Replacing the substrate without crashing the cycle

[dao]

So a lot of shrimp keepers prepare and cycle a completely new tank when their old active substrate is loosing its properties. But is it really necessary ?

Can't you just drain the whole water from the tank, keep your filter media submerged in the drained water, replace the substrate and put everything back in  ?

I had to do that with my cull tank - there is inert substrate but it was just too dirty and the nitrates were rising way to quickly. So I just cleaned the substrate under tap water and put everything back in, and luckily the cycle did not crash. Why would it I thought if the bacteria are mostly in the filter rather than the substrate ?

So I guess as long as you are not using undergravel filter this should also work, right ?

I mean we are probably getting rid of some of the bacteria that were in the substrate, however we are also cleaning the tank thus decreasing the bioload, so whatever is left in the filter media should be able to handle the waste shrimp produce.

 

Your thought about this ?:)

[chappy6107]

you are correct.  however most active substrates leach ammonia for a little while.  so alot of us let that happen in a tank all by itself until it is no longer a problem.

[EricM]

but your biggest source of nitrifying bacteria located in the soil, and you'll be removing this.

 

  cleaning anything in water other than the water that came out of the tank. 

 

I'm never a fan of soil swaps, I believe the best method is always a new tank.

 

 

[Undershrimp]

but your biggest source of nitrifying bacteria located in the soil, and you'll be removing this.
 
 [emoji20] cleaning anything in water other than the water that came out of the tank. 
 
I'm never a fan of soil swaps, I believe the best method is always a new tank.
 
 

I have been wondering about this as well to avoid breaking down a tank. Do you think it would be possible to have the soil in containers and fully cycle containers in a bucket before swapping? I would like to have 3 containers in a 20L and after the first year or less start swapping them out, one at a time, every 4 months. Really wish there was a better way to buffer to low PH in a stable way without the use of soil.

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[Purplepanda]

I gravel vac the substrate ADA in most cases with a small size vacuum just doing small different sections of the floor every-time I water change, removes the gunk and stagnant pockets. Shrimp go crazy for the turned over substrate their bimonthly highlight and seems to work a dream.

 

Going to try the container tray idea as seen on you tube with a new large TB raising tank.. 

[EricM]

Just now, Undershrimp said:

I have been wondering about this as well to avoid breaking down a tank. Do you think it would be possible to have the soil in containers and fully cycle containers in a bucket before swapping? I would like to have 3 containers in a 20L and after the first year or less start swapping them out, one at a time, every 4 months. Really wish there was a better way to buffer to low PH in a stable way without the use of soil.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
 

 

 

I've tried the container method years back. didnt really care for it.   most buffering soils will last a lot longer than you think if you are using 100% RO water with zero KH.  KH is what ends up being the killer. buffering soils absorb KH and eventually they reach their max. this is when they have a hard time keeping ph stable. 

 

 

[Purplepanda]

12 minutes ago, bostoneric said:

 

I've tried the container method years back. didnt really care for it.   

 

 

 

more importantly did the shrimp care for it ?

 

How long would ADA Amazonia buffer for with zero KH I wonder ?

 

 

[Undershrimp]

Looking at an older thread I wonder if something like UP aqua sand would be a better candidate for something like this or are they all pretty much the same thing? I am not planning to have plants in the substrate. Almost thinking of using the same bottled spring water I use for my corydoras with a PH of 6.9 and 3.5 GH and 1 KH 130 TDS and skip the substrate, RO and remin. Just go lava rock, wood and leaf litter. Any thoughts on this or am I crazy? Feel free to tell me I am crazy (I might be lol!) and going to kill a lot of shrimp. For real though, I'd rather be safe than sorry.