[shinycard255]

So I have a 15G tank upstairs in my office, but I want to move it downstairs in the basement with my 60G. Here is what I plan on doing to move it along with a substrate change:

1) 2 5G buckets, one for fish, other for driftwood and rocks
2) siphon water out into the 2 buckets
3) Put filter in with fish
4) take tank in garage to remove old substrate with a shop vac
5) DIRT THE TANK!!! YEAH! :thumbsup:
6) flourite/pea gravel mix as a cap for the dirt
7) slowly siphon old tank water back into tank
8) put fish and driftwood and rocks back in

Sound about right? Did I miss something?

 

[WallaceGrover]

If I were you I would age the dirt in a water filled bucket for a little bit of time (2-3 months) lest you risk losing your fish...

 

[shinycard255]

Can you explain this to me, I don't understand where you are coming from. I didn't think that putting dirt in a tank was bad for the fish.... I'm using Miracle Grow Organic Choice potting mix by the way

 

[frrok]

sounds like a good plan to me. As long as you have enough plants you can put the dirt right in. thats what I did with my 3.5 gallon and my fish were fine. with my new 10 gallon I soaked and rinsed the dirt a few times for a week. but I got lazy and just threw it in eventually. I actually had fish when I re-did this tank with dirt so I had no choice to put the fish in right after. As long as your cap is good and soil doesn't leach too much , your good. Looks like you already have a dirt tank so you know what your doing...

 

[partobe]

also what ever filters you have running now keep the same pads. Like Wallace stated your prob going to have a cycle.

 

[shinycard255]

Was planning on keeping the same media in the filter... there's no point in changing it out. Good to know about possibly having a cycle. I will keep my eye out for it

 

[VeeSe]

Depending on how long your fish have been gone from that tank, you will almost certainly experience a cycle