So I did it. I bought 6 Sterbai Cory's and today I ripped my 75g apart for them. I took out all of the eco complete (which was in there for 3 years, what a MESS) and then I put play sand in instead. I put my new driftwood in and then I replanted everything. The water seems to be clearing up really well and I've already put everyone back into the tank. The cory's are loving the sand! It looks as though their color even changed when they went back in. The look darker against the play sand. I had to aquascape blindly because the water was so cloudy I couldn't see what I was doing. My crypts will have a major melt down, but tomorrow I'll put root tabs in. I even did an area of rocks for the cory's. I hope they appreciate my efforts!
Ripped my 75g apart
- Thread starter Art_Gal
- Start date
How much sand did you put in? How deep is the substrate?
Deep beds of sand can create major problems if you'e not aware of the shortcomings. Planted tanks aren't too bad but until the plants can become established you need to keep an eye out for stagnant spots.
Deep beds of sand can create major problems if you'e not aware of the shortcomings. Planted tanks aren't too bad but until the plants can become established you need to keep an eye out for stagnant spots.
Lorne you think of everything. I do know that I have to keep an eye out for gas pockets. Believe it or not, I had about 3 gas pockets with my eco complete, under the driftwood. Every Sunday I do a 40% pwc, so when I do my wc I'll stir the sand up. The sand layer is about 1 inch deep. My eco complete was much deeper so the rooted plants were really in there. This was a bit challenging, but I got them planted. Now we'll see if I can salvage them from this change over.
Malaysian trumpet snails will deal with gas pockets. Can look a bit ugly when they all come to the surface for food.
I move my crypts with no melt not with cryptocoryne wendtii but did with the dwarf crypts. I pull almost all the roots off then reposition them and at the most a leaf or 2 falls off. You could keep them in shallow pots of heavier more compact substrate as they seem to like that more. When the roots are too bare and the substrate is loose they tend to melt. This is from experience.
I move my crypts with no melt not with cryptocoryne wendtii but did with the dwarf crypts. I pull almost all the roots off then reposition them and at the most a leaf or 2 falls off. You could keep them in shallow pots of heavier more compact substrate as they seem to like that more. When the roots are too bare and the substrate is loose they tend to melt. This is from experience.
jessonthenet...Thanks for giving me the heads up on the crypts and the bare roots, I didn't know that. I guess I'll have to get in there and fix up a few crypts that aren't planted too well.
As far as the mts are concerned I had a TON (million or so :lol
in my tank before I changed out the substrate. They really made the tank look horrible when the lights went out (black background, black substrate). I still have a few left in there from the change over, some survived armageddon but I know they'll multiply by the million again :cry:. I don't mind a few, but really they were crawling everywhere.
Also, quick question but can I add anymore Sterbai to my 75 G? I currently have 6 sterbai, 5 adult angelfish (not getting anymore) and 1 leopard frog pleco. I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the cories. They've become my fav.
As far as the mts are concerned I had a TON (million or so :lol
in my tank before I changed out the substrate. They really made the tank look horrible when the lights went out (black background, black substrate). I still have a few left in there from the change over, some survived armageddon but I know they'll multiply by the million again :cry:. I don't mind a few, but really they were crawling everywhere. Also, quick question but can I add anymore Sterbai to my 75 G? I currently have 6 sterbai, 5 adult angelfish (not getting anymore) and 1 leopard frog pleco. I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the cories. They've become my fav.
Lorne, for filtration I have a Fluval 405 canister filter, plus a smaller hob filter. I do 40% to 50% wc's every Sunday. Could I get another group of 6 in there? If yes, I would like to consider another group of 6...or maybe just a few more Sterbai.