Ok... I goofed. Time to fix the tank.

[Dr.]

Greetings,

My first tank was a series of mistakes. My newest and 3rd tank, however,
turned out better. 50% Flourite, 50% small gravel, a decent light fixture
and an Eheim canister.

I want to fix my 72 gallon bow tank. I didn't know any better. I thought the
large gravel looked cool. And spent a fortune on ornaments and plastic
plants... which are almost all sitting in a box in the basement now. I'm
hooked on the live plants.

So... what's the best way to swap out the boulders with some Flourite? Even
after rinsing the stuff endlessly... the Flourite I added to my 40 gallon
hex tank made the water look like chocolate milk.

I kinda have an idea... but am wondering if anyone else has a better one.

Get a 5 gallon bucket. Drill a bunch of one-inch holes in the bottom. Get
some nylon window screen and line bucket with it. Pour in flourite, and
rinse it with a garden hose outside. I don't know how much Flourite I'll
need for a 72 gallon tank... but it's gotta be a LOT. Then, to add to the
tank... purchase a length of PVC tubing 2 or 3" in diameter. Butcher a
funnel and attach to one end. Dump Flourite down tube to bottom of tank...
hopefully preventing most of the sediment from floating around that I really
don't want running through my expensive Eheim canister.

Whaddaya think?

Oh... What in the world is Potassium Permaganate, and where can I acquire
it?

Thanks very much,
Gary

[Steve]

Dr. wrote:
>
>
> So... what's the best way to swap out the boulders with some Flourite? Even
> after rinsing the stuff endlessly... the Flourite I added to my 40 gallon
> hex tank made the water look like chocolate milk.
>

I've changed my substrate several times now. I simply placed fish &
plants with tank water into picnic coolers and plastic tubs while I
drained the tank completely and replaced the substrate. I took the media
out of my filters and kept it and the filter parts wet in a bucket. I
also placed styrofoam over the concrete floor, under the plastic tubs to
keep them warmer. I probably retained only 20 percent of the aquarium water.

The whole process took a few hours, with no real problems. The only
issue has been, that clown loaches and rainbow fish may swim vigorously
in their tubs and bruise their noses. That's why I now use quite a few
plants in every tub. Good luck!

Steve

[Elaine T]

Dr. wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> My first tank was a series of mistakes. My newest and 3rd tank, however,
> turned out better. 50% Flourite, 50% small gravel, a decent light fixture
> and an Eheim canister.
>
> I want to fix my 72 gallon bow tank. I didn't know any better. I thought the
> large gravel looked cool. And spent a fortune on ornaments and plastic
> plants... which are almost all sitting in a box in the basement now. I'm
> hooked on the live plants.
>
> So... what's the best way to swap out the boulders with some Flourite? Even
> after rinsing the stuff endlessly... the Flourite I added to my 40 gallon
> hex tank made the water look like chocolate milk.
>
> I kinda have an idea... but am wondering if anyone else has a better one.
>
> Get a 5 gallon bucket. Drill a bunch of one-inch holes in the bottom. Get
> some nylon window screen and line bucket with it. Pour in flourite, and
> rinse it with a garden hose outside. I don't know how much Flourite I'll
> need for a 72 gallon tank... but it's gotta be a LOT. Then, to add to the
> tank... purchase a length of PVC tubing 2 or 3" in diameter. Butcher a
> funnel and attach to one end. Dump Flourite down tube to bottom of tank...
> hopefully preventing most of the sediment from floating around that I really
> don't want running through my expensive Eheim canister.
>
> Whaddaya think?
>
> Oh... What in the world is Potassium Permaganate, and where can I acquire
> it?
>
> Thanks very much,
> Gary
>
>
The rinsing plan sounds fine. I don't think there's any way to avoid
some sediment unless you use Eco Complete rather than Flourite.

Aquaclear makes a water polishing filter for their powerheads. The
sleeve that inserts into the filter can be slipped over just about any
filter intake and stapled or rubberbanded tight. It's made of fine
enough material to trap most the Flourite haze before it hits your Eheim.

Potassium permanganate is a strong oxidizing agent that is more
fish-friendly than bleach. It's good for reducing bacterial loads in
tanks, sterilizing newly purchased plants, and for treating some fish
diseases. Jungle sells it as Clear Water and Pond Guard and Kordon as
Permoxyn.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Dr.]

"Steve" > wrote in message
. ..
> I've changed my substrate several times now. I simply placed fish & plants
> with tank water into picnic coolers and plastic tubs while I drained the
> tank completely and replaced the substrate. I took the media out of my
> filters and kept it and the filter parts wet in a bucket. I also placed
> styrofoam over the concrete floor, under the plastic tubs to keep them
> warmer. I probably retained only 20 percent of the aquarium water.
>
> The whole process took a few hours, with no real problems. The only issue
> has been, that clown loaches and rainbow fish may swim vigorously in their
> tubs and bruise their noses. That's why I now use quite a few plants in
> every tub. Good luck!
>
> Steve

Draining the tank sounds like a better idea than what I had in mind.

I read an article posted in another group about using an UGF with planted
tanks. And growing algae under the UGF.

Here's the link:
http://www.thekrib.com/Filters/algae-ugf.html

Sounds interesting, and I'm going to look into it a little more. If I decide
to go with it, draining the tank is pretty much a must.

Thanks,
Gary

[Dr.]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
m...
> The rinsing plan sounds fine. I don't think there's any way to avoid some
> sediment unless you use Eco Complete rather than Flourite.
>
> Aquaclear makes a water polishing filter for their powerheads. The sleeve
> that inserts into the filter can be slipped over just about any filter
> intake and stapled or rubberbanded tight. It's made of fine enough
> material to trap most the Flourite haze before it hits your Eheim.
>
> Potassium permanganate is a strong oxidizing agent that is more
> fish-friendly than bleach. It's good for reducing bacterial loads in
> tanks, sterilizing newly purchased plants, and for treating some fish
> diseases. Jungle sells it as Clear Water and Pond Guard and Kordon as
> Permoxyn.

Thanks for the reply, Elaine.

I'll check into the Eco Complete. I think the LFS where I buy most of my
goodies carries it.

The Potassium Permaganate I'd like to use for sterilizing plants. I think I
introduced ICH into one of my tanks recently by not sterilizing plants I
bought.
One of the pet stores here has nice dirt cheap plants... but they're in not
so nice tanks.

Thanks,
Gary

[Elaine T]

Dr. wrote:
> "Steve" > wrote in message
> . ..
>
>>I've changed my substrate several times now. I simply placed fish & plants
>>with tank water into picnic coolers and plastic tubs while I drained the
>>tank completely and replaced the substrate. I took the media out of my
>>filters and kept it and the filter parts wet in a bucket. I also placed
>>styrofoam over the concrete floor, under the plastic tubs to keep them
>>warmer. I probably retained only 20 percent of the aquarium water.
>>
>>The whole process took a few hours, with no real problems. The only issue
>>has been, that clown loaches and rainbow fish may swim vigorously in their
>>tubs and bruise their noses. That's why I now use quite a few plants in
>>every tub. Good luck!
>>
>>Steve
>
>
> Draining the tank sounds like a better idea than what I had in mind.
>
> I read an article posted in another group about using an UGF with planted
> tanks. And growing algae under the UGF.
>
> Here's the link:
> http://www.thekrib.com/Filters/algae-ugf.html
>
> Sounds interesting, and I'm going to look into it a little more. If I decide
> to go with it, draining the tank is pretty much a must.
>
> Thanks,
> Gary
>
>
Heck - why not get heating cables if you're going to rip the tank down?
Red Sea makes affordable ones now.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[bassett]

How does that work, I thought Algae needed , some form of Sunlight to grow
?

bassett

"Dr." > wrote in message
...
>
> I read an article posted in another group about using an UGF with planted
> tanks. And growing algae under the UGF.
>
> Here's the link:
> http://www.thekrib.com/Filters/algae-ugf.html
>
> Sounds interesting, and I'm going to look into it a little more. If I
> decide to go with it, draining the tank is pretty much a must.
>
> Thanks,
> Gary
>

[Dr.]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
...
> Heck - why not get heating cables if you're going to rip the tank down?
> Red Sea makes affordable ones now.

Another thing I haven't thought about. I might just do that.

If I decide to do the UGF with it to grow algae under the plates... I might
not need heating cables. The guy that wrote the article that I read about
the subject used a cheap desk lamp under his stand left on constantly to
grow the algae. Those might provide plenty of extra heat.

The possibility of the matting used to cover the plates rotting over time
worries me a little. I want this to be the last time I tear down the tank...
so I don't want to make any mistakes that will require another teardown.

Gary

[Dr.]

"bassett" > wrote in message
...
> How does that work, I thought Algae needed , some form of Sunlight to
> grow ?

The article I read stated that he used a desk lamp, under the stand, left on
24 hours. Probably one of the ones with the flexible head, so it could be
pointed upward illuminate the UGF plates. A cheap flourescent light fixture
from a hardware store suspended upside-down under the stand would probably
work better, I'd think.

If the article is correct, I guess algae doesn't require sunlight to thrive.
Someone with a tank that is not exposed to any natural light, such as a
windowless basement would be able to say for sure.

Gary

[Dr.]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
m...
> The rinsing plan sounds fine. I don't think there's any way to avoid some
> sediment unless you use Eco Complete rather than Flourite.
>

The LFS where I buy most of my goodies had the Eco Complete, and 2 planted
tanks with it as substrate. Looked really nice. I picked up 200 pounds of
it, and will probably do the deed next weekend. Or tomorrow, if I'm feeling
ambitious.

Gary

[Elaine T]

Dr. wrote:
> "Elaine T" > wrote in message
> m...
>
>>The rinsing plan sounds fine. I don't think there's any way to avoid some
>>sediment unless you use Eco Complete rather than Flourite.
>>
>
>
> The LFS where I buy most of my goodies had the Eco Complete, and 2 planted
> tanks with it as substrate. Looked really nice. I picked up 200 pounds of
> it, and will probably do the deed next weekend. Or tomorrow, if I'm feeling
> ambitious.
>
> Gary
>
>
Cool! I hope the switch goes smoothly for you. Eco Complete says not
to rinse on the bag, but I dumped it in the tank and rinsed it by
draining and refilling the tank because I wasn't sure I wanted their
buffers. Eco Complete has a lot of small particles so it wouldn't be
easy to rinse through a sieve. It worked fine. Then I mixed in the
Flourite and got the famous cloud that you get to avoid. ;-)

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com