# cycling and gravel



## koopagurl (Jun 23, 2008)

Hi,

I am new to this board, and am pretty new with the hobby. I want to start a planted tank, but I need to add more gravel to it first. Just wondering whether the cycle would be disturbed if I mix in new gravel? If the cycle would be disturbed, I could add the new gravel in parts, but I am not sure how to do it. Should I add a third of the bag every week or something like that? I also have large decorations that I want to remove to make room for the plants, but would that also greatly disturb the cycle? I just have three shrimps, three guppies, and two puffers (yeah, I know its a bad combination, but my mom insisted) in a 28 gallon. All of them are about an inch.


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## twoheadedfish (May 10, 2008)

Hi Koopagurl, and welcome.

I myself have mixed and fully replaced my substrate in the last few weeks. 

You shouldn't have any issues mixing new substrate with old stuff. Just be sure you do actually mix it. Simply placing new substrate over the old stuff could create an aneorbic situation creating potentially leathal toxins (methane i think?)

Your decorations will have some degree of beneficial bacteria on it, but i think the concesus is that the majority of the bacteria colony resides in the filter. if you're replacing your decor with live plants, they'll take care of some of the fish waste anyways.

I think you should be fine mixing in new gravel. 

1)be sure to thoroughly rinse the substrate before adding it (unless it's something like eco-complete, then dont' rinse it too vigorously)
2)drain 1/2 to 2/3rds of the water, keep as much of it as you can
3)carefully collect your fdecor and fish/inverts and keep them in a filtered (if possible), heated (again, if possible) bucket. the fish i mean, not the decor.
4) mix in the new substrate. let it settle, add the water then the fish.

also see "replacing substrate" in the general freshwater discussion forum.

i hope this helps as i just went through the same thing myself.


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## koopagurl (Jun 23, 2008)

thanks! i will try it out.


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## koopagurl (Jun 23, 2008)

i mixed the gravel today (laterite and more regular gravel). i also planted some plants because i saw some nice ones at the fish store. hope it works out! can't see how it looks like yet because the water is cloudy from the laterite, lol.


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## twoheadedfish (May 10, 2008)

how are the fishies doing?

post a pic if you get a chance!


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## koopagurl (Jun 23, 2008)

they're being really curious actually. i think my puffer already tried to take a bite out of a plant.  

i'll post pics when the tank starts to come together! hehe


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## Calmer (Mar 9, 2008)

What do you have in the way of lights for the aquarium plants? 

My 3 dwarf puffers are in a 15Gal. with 2 cherry shrimp and so far no nibbles. 
I have seen one female puffer grab the other female puffer by the back and shake her like a rag doll. She still has faint bite marks from over a month ago. Now they are more mature and the male puffer protects her.
If you find the guppies tails are shrinking then separate the two species.


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## koopagurl (Jun 23, 2008)

i have the coralife T5, 6700K light. i hope that is enough? the lights are 14 watts each (there are 2 lights), but i heard that if it is T5 then 1 watt/gallon is enough... mine are figure 8 puffers btw, so i will have to bring it up to brackish slowly. i did it quickly before, and i managed to kill 90% of the hornwart (i thought they were impossible to kill? lol). yeah i am keeping an eye on the guppies.

i really like dwarf puffers! but my mom doesn't think they're cute. maybe its the wrinkles on the males, heheh.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Your lights should be enough for any low light plants in your tank.

I'm going to guess you didn't wash out the gravel and laterite? I would clean out your filter everyday until the water clears up, just to keep it from getting completely clogged up.

Usually plants and salt don't mix very well. I can't think of any plants that would do well in brackish water, but I'd imagine maybe some species of vals might be ok, but I'm not completely sure.


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## koopagurl (Jun 23, 2008)

yeah, the clouding is already clearing up, so i'm happy.  i read on the puffer forum that anubias, vals, anacharis, amazon swords, java moss, moss balls, echinodorus, etc. have worked for light brackish tanks.

if i would like to keep moderate light plants, what can i do about the lighting? i bought an amazon sword plant and two echinodorus plants and placed it on the side that is closest to the window.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

At 28w, you should be fine for most species, just stay away from the high intensity plants (most ground cover), and some stem varieties (generally redder ones), as they will not do well in your tank. But most commonly available plants will be ok, especially the ones you listed there.

Good luck with the puffers!


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