Tear Down Tank?

[jiatao]

Hello bros and sis,

just want to know if it's normal to tear down the tank and rebuild it regularly?

then if we do that right, won't the fishes be very stressed out from all the dirt and new aquarium cycle?

thanks in advance!

[AquaObsession]

it is not normal to tear down tank and rebuild REGULARLY. Why do you want to do that?

You will not like your house being renovated on a daily basis, will ya?

the tank will have to go through the cycle again (fish have to be kept in quarantine).

[eddyq]

It not normal to tear down tank and rescape regularly. But if you do then it better to remove fishes somewhere. It very troublesome so better plan ahead your scape.

Let tank cycle with old filter and put mulm in substrate to speed up nitrogen cycle.

[jiatao]

icic, because i was too inexperienced the other time i set up the tank, so now the plants are going out of control, that's why i was thinking of setting up the tank with all the different plants in the rite position. lol.

but i think for the greater good for all the fishes, i better not do it now.

[AquaObsession]

Just get a quarantine tank for your fishes while you play around with the tank!

[valice]

icic, because i was too inexperienced the other time i set up the tank, so now the plants are going out of control, that's why i was thinking of setting up the tank with all the different plants in the rite position. lol.

but i think for the greater good for all the fishes, i better not do it now.

you can do it now.
let us know what kind of substrate you are currently using now. if there is base fert involved, siphon them and cover them with your top gravel after you have ripped out all the plants.

then do a 50-70% water change with your filter still running.
replant your plants immediately (pack it with all the plants you want to be in). Fill the tank up with conditioned water (either aged or dechlorinated with the usual water conditioners). Remember that all the time your filter must be running.

it is deterimental to do it all the time, but if you must, always a water change due to the ammonia released from your base fert or stuck under the substrate.

and before you start your ripping, plan already either on paper or in your head how you want your scape to look like.

hope this helps...

[bryan]

Go ahead. I guess it bugs you enough to consider redoing your tank if not you'll have goosebumps everytime you look at it. Try not to be in a hurry to re-introduce the fish and don't mess up the substrate too much.

[jiatao]

oh ok ok, as long as all these while the fishes all put inside the quarantine tank can liao rite?

hmm, then wat's the use of letting the filter run while pulling out the plants?

Thanks all for your help!

[bryan]

The bacteria in the filter starts dying once the filter shuts down. Ensuring the survival of the bacteria will help in recycling of the tank.

[jiatao]

icic, okok i go try try.

so to ensure the ammonia level don't go up too high, muz change water after i disturb the substrate a lot lor.

thanks to all for all the help leh! xie xie da jia!

[murinus]

can we just stick the filter into a pail of aged water and let it run in there? this way the filter will not suck up all the debris floating in the water while we're rescaping and clog up

[zenscape]

can we just stick the filter into a pail of aged water and let it run in there? this way the filter will not suck up all the debris floating in the water while we're rescaping and clog up

I would turn off the filter while doing major rescaping, and turn it on after the debris settles if i do not intend to wash the filter for that round. Alternatively, you may take this opportunity to wash your filter.

I understand you may be concern in keeping nitrifying bacteria alive by running the filter in a pail but it is not only living in the filter. It is living among the tank wall, substrate and plants.