Tank Reconfiguration

[swalke2]

After lurking on this site for a while and being signed up for a week or so I have come to the conclusion that I do not like the way my tank is set up. It is very "little kid", rushed, and was not thought out before the build.

My tank is healthy with the exception of snail issue I almost have licked but wondering the issues I would face by removing all my gravel, plants and other stuff in there and starting over/new with proper substrate for a planted tank. I would keep the same filter but wondering about the impact I would face removing the biological filter (gravel) if Im think right.

Thanks for any advice or opinion.

steve

 

[zippgirlrn]

I can only speak for my experience that when I swapped out gravel (for looks) in my freshwater tanks it did upset the biological balance. All I would say is test water daily and have on hand supplies to counteract problems. Things like ammonia removal media and be prepared to do water changes, possibly daily to counteract problems. This is just my experience, others my not have had problems, but i have done it several times and did have problems.

 

[hn1]

Removing the gravel may cause a min-cycle, but it should be easily overcome with a couple extra PWCs. The main question will be, how well do you clean your gravel? Because that will sort of determine how much nasty is released.

 

[swalke2]

Well after my snail inceident I will clean much better now . Im still a ways out from making this change as I decide what I really want to do.

When I do it, should I use all clean water or save some from the old setup to use?

 

[hn1]

New, treated water will be best.

 

[swalke2]

Thanks!

 

[acroholic]

A clown loach would take are of your snail issues. They ear them like candy.

 

[swalke2]

I might have hippie clown loaches, I think I saw them swimmming around with little pickett signs say "Save the snails".

I bought 3 of them over a week ago and I dont think they have touched one snail. I have not seen one empty shell. Maybe they are waiting for me to drop some dipping butter in there .

Thanks for all the advice! Maybe this week they will get busy.

Steve

 

[rbredding]

why not take everything out of it and just switch to saltwater..

(good to see you brother!)

 

[mug]

are the clown loaches very small? If they are they may not be big enough to eat the big snails but they should be able to take care of the small ones. Give the loaches some time and don't feed them anything else. They may be eating algae right now and hopefully not your plants.

a puffer fish would be another option. But they wouldn't be good with the loaches.

 

[swalke2]

Tank has been replanted, hre are asome before and after. Next stop new lights.


Beforehttp://lh5.ggpht.com/_-nIEe-d9r40/TGKShONmDxI/AAAAAAAABKc/i32lxzbGZj4/s800/P1010397.JPG" alt="" />

After...
[IMG]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_-nIEe-d9r40/TGKSozaqlLI/AAAAAAAABKs/gVUcXdonC4g/s800/P1010480.JPG" alt="" />

[IMG]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_-nIEe-d9r40/TGKSvZxLqKI/AAAAAAAABK8/bA38FW3M4iU/s800/P1010484.JPG" alt="" />

 

[wineman]

WOW...you have really stepped up. Tank looks great!!! Keep up the good work!!!

Dennis

 

[rbredding]

looks good man!

 

[zippgirlrn]

I love the tank "after" shot, because I love the natural look, but you tank did not look bad in the "before" either. I have freshwater and a reef tank, and I would love a fresh water planted tank, but believe it or not I am more intimadated by a planted freshwater than I am with my reef. Go figure. I have got to do some reading about it to see if I can maybe do low light plants with no CO2 thingy. Anyway your tank looks good.

 

[acroholic]

Your tank looks nice, but the Lace Java Fern you have planted in the substrate is really more of a driftwood attacher, not a plant for the substrate. Not saying not to do it, but long term you may have issues with it staying put because it's root system is made for attaching to things like wood or rock, not growing in substrate.