Newbie In Need Of Advice

[The Doctor]

I was thinking about changing from gravel to sand in an already cycled tank. I would say about 40% of the bottom area is rock. Would pulling the gravel and leaving the rock undisturbed be enough to keep the benificial bacteria, or would the tank need to be cycled again? I'm using a Bio-wheel with broken in filters, and the tank is 29 gal.

[SGypsyMermaid]

hi doc! :wink: you will lose some of your bacteria, but between the rocks and the cycled filter, you should still have plenty left--just feed lightly for a couple of weeks...you should be fine. i find that putting the sand in a bucket and rinsind it repeatedly with cold water from a hose(with that attachent that increases the water pressure) cuts way down on clouding the tank when adding the sand.

[The Doctor]

Thanks Gypsy. I don't want to be too impatient or do anything that is going to destroy the progress I've already made with bringing this tank back from the brink. Here's a link to the horror story that this tank has already been through http://www.cichlidforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=498 :cry: Now that the fish are doing better, I want to get rid of the hideous electric blue gravel that came with the set up. :shock:

[jonah]

[quote:5b7cf45fe2="The Doctor"]
Now that the fish are doing better, I want to get rid of the hideous electric blue gravel that came with the set up. :shock:[/quote:5b7cf45fe2]

You've got the hideous electric blue gravel? I've been looking for it everywhere for my Sciaenochromis fryeri theme tank. :lol:

[SGypsyMermaid]

jonah, you wouldn't be able to see the fish against that gravel!