switching substrate
- Thread starter john
- Start date
I helped a friend switch sub. once we took all the rock and all the corals and put them in rubbermaid containers with pumps then we switched all the sud. and replaced it with new let it go for a couple days and put the corals and rock back in the tank everything will stress a little but should be ok
Cougra
Well-Known Member
When I switched out my substrate I documented it here:
Substrate Change
I didn't have any problems with the corals once I put them back in the tank. Most of them opened up the same day and the rest opened up the day afterwards. One of my fish didn't like the change and refused to eat for a while afterwards but eventually finished sulking and got hungry enough to come back out after nearly 9 days.
Substrate Change
I didn't have any problems with the corals once I put them back in the tank. Most of them opened up the same day and the rest opened up the day afterwards. One of my fish didn't like the change and refused to eat for a while afterwards but eventually finished sulking and got hungry enough to come back out after nearly 9 days.
Ditto to everyone else.
You will have the absolute worst diterus/muck/poopie/stinky storm when you remove the crushed coral that you can not imagine!! Remove the corals and fish first.. you won't be sorry and your fish will say 'thank you!'.
Also the new sand will create a horrible dust storm too. The stress the corals/fish will endure in a seperate tub is very minimal to what they would have to live through in the main tank!
You will have the absolute worst diterus/muck/poopie/stinky storm when you remove the crushed coral that you can not imagine!! Remove the corals and fish first.. you won't be sorry and your fish will say 'thank you!'.
Also the new sand will create a horrible dust storm too. The stress the corals/fish will endure in a seperate tub is very minimal to what they would have to live through in the main tank!
Cougra
Well-Known Member
All you would be doing is burying the problem and postponing the outcome. Eventually you will need to deal with it or you'll constantly be adding sand until the tank is full.john said:
If you add sand on top of the CC it will slowly make it's way to the bottom and the larger peices of CC will surface again. However this time you will also be forcing the detritious to the bottom of the tank and not removing the real source of the problem, the detritous buildup.
The reason CC isn't considered a good substrate is because it's fairly large and food particles can easily get trapped in the substrate and build up over time. As this detritous is broken down/decays the pH in the substrate lowers and slowly desolves the CC. This does two things, it helps buffer the water in the substrate a little (this is what stores use to sell the CC) but not enough to really benefit the tank over all. The second thing it does is releases phosphates that was previously bound in the substrate. It's the combined effect of having excess nutrients produced from the decaying detritous and the release of phosphates that cause so much of the problems with CC substrates. You do get the same thing happening with aragonite substrates as well but to a lesser extent since the detritous doesn't get trapped as easily in finer substrates.
Your best bet will be to set a day aside, roll up your sleeves and do the job right the first time and get it done and over with.
Brucey
Well-Known Member
john said:
Guys . . . . yes you can do it . . . . or almost anyway. I done it when I went BB. The way to avoid the dust / detritus storm is to remove the crushed coral when you do your water change. But you need to buy a large diameter hose to do it. Then get your siphon going and siphon the water and sand straight out of the tank. You won't believe the crap that comes out of the sand. I managed to remove 90% of my sand this way. The rest comes out from behind the LR every month. Gradually I'm getting there.
But if you want to get rid of it ALL . . . . you need to remove the LR and coral as stated above
Brucey
KimPossible
Well-Known Member
Thats what I've been doing. I remove about 4 cups of crushed coral per water change. I have not had any big storms because I suck it out with my siphon. My intension is only to make it easier on myself when the final switch happens.
KimPossible
Well-Known Member
LOL!...Doni
I'm gonna go SSB. I've got a couple of issues to iron out before pulling my tank out, so I figured I get a head start and start getting as much cc I could out before all the work starts
I'm gonna go SSB. I've got a couple of issues to iron out before pulling my tank out, so I figured I get a head start and start getting as much cc I could out before all the work starts
KimPossible
Well-Known Member
I'll be holding on to that last grain of sand...looking your direction the whole time
~Newbiepossible
~Newbiepossible
