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Planning a rescape, need a bit of advise

spill50

spill50

Member
Joined
19 Jan 2010
Messages
211
Location
Beverley, UK
Hi all,

I'm just after a bit of advice really. I've had my 120L planted tank running for nearly a couple of years now and would really like to rescape the whole tank (substrate, rocks, plants etc).

However this is the first time I've done anything this major with my tank. I haven't got another tank to put my fish in while I do all this. I've read that the large plastic containers would be ok. If I put my filter air pump and heater in with some tank water along with my bogwood and rocks, how long could I leave them in it? My initial plan was to spend a couple of days cleaning the old stuff out of the tank, saving some of the tank water, doing a new hardscape and planting. Then pop the fish back in on the second day. Followed by daily water changes for a while until things settle down again.

Another concern I have, is I understand that some substrates such as ADA Aqua Soil give a NH4 spike at the beginning which would mean I can't put my fish back in for a few weeks. Does anyone have any suggestions on a good substrate to use?

I'm also planning on switching over to compressed C02 after not really having much luck with liquid/DIY methods and struggling to get a balance between CO2, ferts and light. I'm thinking of getting the D-D disposable set as there is no where around me to get fire extinguishers refilled.

Any advise at all would be very helpful.

Richard
 
You can use either some buckets or even better large plastic containers from the supermarket as a tempoary tank. As long as there is a cycled filter and heater in there - they'll be ok for a few days. A lot of people use those large plastic containers as grow out and breeding tanks.

Aqua soil is very expensive for what it is. I'd either mineralize my own (takes a few weeks - look in EI natural section) or use sand or some other inert substrate.

You'll still find FE is cheaper than disposable even if you have to buy a new 2kg FE every time. (The old ones will get you about £3 at the scrap yard so save them up)
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

I've managed to find some cheap 70L plastic containers so will probably use one of them. Since my original post I've managed to find a company that services extinguishers and dropped them an email to see if they can help just waiting for a reply. If not, I like the idea of getting a new 2kg each time would be much cheaper than the 600g disposables never even occurred to me.

I'll take a gander at the EI section. I used tetra plant substrate when I first set the tank up. Ideally i'd like something that doesn't need topping with gravel.
 
You can keep running the plastic containers for as long as you need. just consider them as if they were aquariums, cleaning, some water change and so on.

Amazonia Aquasoil is expensive, but it is also the best substrate for now. Amazonia is not a trouble of you have already cycled filter. It will take no more than two weeks to be able to put your fish in the tank. However you have to change the water after set up with Amazonia as recommended by ADA. It is important not to miss water changes when using Amazonia.
 
I don't think I'll be able to use Amazonia because of the ammonia spike. I was after some alternate suggestions of good complete substrates that would be fine for putting my fish back straight away. Does the other aquasoil (africana, malaya) behave the same? What about the Oliver knott nature soil, has anyone used that before.

I know they are expensive, but i dont mind if im gonna get good results. I've not been happy with my previous attempt of tetra plant topped with pea gravel. But don't particulary want to leave my fish in a plastic tub for a few weeks
 
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