[Charuru]

Ok so from previous posts I mentioned I had extremely large amount of Flame Moss and I've kind of lost connection with my tank because of college and now I want to do a completely over haul and fix it up. I'm really extremely tired of the tan sand and ferts I have because 1: it makes my tank look gloomy, to me, and 2: all the fert substrate is mixed and I think it looks horrible and not clean and crisp.

I'm cutting my moss down AGAIN it grows INSANE in my tank from my spiral lighting. I don't even use CO2 anymore, lol. I have two plants that are dying from my moss over taking the 3/4 of my tank.

So I need help on:
1: I'm going to get a plastic bin and put my water in it- will my fish and plants survive while I switch out the fert and sand for black sand and fert.
2:I know bacteria settles in gravel, so it say, and in filters. If I add beneficial bacteria will that help with the bacteria going away from my gravel
3: I REALLY love the look of the LED that sit on top with those lil brackets that are like $50 for a 10 gallon one. I have a full hood thats the "eco" friendly one that looks too bulky to me and I like the crisp LED

As of 8/26. And yes the moss is flame moss my water level was past the start of my moss so it just sat on surface level. I filled it up an hour before pic.

 

[rick_lindsey]

So I need help on:
1: I'm going to get a plastic bin and put my water in it- will my fish and plants survive while I switch out the fert and sand for black sand and fert.

I know nothing about plants yet, but I would expect your fish to be fine. Honestly though for the price of a plastic bin, I'd just pick up a spare 10g at wal-mart instead... then you could just set it up with your new substrate, then move the plants over (presumably you'll have to rip them all up anyways in order to change the substrate?), along with the filter and the fish. The only real reason to keep your water is if you're worried about the parameters of your tap being differen than those of your old water. I come from a non-planted background though, where the old water has nitrates that I'd just as soon not put in the new tank.

2:I know bacteria settles in gravel, so it say, and in filters. If I add beneficial bacteria will that help with the bacteria going away from my gravel

What kind of filter are you running? If it's a HOB style or something of that nature, I'd be inclined to just keep an eye on the parameters but not worry overmuch. If you're really worried you can take some of the old substrate and stick it in a permeable baggie (pantihose, filter media bag, whatever) and drop it either in your filter, or hang it near the outflow of your filter.

3: I REALLY love the look of the LED that sit on top with those lil brackets that are like $50 for a 10 gallon one.

Your money, your tank. I'd have a hard time dropping $50 for a light on my 10 gallon, but I'm cheap, have a wife and 2 kids (but only one salary) and other hobbies that also eat my spare change. I suspect we seldom regret getting what we really want, though, if the money is available.

-Rick (the armchair aquarist)

 

[dreamt_01]

1. most likely they will survive.. just make sure you cycle the tank first to build some bacteria and to prime your filters so to say. just think you're buying a plant from an LFS and you have a new tank.

2. what do you mean beneficial bacteria? what i had in mind but i could be wrong, why not leave some of your old gravel and top it off with your new soil.. maybe it will help build up new bacteria.

3. if your lights are giving 6500k, i wouldn't change it. and most of those cheap led lighting you see are more for aesthetics and not for growing plants.

lastly, how much for a handful of those flame moss???

 

[Charuru]

What I had was 2 25W spiraly bulbs that put off a LOT of light and grew my stuff literally out of my tank. So I had a hard time up keeping so i reduced to 13W, still grew like nuts.

I went ahead and bought the 18"-24" marineland LED strip thats 300 lumens (not sure how that is compared to my old bulbs) and I love it so much more.

I took out all of my gravel/ferts and replaced with the eco-complete substrate which i also LOVE because black with LED is my favorite.

I added some beneficial bacteria of Cycle to my tank and I just changed my filter pad. And everyone is doing good I'm only having issues with my o-cats dying :/. I thought I had lost for good my assassin snail and I found him in the bottom of my gravel and was super excited lol.

The flame moss I actually threw half of it out, only because the part that was connected to my driftwood was very nasty and dead - weirdly. But once the new stuff comes through I'll let you know .

 

[Charuru]

Oh and I also saved 75% of the water, which I do and don't regret. I don't regret because it was established water. I do regret because its cloudy from the sand stirred up when I was catching the fish

 

[DishyFishy]

You inspire me. I have tan sand in my 10gal and I have really come to dislike it. Seems like there are always sand particles attached to my java moss so it doesn't have that really nice green look it could have. I may just have to do a re-scape as well Did you end up using the buckets for your fishies or another tank while you rescaped?

 

[szenic]

Oh and I also saved 75% of the water, which I do and don't regret. I don't regret because it was established water. I do regret because its cloudy from the sand stirred up when I was catching the fish

You could consider getting some purigen if the cloudiness doesn't dissipate. I recently added it to my filter for a problem with tannins. It hasn't been too long so I don't see too much difference yet (some though), but for clearing up cloudiness it's supposed to be amazing.