Replanting and Rescaping

**stream** · 15th May 2015, 09:18

Do you remove all your fishes and shrimps from the tank when you do replanting? I'm planning to switch my HC carpet to either MC or Glosso. Any advices or tips to note for replanting?

TIA.

**Shadow** · 15th May 2015, 09:51

Depend on how much the soil will be disturb. If it is just a small part of the tank then you can leave the fauna inside and do large water change when done. However for large area, it is always advisable to move your fauna. Soil disturbance will cause Ammonia spike.

**Maru** · 15th May 2015, 10:04

I am thinking of doing that too, to remove the non-growing MC. But if we were to remove the fauna, that means we basically need another matured tank for the temporary housing too right?

**Urban Aquaria** · 15th May 2015, 14:18

Originally Posted by Maru

I am thinking of doing that too, to remove the non-growing MC. But if we were to remove the fauna, that means we basically need another matured tank for the temporary housing too right?

Just get another suitable sized tank, or those larger plastic "guppy brand" tanks, transfer water from your main tank into it, then shift the livestock over.

If the rescaping process is going to be more than a few hours, then its better to run a filter in the holding tank. A sponge filter or hang-on filter (preferably a seasoned one) would be suitable to provide temporary filtration.

Once your main tank parameters are stable and safe, you can slowly transfer the livestock back to it.

**Maru** · 15th May 2015, 16:17

Originally Posted by Urban Aquaria

Just get another suitable sized tank, or those larger plastic "guppy brand" tanks, transfer water from your main tank into it, then shift the livestock over.

If the rescaping process is going to be more than a few hours, then its better to run a filter in the holding tank. A sponge filter or hang-on filter (preferably a seasoned one) would be suitable to provide temporary filtration.

Once your main tank parameters are stable and safe, you can slowly transfer the livestock back to it.

Thanks UA! But theorotically even if the rescaping takes 1-2hrs, we would need another couple of hours for the tank parameters to go back to normal right? Given that Shadow said that there would be an ammonia spike. And for "seasoned" sponge/hangon filter, how do you maintain their "season-ness" as in like add it to your main tank to run for a couple of days? Else if kept in storage, their "season-ness" would be null right? Sorry for so much questions :P

Currently i cant do a rescape as my shrimplets is tooooo tiny to catch LOL. Maybe have to at least wait for them to grow up abit first.

**Urban Aquaria** · 15th May 2015, 16:47

Originally Posted by Maru

Thanks UA! But theorotically even if the rescaping takes 1-2hrs, we would need another couple of hours for the tank parameters to go back to normal right? Given that Shadow said that there would be an ammonia spike. And for "seasoned" sponge/hangon filter, how do you maintain their "season-ness" as in like add it to your main tank to run for a couple of days? Else if kept in storage, their "season-ness" would be null right? Sorry for so much questions :P

Currently i cant do a rescape as my shrimplets is tooooo tiny to catch LOL. Maybe have to at least wait for them to grow up abit first.

Yeah, you can run the spare sponge filter or hang-on filter in the main tank for a few weeks, give the beneficial bacteria time to establish in it. The additional filter will also provide extra filtration for the main tank too.

I usually have spare filters running on my tanks (the beneficial bacteria need bio-load to sustain their populations), so anytime can just transfer them around and startup new tanks easily.

Its also a good excuse to run multiple tanks... for "just in case" purposes.