# 10g establish tank substrate change for blue diamonds



## alstare2000 (Feb 16, 2013)

Just want to see if there is a good way or things to avoid when doing substrate change on established tank.
I have this 10G running for 3 years and initially had fish in it and then yellow neos that don't seem to be breeding so I'll be moving them.

I want to change up the substrate (currently black epoxy gravel) or at least fully clean it. 
It will be a home to blue diamond neos, (I have 8 of them in there but they are still pretty small) so on black substrate they are practically not visible.
A) I was thinking to remove the shrimp to breeder box and attach it to my 46 gal.
B) Pour out water into buckets, take out plants and sponge filter put it in the buckets for time being.
C) Then remove the substrate rinse/flash the bottom of the tank from all the dirt, also either wash the current substrate and put it back in or mix it with something different or fully use something different.
D) Put the same water back and plants and moss back in.
E) Should I expect mini cycle or the establish sponge filter should be able to keep things in check ?

Now my options for my substrate ? should I go with something lighter in colour to make this shrimp pop bit more but inert ? Or should I use one of the more active substrates like fluval plant and shrimp stratum ?
I was thinking to maybe use something like this

http://www.petsmart.ca/fish/gravel-...-catid-300072?var_id=36-21324&_t=pfm=category

http://www.petsmart.ca/fish/gravel-...-catid-300072?var_id=36-17591&_t=pfm=category


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Im sure you will get some other replies on this that might be different from mine, but here's mine anyway.

I use gravel like the bag from Petsmart for my Neo tanks...nothing fancy!
I have Fluval in another tank with crayfish, and Shrimp soil in my Bee tanks.
but for the Neos I have just plain gravel.

As long as your sponge is not out of water it will keep the biofilm alive, so yes you can put it in the next tank. Also keep a bucket of the water from this tank as well, so you can pour it into the new setup and it will also re-cycle the tank faster.

I would clean that tank out completely...you don't know what harmful bacteria that might be in the gravel (you mentioned the shrimps were not breeding and for as long as you've had them they should have by now, so somethings not
ideal for them) Clean the tank with very hot water after you've completely
eliminated the gravel and residue from it. Let it stand for 24 hours to dry out.

Shrimps can live in a dirty bucket with NO filtration for days on end, so don't worry about them...I know because Ive had that happen several times. Thought Id got them all
only to find there were still some hiding in the muck in the dirty water. 

Once your ready to refill the tank, use the water you've kept and topup with clean water, add your conditioners. If you are using RO you will need to add minerals like Salty Shrimp GH/KH+ to the water for Neos. If tap water, then
just water conditioner. Pop in you sponge filter, setup any rocks plants you want to use, then put the shrimps in a container and float it on the top, adding a few drops from the tank to their container for about 20 mins...then release
them.

Don't feed them right away....if you have enough biofilm on rocks/filter it will 
sustain them for a day or so. Add Catappa leaf or Oak leaves if you have any
and an alder cone too helps to control bacterial infections.

I use Snowflake food and Biomax and Hikari Algae wafers to feed my Neos
and they all eat it like crazy.

Hope this helps.


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## woopderson (Feb 12, 2014)

What Bettaforu suggests about cleaning the tank I also strongly recommend. I use the Natgeo black sand in my cherry tank, it seems to be nice stuff.

You can also use the Fluval substrate, but it may or may not leach a tiny bit of ammonia. I used seeded media in a fresh tank with a thick layer of it, and it cycled within 2.5 weeks. I keep my yellow neos/babaultis in it, and they are breeding quite well 

The fluval stuff does buffer a bit, though. It was hitting a ph of around 6.2 at one point, which is a bit on the low side. I used a bit of baking soda to raise the ph. It seems to be holding now without the need to add more.


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## alstare2000 (Feb 16, 2013)

Thank you for input.
I think since it will be Neos tank I skip fluval, and get that lighter colour substrate but I do agree with bettaforu there is something yellow shrimp don't like in this tank so it will be full scrub down.
I will refill back with 75% of same aquarium water and 25% new aged one (I always add conditioner and leave a bucket for 24-48 hrs, bit paranoid so I don't get die offs I used to), also the sponge filter I'll keep in tank water so hopefully bacteria won't die off.

Just want to confirm that I can put the shrimps back the same day after of course acclimating them ? It will be only 8 of these guys.


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## woopderson (Feb 12, 2014)

I would let thing settle first, and then add them in. Imho it will all be cycled so it should be fine.


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Leave them in the bucket for 24 hours before putting them into the new water.
there should be nothing in the water after that time to harm them, and as I mentioned before shrimps can live in the dirtiest unfiltered water for days on end without a problem. They will be fine in the bucket.


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