Switching to sand

[nfored]

I got a wild hair, and think I will switch to sand.

My tank has been setup for about 4 months, with black rocks, I have a fluval 403 and a wet/dry. Do you think I will risk a crash if I switch out the gravel?

I did a bioload stress test yesterday, I took my tap water that has 1ppm ammonia, and dropped it down to .50ppm. I then did a 70% water change bring the tank from 0ppm ammonia to .50ppm. I added prime so my buddies didn't stress, within 12 hours the ammonia was gone and never saw nitrite.

I think the BB colony is strong enough to handle the switch but I don't know.

 

[Fish Eat Fish]

I dont think you will have any problem. If you have a decent wet/dry it should be able to carry the load and make up for it in no time. Ive switched substrates many times with out a problem yet besides one algae blood due to a tank leaking and the sand staying wet and unfiltered for a week blah blah blah but you should be fine. If your really worried just put a ton of the gravel in a bucket in the tank and than add sand and remove some gravel daily till its gone.

 

[Morledzep]

be careful of getting the canister filter intake too close to the sand.. it'll kill the pump pretty quick.

other than that.. i think sand is a beautiful substrate.