far my favorite of the types of aquariums. Anyway. My gf and I are moving in together and since we had been discussing this from when we started talking about the move. ALL the water has to come out and the substrate to be cleaned.

We have 3 tanks right now. A 30 grow-out feeder-breeder tank with feeder guppies, a dozen tetras, 60+ ghost shrimp, black snails and a small discus that isnt doing so well. A 40 tank with a turtle which I think is a Red Eared Slider. And a 90 with 4 angels, 3 discus, a mean GSP, clown loach, 2 farawellos (sp?), black knife ghost, sail fin cat, 3 buenos aries tetras, 2 golden wonders, some hatchet fish, spotted corys, albino clawed frog, african clawed frog and some other fish similar to the tetras (cant remember the names).

Anyway, we were thinking of switching to white sand from brown gravel substrate and needed some tips or suggestions for switching as neither of us have experience in doing sand.

Thanks again, BTW First time post, I have been a lurker mostly reading. GREAT SITE!!!

 

[fenton06]

pull gravel out, put sand in. Fill the tank into a bowl though so you aren't blowing sand everywhere. The only downside really is you may go through a mini cycle since some of the BB in the substrate is gone.

 

[bond007]

any pics of the tanks, sound kinda overcrowded

as far as substrate, drain water scoop out old gravel pour in sand and refill. Make sure to rinse the sand in a bucket with a hose until the water is clear. Good luck