Changing the substrate in my tank from gravel to sand. How would I go about this without stressing my fish?

Answer 1

Use some kind of scooper (maybe a kitty litter scooper that hasn't been used) to remove all the gravel. Before adding the sand, be sure to wash it THOROUGHLY or else you will have an eternally cloudy tank. Rinse each bucket of sand until the water you pour out is clear. It is easiest to add sand to an empty tank (a tank without water), but you shouldn't have too much trouble. You don't need to take out your fish if your takn is big enough that they can all move away from the "construction area". If your tank is less than 30 gallons, it would be best to remove the fish. As you are adding the sand, turn off the filter so the extra particles don't get sucked up and wear down the impeller. Use a spade to gently place sand all over the bottom of your tank. To clean the sand, simply hover the siphon over the sand. Keep it close enough that it sucks up debris and leaves the sand. You will eventually get to the point where you aren't sucking up any sand (any sand that is sucked up can easily be added back into the tank by reversing the siphon from the bucket into the tank with clean water). To prevent anaerobic buildup, you should either introduce Malaysian Trumpet Snails that will constantly aerate your substrate. You may have to thin the snails out occasionally because they reproduce so quickly, but they are invaluable (some fish like Loaches will eat these snails). If you don't want to introduce snails, you can just stir up the substrate with your fingers when you do water changes. Simply rake the sand with your hand and try to "turn over" as much as possible. Email me if you have any questions.

Soop Nazi

Answer 2

The best way to do this is to temporarily move them from the tank. I would remove half of your water to keep your fish in.
Sand particles have the tenancy to float in the water. do not run your filter while there are still sand particles free floating, sand can cause a lot of internal filter damage. Wait until the sand has settled to re-add your fish and pour the rest of the water. When adding the rest of the water pour it in over your hand or a plate so that you do not stir up the settled sand.

Answer 3

If it is freshwater, I would not put sand in the tank as a substrate. Sand is very hard to clean with a siphon filter without sucking the sand up. Also, unless you have some sand burrowing critters, there will be almost no oxygen movement through the sand, thus will cause a catastrophe later down the road if the sand is disturbed and releases dangerous bacteria. If you must put sand in there, remove all of the gravel carefully to avoid water clouding. Put the entire bag in the tank with the sand still in bag. Cut a small slit it the top corner of the bag and SLOWLY empty sand on bottom. There really is no way to avoid clouding your water at this point but the slower you pour out the sand, the better luck you will have. Change or rinse out filter afterwards and again after the water clears. It would'nt hurt to rinse in between these steps either.

Answer 4

Taking out the rocks should not stress them too much. When putting in the sand us a cup and scoop the sand out of the bad and put it in the tank. This will lead to less floating in the water. Aslo turn off your filter untill all the sand settles.

Answer 5

in case you intend to apply stay vegetation there are numerous solid forms of airborne dirt and dust that could desire to be placed under the sand to furnish your vegetation an earnings (ask your community fish shop) whilst changing the substrate from gravel to sand it may be greater handy on you and safer for the fish in case you bumped off them and because this is merely non everlasting (with a bit of luck an hour or much less) you are able to desire to apply a huge bowl or a small bucket

Answer 6

take out a few rocks and add a little sand and keep gradually doing this every few days so the fish doesn't notice.