Change Water in Planted Tank

SkeptikaL · Post by **SkeptikaL** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 6:34 pm

So, if you have a tank, planted, with sand, when you change the water, do you just uproot the plant and temporarily put it in a bucket of tank water, bare-rooted, and then just re-bury the roots and it'll still grow?

puffergeek · Post by **puffergeek** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 7:54 pm

I have done that... although I just let the plants float around until the cleaning/rearranging is done. I should note I'm not all that worried about most of the rooted plants in this tank since they are mostly vals (which seem to handle some abuse and still grow like crazy) used as a backdrop.

I'm more gentle with the two small crypts in this tank, but a do stir up the sand around them with a chopstick (or a finger if I am being lazy). I've move them maybe once a year.

The other plants were java ferns/moss and they are attached to some driftwood and are easy to move... I just have to pay attention to where my congo is buried and not squish him

The congo does help stir things up since he does not have a regular spot to burrow and seems to just bury himself wherever he's at at the time.

I do plan to use two substrates (fluorite in back, sand in the front) when I get his new tank together. It seems like that would be easier to maintain and still look nice. That's a few months out right now...

Boxermom · Post by **Boxermom** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 7:59 pm

I don't remove the plants or move them at all. There's no need to.

SkeptikaL · Post by **SkeptikaL** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:26 pm

What about the sinking waste and thos toxic bubbles that build up?

Boxermom · Post by **Boxermom** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:54 pm

Just a gentle, careful vacuum takes care of the sinking waste, and the plants' roots prevent toxic (anerobic) pockets from forming. The only sand that needs to be stirred is sand that is in the open areas.

OraLacerta · Post by **OraLacerta** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:07 pm

Wow, useful tips in this thread!

Thanks for the advice Boxermom, I was wondering about anaerobic bacteria pockets in planted-sand tanks myself!

Boxermom · Post by **Boxermom** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:14 pm

Lots of non-puffer planted tank people have MTS to keep the sand stirred, but I don't have them in mine on the off-chance that one of the puffs would get ahold of one.

lisalisa · Post by **lisalisa** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:32 pm

Boxermom wrote:Just a gentle, careful vacuum takes care of the sinking waste, and the plants' roots prevent toxic (anerobic) pockets from forming. The only sand that needs to be stirred is sand that is in the open areas.

I have to disagree here. There have been cases of toxic pocket forming in planted tanks. This is another reason I avoid sand.

Boxermom · Post by **Boxermom** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:44 pm

It depends on the depth of the sand and the kind of plants, of course. But if the sand isn't too deep, a couple of inches at most, and the plants have a good root system, the roots prevent the pockets from forming. The sand only needs to be stirred where there aren't roots. I don't really stir, I do a more poking kind of thing with chopsticks.

SkeptikaL · Post by **SkeptikaL** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 11:18 pm

But taking plants out, uprooting them doesn't hurt the plant? (in most cases, I know it depends on what plant...) Would it be safe to just stir up open sand weekly, and maybe uproot and stir monthly?

I know I should avoid sand, but I just love the way it looks... Makes it look more like a habitat and not a fish tank.

puffergeek · Post by **puffergeek** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 11:20 pm

The only tank I have with lots of sand in it (besides the reef tank and its deep sand bed) is my congo tank... it's deep enough that he can bury himself and not hit the tank bottom.

I stir the sand in his tank in "quadrants" with each water change. To be honest, I'm not very scientific about it; I don't keep close track and I avoid any area where the congo is dug in. However, everything gets mixed up on a roughly monthly basis, and I haven't had an issue with toxic spots.

I really like the way sand looks, so my F8 tank and GSP tank both have sand, but it is a very thin layer (just enough to cover the bottom and maybe hold a few plastic plants in place) and I stir it up every water change.

Someone mentioned attaching a chopstick to the hose and stirring that way... I'm gonna give it a try this weekend. That's a great idea and I've already got a "toothbrush" attachment for the hose (for algae that needs to be scrubbed off) which I hold in place with those rubber bands stores use on bags of fish.

The Fisherman · Post by **The Fisherman** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 11:34 pm

lisalisa wrote:
Boxermom wrote:Just a gentle, careful vacuum takes care of the sinking waste, and the plants' roots prevent toxic (anerobic) pockets from forming. The only sand that needs to be stirred is sand that is in the open areas.
I have to disagree here. There have been cases of toxic pocket forming in planted tanks. This is another reason I avoid sand.

I agree with LL on this one. (you should trust her, she is ALWAYS right!)

Thats the reason I am switching my modestus' tank over from sand to gravel. Its just impossible to stir ALL the sand.

lisalisa · Post by **lisalisa** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 9:23 am

The Fisherman wrote: I agree with LL on this one. (you should trust her, she is ALWAYS right!)

Ahh! NO I'm not!

The Fisherman · Post by **The Fisherman** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 12:10 pm

lisalisa wrote:
The Fisherman wrote: I agree with LL on this one. (you should trust her, she is ALWAYS right!)
Ahh! NO I'm not!

hehe, just seems like you always have very useful and acurate advice.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 12:14 pm

Never use sand myself, i like to aviod problems if i can lol

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Change Water in Planted Tank

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