sand to gravel

R

rhoymand

Large Fish
#1
Jul 15, 2005
187
0
0
San Francisco, CA
#1
for my 2nd tank I chose to use playsand instead of gravel because I thought it would look more natural. it looks nice but I hate how fish waste just sits on top of the sand. so unhygienic, I feel sorry for my cories. so I'm planning to switch from sand to gravel.

is there a right way to go from sand to gravel? does sand even have beneficial bacteria?

also, there is a local rock supply yard around my area and I was wondering if its ok to use their small river rocks (same size as gravel) instead of the epoxy-coated ones from petstores. Ive grabbed a handful from the bin and they arent sharp, just a little dirty. they just seem more natural than processed gravel.
 

G

GoldLenny

Medium Fish
#2
Jul 21, 2005
84
0
0
New Orleans, LA, USA
lennyvasbinder.blogspot.com
#2
Are you vacuuming your sand? You still need to vacuum it just like any other substrate. Sand does have the aerobic bacteria just like gravel but you need to stir it regularly so it does not pack down and form anerobic areas which are dangerous to your fish. You could get a turkey baster and when you do see some fish poop on top of the sand, just suck it up. I bought a turkey baster for $1.00 and then added a 10" piece of 1" tubing between the bulb and the baster tube, just to make it longer so I don't have to stick my hands in the tank as often. That does not replace regular vacuuming and stirring but it makes it look nicer between vacuums.

Pea gravel, or pebbles (which is what I'm guessing you are referring to as small river rock) is a great substrate. It's better for your cories since it won't scratch up their belly or mouth like gravel can. That is why sand is so good for them too.

Make sure you rinse the gravel well and boil it to kill any possible bacteria or pathogens since it came from a natural river.

If you do decide to make the switch, you would probably do best to combine your two tanks temporarily since removing the sand will make a mess in the water. You would probably have to break down the tank completely to get all of the sand out. Put all of the decorations, plants and both filters on the one tank so the filter stays cycled so you do not have a major cycle problem to go through once you set the tank back up. After you add the gravel and water, you can let the dust settle and then move the decorations and plants to the tank. After several hours of letting it settle down, you can move the filter back and then start moving your fish. Since you will have had a fully cycled filter, plants and decorations, you should not have a mini-cycle but still test your water every day for a week or so to make sure.

I noticed you have a common pleco in a 10G tank. I'm guessing you've heard that they can't live a very good life in a 10G tank. They grow up to 24" and need a 70G to 100G tank.
 

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