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#1
06-25-2009, 10:58 PM
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Changing Substrate - help...
I want to change the substrate in my tropical tank. I don't like the color or the sand, and it's not got the right feel to it, if you know what I mean. It's river-rock colored (multi browns, reds, black, beige). I just don't feel it compliments the vibrancy of the tropicals I have in there. I want to go with more of a black with a little white thrown in.
I know I can't just toss new substrate in. Can I cure the rock in a tub of water for like a month or two? Should I toss in an apple snail or anything? I would definitely add a plant or two to help start the bacteria. Does it need to be filtered even if I don't put a snail in? Should it be in the light, or in dark? I've only ever cycled tanks, not rocks separately... I want to get this started in the next couple of weeks, so any feedback would be helpful.
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"you bought another fish?" "... but honey, it looked at me!..." Last edited by Malibu; 06-26-2009 at 04:32 PM. 
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#2
06-26-2009, 06:59 PM
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If you have a another tank you could transfer the livestock into that and redo the whole tank.
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#4
06-26-2009, 07:07 PM
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I had thought about doing that, but I can't afford a new tank. I like the flexibility with a larger tank (mine's 50 gal), but it was a used tank, and I just went with the liverock it came with.
I would absolutely LOVE to have a new tank to re-do it all.. I lieu of a new tank, do you think the bucket idea will work?
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"you bought another fish?" "... but honey, it looked at me!..."
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#5
06-26-2009, 07:13 PM
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This is a freshwater tank right? There is no live rock in a freshwater tank. There is gravel/sand, but it's not live in the same way as live rock/sand in a saltwater tank.
If you can use a siphon hose to suck out 1/4 of the old sand per week, and replace it each week with 1/4 of the new substrate you can change it out like that without too much stress on the inhabitants.
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#6
06-26-2009, 07:26 PM
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Hmmm... that could work... I'll just have to work out a system so the old stuff doesn't get too mixed in with the new or it will defeat the purpose...
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"you bought another fish?" "... but honey, it looked at me!..."
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#7
06-26-2009, 08:26 PM
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I did the same thing with my 55G tank. I removed half of the old gravel and piled the new gravel on one side of the tank. When all the old gravel was removed a couple of days later I spread out the new gravel.
Just a heads up if you have any algae problems with your new white gravel it will look slime green in color. I did the exact same thing your doing and I eventually removed the gravel.
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