Loaches Online Forum

Hi all,

I decided to join the idea of having a rivertank like.

I spent R$ 31.80 (about US$ 20.00) on pipe stuff. here are some photos:












I will use 3x2000 L/h powerheads (already here).

I´m now taking courage to take all fishes out of the tank to settle it up.

I´m also thinking on taking advantage of situation and change to smaller gravel but guess this would need a couple weeks recicling before putting fishes back as most bacteria might be in the gravel. I´m not so sure what to do...

what do you think? Would you keep gravel as it is or upgrade to smaller one (of course smaller gravel is desireble for loaches - I mean... is it worth it?)?
I do have a smaller tank (200 liters) where loaches could wait. My Oscar could go to a big bucket while wait 450 liters with manifold and new gravel to improve some extra bacteria.

Regards!

Your tank is so gorgeous - this is going to be quite the undertaking! I like the color of the pvc - it's a little less jarring than the stark white (although it'll all end up the same color when it's covered with algae I'm sure!).

I've heard of people filling a nylon stocking with some of the old gravel and just setting it in the tank for a while to preserve some of that bacteria until the new gravel colonizes. I don't know if that's the best idea or not, but I thought I'd throw it out there for someone more experience to comment on.

If at all possible to keep us updated with pics

just change 1/2 of it at a time
most of the bacteria you want to save is in the filter (hopefully) anyway.
have fun

Great news, Marco. Like Capeldrae, I'd love to see photos.

You must like big projects!

Looking good Marcos!!

Single thing is keeping me from setting it up soon is really the gravel. I´m really considering benefits x danger of changing the gravel...

I´ll keep you posted with photos as soon as I decide what to do. Cross your fingers!

Siphon your gravel out now a bit at a time until the big day, then it is a non factor No gravel ....use sand. You will be SO happy

just take out 1/4 or 1/3 of the gravel with a two week interval, then after all the old stuff is gone, put your new gravel/sand in.. will you be keeping the fish in the tank during the gravel change? if so, obviously keep all decor and plants in the tank to provide some shelter

Hi guys,

Today was the day to set up the manifold. I started removing rocks, woods and decor at 10am.

Some wood waiting to go back to tank:


Vaccumming whole gravel:



Just water, gravel and fishes:




Bad news is that, for the first time since I set up this tank, I could count each loach one by one and noticed that 3 clown loaches are missing since start. I thought it was 26 (actually I put 26 there) but there were only 23. Not a glimpse of a clue where are they.

After all fishes were transfered to my 200 liter tank we could start the work by first removing the gravel:


Two guys from petshop that I asked help for setting up the system:


Time for manifold:


At start, cloud water:




Little help from extra 2 Whisper60 (1250 L/h each) to uncloud the water:



After a few minutes, water was pretty uncloud and fishes were moved back to main tank:


Two shots of them at the 200 liter tank:


My two Jack Dempsey, Botia modesta, Botia helodes and 3 Corydoras latus will stay at 200 liter tank for now.

They were finaly back home! Guess what was the first thing they went to try?





I also made this short video showing them beeing dragged by the 6,000 L/h flow:

http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=D-Hvwqvpiyg

Hope you like it!

Looking good!
That gravel does not look too big. If you still think you want to replace it do it in stages. A lot of the bacteria is in the established filters, and the River Tank manifold sponges will grow a good colony, too. The loss of perhaps 1/4 to 1/3 of the gravel every couple of weeks should not cause cycling problems.

Thanks Diana but I decided to keep this gravel. It is done!

Very nice project Marcos. Enjoying your great pictures of your very nice looking fish too - cool.

how are you getting air into your jethead? is there a plastic tube going to the surface from your jethead?

Nop,

No plastic air tubes. There are 2 hang-on AquaClear 70 external filters that shakes a lot water surface. No need for pumping air.