changing gravel?

[Rey]

I have a tank that houses two plecos and it was my first tank I started it with this large brown rock gravel I thought looked attractive but I think it is too coarse for plecos who are on the bottom all the time. I'd prefer to switch to sand is it possible for me to slowly remove most of the rocks like 10 or so a day and then eventually vacuum up all the gravel and switch to sand or is that just a bad idea? will it knock too much of the biofilter?

 

[D-MAC]

If you haven't got an undergravel filter, it won't effect the biofilter at all...The best way is switch off heater and pumps then remove all the decor and save 50% of the water...At this point you can catch the fish and place them into a bucket of your tank water making sure you cover the bucket to stop them jumping out...You can now remove all the gravel and remaining water and replace with your washed sand...Add the 50% water you removed from the tank, then add back in your decor...Once you have done this you can top up with fresh dechlorinated water, then switch everything back on...Add some of the tank water slowly to the bucket containing the fish over a half hour, then add you fish back in.

 

[bigbird]

could not have said it better Derek. So I second that, however also maybe add some destresser or seachem .cheers jk :thumbup:

 

[Ltoro]

yep totally agree... that is the same procedure i have done many a times on all sizes of tanks and (knock on wood) have never had any casualties... just try and make shure the temp of the top up water is as close as posible to the established water.