Opinions on substrate change process!!

Hey guys so If you didn't read one of my previous posts I have a 55g with crushed coral substrate and I'm goin to be switching it over to sand I currently have 2 3 stripe damsels a neon velvet 2 big sea urchins 2 small stars and a small cuc, so here's what I was thinkin I was going to throw the urchins and a small bucket so they don't stab my fish and throw the fish and the cuc in an extra empty 10 gal I plan on filling that with tank water then ima take out the crushed coral re aquascape pour the sand in the tank let it settle for a while then throw all my livestock back in any one have any other suggestions??

 

you may have to watch your parameters afterwards.

 

How bad do you think they will spike?? Other than that do u like my game plan or any other ideas for the easiest process???

 

it really depends on how much live rock and what kind of filter you have. Also it will probably free up alot of waste trapped in the CC, I would do a water change afterwards and gravel vac the cc first if possible.

 

bump for any more ideas?

 

well thats not how must people do it and unless your tank has like 100 lb or rock you will probaly cycal the tank again.



the way most do it is with every water change, the suck out a little bit. likt in a 55 mabey 4 cups of sand then. then you will never get a spkie

 

How long has your tank been up?

I don't have the patience for removing it and replacing over time, ( I dont have the luxury of messing with the water and tank that often with that amount of water, it would ruin my laminate floors) I think if you do as you describe you will be fine, do a big water change before you replace the livestock, if you have a nitrate spike and keep your rock wet when you remove it. Be sure to test your water

 

Vacuum it first, really good. Then when you remove it use a big hose to suck the CC out and this will allow you to suck out any thing that is left. the bigger the hose the better because it will just get stuck in a small one.

And I would do it in stages, do just enough so the when you replace the water it will be like doing a large water change. Then in a few days to a week do some more. That way your not going to have to remove your live stock till you put the sand back in.

If you can get your hand on a Magnum 300 canister filter I would fill that with carbon and put a filter sleeve on it and run it for several days after moving the substrate around. And use a filter sock, like a 200 micron one in your sump if you have one until you get it all cleared up.

I have actually done a 45 like this it took us several weekends but it worked out really well.

And no doing a really big water change is not a good idea and its not the same, nothing is quick in this hobby and you'd be better off getting the Patience, LOL

 

as much as I wanna just do it all at once i guess ill start doing it this method

Tank is prolly 8 months old...yeah I normally don't have the patience for that either but I guess Im not in a huge hurry yeah I was going to keep everything wet and do a big wc but I guess Ill remove most of the cc slowly

 

thanks for the advice I think I will try do to do this over a few weekends as well K++ to all that gave advice