# Switching from Gravel to Sand



## jaly100 (Dec 20, 2009)

*** been thinking about switching from my crappy walmart gravel (given as a gift) to CaribSea Eco-Complete African Cichlid Substrate...

Is the sand much better?

How do I get the gravel out, and the sand in with my fish, and tank already cycled??


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

I just recently switched from gravel to sand in my Angelfish tank. If you have enough filtration, you will not experience a cycle as a result. For reference, on my 55 gallon Angelfish tank, for filtration, I have a Magnum 350 Pro (with the media container filled with biomedia) and a Marineland C-220.

If you are minimally filtered, you will experience at least a mini-cycle, if not a major one.

When I switched from gravel to sand, I filled a spare 10 gallon tank with water from the tank, moved the fish over, performed a thourough gravel vac, drained the tank, took a cat litter box scooper (one bought specifically for this purpose), and scooped out all of the gravel (I had rinsed the sand ahead of time). Then I dumped in the sand, refilled the tank with water that matched the previous temp, dechlorinating it as it filled, waited a few minutes, and moved the fish back.

If you are minimally filtered, you'll want to bag up several handfulls of gravel and drop them into the tank. The more the better. You'll also need to make sure the gravel you intend to temporarily reuse is not allowed to dry out. If you don't have media bags, clean (and well rinsed) panty hose can be used. Just cut the legs, tie off one end, fill it with gravel, tie the other end, and drop it into the tank.


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## il0veCichlids (Nov 9, 2009)

dont make the same mistake i did. i kept the fish in the aquarium while doing the change. fish almost died. i wasnt able to take out all the gravel as it was hard to get it all out with hands.. so now the sand has a bit of gravel everywhere in it and it looks horrible.. and when i put the sand, the tank got so cloudy. i washed the sand like 10 times too ( aragonite ).


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## MCKP (Aug 17, 2009)

I am switching back to gravel from playsand....it was too messy for me.... fish kicked it and spit it everywhere, including my intake and have completely ruined one filter and made the other one pretty loud.... I have switched one tank to gravel already and am SO much happier!

I have heard other sands aren't as bad but the playsand was just a pain........


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## TangTango (Dec 11, 2009)

I swith'd my tank out from fine sand to medium grain sand.
First thing I did was drain water from the tank into (I didn't have an empty ten gal) a small pool.









While my fish were chillax'n in the pool I took everything else out of the tank.
















Then I scoop'd out as much sand as I could and siphon'd the rest of the sand out.
















After I got all the sand out my tank look'd like this.








I put all the rocks back in make'n sure they were stable and some fake plants too.








Then I put the sand in one cup at a time by sink'n the cup and pour'n it out make'n sure to get in all the hard to reach places.








I add'd some water to top it off and dechor'd and let it run for a few hours before I put the fish back in. 








And this is what it look's like now.


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

Same thing I did Tang thanks for the pictures of your process! :thumb:


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## steelers fan (Jun 26, 2009)

rinse your sand first really well...when you think you have rinsed it enough rinse again really well.
when your ready transfer all your fish and most of your tankwater to a container(i used a 75 gallon bin used to hold beer kegs with ice) then tip up the tank so the rest of the water is at one end so you can syphon out the rest.
scoop up enough gravel to fill a ladies nylon about 12 inches and pitch the rest. hang the nylon in the bin with the tank water and fish.
clean the tank well then add the sand. fill the tank and do a waterchange if the water clouds up and fill again. add decor before you fill then just add your fish.
hang the nylon filled with gravel in the tank for one week to seed the new substrate and your done.
*** done it this way multiple times and *** shaved the process done to about an hour excluding rinsing the sand of course.


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## Dj823cichild (Mar 30, 2009)

I would also like to add ziplock plastic bags worked great for me. Just load them up with your freshly clean sand and take them directly to the bottom of the tank and open the bag slowly. I did this and my water didn't cloud up one bit! I even kept my fish in there with no ill efffects.


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