# Yet another substrate change question



## Colinlp (11 Nov 2017)

Hi all!

Since selling our 60P last year I have been running a small Aqua One Beta Trio which has been planted with crypts. Well now we are left with just the one Beta I decided it was time to pull out the dividers and make it a standard-ish tank

Currently the substrate is some two or three year old ADA stuff topped with black gravel. It's looking really tired and well past it's best and a bit of cyno here and there, so I plan to do a substrate change to brighten the thing up. I no longer have any spare tanks of filters (the Aqua One's filter is built in as a rear sump) that would ease the operation; so I'm thinking the following:

Day one, remove the plants and rocks, do a water change. Keep the water to float the plants in but do a four day black out to knock back the cyno.

Day four, empty half the water out into a large bucket and put the fish in. Empty the rest of the water into another bucket and put the filter sponges in. Empty the tank of all substrate and give it a clean. Add 1cm of Tropica plant growth and top off with sand and the stones. Rinse off the plants and replant them. Half fill the tank with clean water, then add the fish and the other half of the old tank water and refit the filter sponges

Does that sound a viable plan? Would I be expecting any problems like ammonia spikes? Any other ideas are always most welcome

Many thanks


----------



## Konsa (11 Nov 2017)

Hi
Sounds like a good plan.U can put the pump in the bucket with the sponges to circulate the water.The Tropica Plant Growth will not give off Ammonia and capping with inert sand should seal it completely anyway.Do not clean the sponges when U take them out to try to preserve as much bacteria as possible(U can clean them later when things settle)Maybe squeeze one in a bit of water and pour it over the tropica substrate before capping.Feed very little for a week or two(fish will handle it) to give time the bacteria to colonise the substrate again and of course keep on top of your water changes.
All the best and keep us posted.
Regards Konsa


----------



## Colinlp (12 Nov 2017)

Thanks @Konsa good to know I wasn't off on some hair brained scheme, I often am. I don't imagine the fish will be in the bucket for more than an hour but yes putting the pump in is a good idea. I'm not going to clean or even empty the sump chamber apart from pulling out the sponges, just leave it as is to preserve any bacteria living i n there;actually there is an awful lot of mulm and detritus on the gravel surface after pulling out the dividers, I'll suck that up and use that water to store the filter sponges.

I have no working knowledge of the Tropica plant growth so good to know it won't leech ammonia like the ADA sand, even with an established filter it took a couple of weeks to get that down to zero.  

Now I know it's viable I shall pop in the haven of all things planted that is pets at home and get the necessary and commence day one this afternoon


----------



## Konsa (12 Nov 2017)

Hi
I had in mind to sirculate the water with the sponges (to preserve the bacteria ) not the fish(they will be fine).If I were UI will clean the sump chamber and get al muck out of there too is the sponge that is important it will have enough mulm in them to feed the bacteria
If U have ciano clean everything well apart from the sponges.
PS the ADA sand is enert it is aquasoil that is amonia rich.
Regards Konsa


----------

