So, my tank is almost two years old and I have 13 shrimp (and one shrimp larvae) and many snails. I recently moved and was able to do so without completely cleaning out my tank by lowering the water levels and separating things into various buckets. Now I’m moved and it’s been a week with all my shrimp alive and one even recently molted.
When I first set up my tank, I put way too much crushed coral under my black sand. It was fine until I moved, which pushed all the crushed coral chunks to the surface which looks bad. How can I remove some coral and sand and replace it with new sand without throwing off the cycle? I don’t have a filter so the beneficial bacteria is probably in the sand and my large lava rock. I don’t want to risk crashing the cycle.
Beneficial Bacteria and Rescaping
Moderator: Mustafa
Re: Beneficial Bacteria and Rescaping
------EtherealEunoia wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2019 5:24 pm So, my tank is almost two years old and I have 13 shrimp (and one shrimp larvae) and many snails. I recently moved and was able to do so without completely cleaning out my tank by lowering the water levels and separating things into various buckets. Now I’m moved and it’s been a week with all my shrimp alive and one even recently molted.
When I first set up my tank, I put way too much crushed coral under my black sand. It was fine until I moved, which pushed all the crushed coral chunks to the surface which looks bad. How can I remove some coral and sand and replace it with new sand without throwing off the cycle? I don’t have a filter so the beneficial bacteria is probably in the sand and my large lava rock. I don’t want to risk crashing the cycle.
A thick substrate is not necessary. If it is the protruding crushed coral you don't like, just get in there with a net or aquascape tweezers and remove as much as you want until you achieve a balanced aesthetic look.
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Re: Beneficial Bacteria and Rescaping
Just remove a little every few days and everything should be fine.