Today's Project: Substrate Change!

So today I will be doing a substrate change on my 20 gallon tall tank. I will be taking NUMEROUS pictures! I am hoping to do this under two hours, think it will work??? lol!

 

It shouldn't take too long. Watch out for a minI cycle in the week following your substrate change.

I can't wait to see before and after pics!

 

if you can, leave the "old" subtrate handing in the back of the tank in a clean unused nylon for a couple weeks...that should help not having a minI cycle good luck!

 

It shouldn't take too long. Watch out for a minI cycle in the week following your substrate change.

I can't wait to see before and after pics!

Thanks for the advice, I forgot about the before and after pics... LOL

if you can, leave the "old" subtrate handing in the back of the tank in a clean unused nylon for a couple weeks...that should help not having a minI cycle good luck!

Double thanks!! I am using about three pounds (or more) of "precycled" sand, would/ should I still hang the old substrate (gravel) or will I be okay?

 

You're welcome.
I would still hang the old substrate. I've used the pre cycled gravel and it made no difference in tank cycling.

 

Double thanks!! I am using about three pounds (or more) of "precycled" sand, would/ should I still hang the old substrate (gravel) or will I be okay?

You're welcome.
I would still hand the old substrate. I've used the pre cycled gravel and it made no difference in tank cycling.

I agree...never had ANY luck with the pre cycled subtrates...id hang the old gravel in the tank

 

okay, by "precycled" I mean from one of my own tanks, not the store bought... just wanted to clarify that... so should I still hang?

 

okay, by "precycled" I mean from one of my own tanks, not the store bought... just wanted to clarify that... so should I still hang?

OH!!! so you are using one subtrate from another tank? that does make a difference if the previous has been cycled awhile...and as long as your bioload is similar in both tanks, you should be ok for a change out sorry

 

ah, I thought you meant store bought

If it's from another tank than you should be okay. Especially if the bioloads are similar.

 

OH!!! so you are using one subtrate from another tank? that does make a difference if the previous has been cycled awhile...and as long as your bioload is similar in both tanks, you should be ok for a change out sorry

yes... params are the same, just a different tank size, and the bio load is small...

just four danios, and fry in a breeder net which is cleaned daily!

 

ah, I thought you meant store bought

If it's from another tank than you should be okay. Especially if the bioloads are similar.

Ya, sorry for the confusion, I thought about that as soon as I posted!!! lol

 

ah, I thought you meant store bought

If it's from another tank than you should be okay. Especially if the bioloads are similar.

so did I

 

I've never saved the old substrate when doing a change and I've never had an issue. However, it's dependent on the filtration. If the tank is under filtered, then it won't have the capacity to support a larger bacteria colony which will result in water quality issues. The bacteria is one of the slowest growing on the planet, doubling in size in 24 hours. So this is what it comes down to - Is the colony in the filter larger than the colony in the substrate, and is there enough media in the filter to support the colony doubling in size.

Any time you mess with the filtration of the tank, it's a good idea to dose with prime (or whatever) and fast the fish. It's easy enough not to feed them, which will help the tank balance out. The last thing you want to do when there is the potential of compromising the bacteria colonies is feed the fish.

 

I have a penguin 200 HOB filter... good? or should I be worried... I keep 1 filter cartridge in the back for extra bio-media...

 

Penguin 200 in a 20gal tank... That's perfect...

 

Sorry I didn't post yesterday, it was a really bad. However, it started out perfectly... I went to my lfs, got credit on my panda cories, then went to a pool store and got sand... 50 lbs. for $12.50... cleaned my sand, took my fish out, and the old substrate... scrubbed the tank... and prepped the sand. started to fill the tank, but wait, NO HOT WATER!!!! I had to wait an hour for the water to heat up again... then, after my water problems, I got the fish back in the tank, filled it up some more... and plugged in the filter... ah man... my filter doesn't work... so I had to kill another 45 min to get a new filter(smae kind) and salvage what I can.... anyways, that's why I haven't posted yet, I will post the pictures tomorrow... and hope that my tank doesn't recycle... luckily everyone seems to be doing good, so there is still hope...

 

I'm sorry I didn't post either, cause I would have said how much I dislike the penguins, and maybe you would have gotten a different filter

sounds like you handled the snags well.

 

what's wrong with the penguins??

 

I had 4 or 5 and they were all noisy, and the biowheel is just about useless because of the design.

 

I have heard that... sadly I ordered 6 months worth of filters, and they won't fit anywhere else... so I just bought a new one... lol

 

I had 4 or 5 and they were all noisy, and the biowheel is just about useless because of the design.

But watching the wheels turn is fun! ;p

 

I prefer to watch the fish

Forgot who you are for a minute

 

Depends who you ask... I like the penguins they hold a good amount of media and the biowheel is only an addition... For HOB filters I would recommend a penguin... Fill the water level even with the platform the water falls out on and you get rid of the serenity of the waterfall noise... Take the biowheels out and you have an aquaclear with more power... Stick with the penguin...

Some people will say the emperor is superior... I would say all the additional small parts are a pain to clean... Spray bars get clogged... But Emperor 280 is superior to Penguin 200 because of GPH... 200 is plenty for a 20 gallon tank...

 

The reason most people recommend emperors over penguins is because the water being pumped through the spray bar hasn't been filtered yet.

With the penguins the bacteria in the regular filter media consume the ammonia before it gets to the bio wheel. This makes the wheel virtually useless.

 

Yes, and I had significantly more trouble keeping the penguin wheels spinning than the emperors. The emperor spraybar can get a few holes clogged, but it's nothing a paperclip can't handle. The fact that it get's clogged is a good thing, as it indicates food rich water for the colony on the emperor wheel, verses the leftovers the penguin wheel colonies get.