Still confused

[iluvfish]

Thanks All! But I'm still confused about something. Let's say I convert the UGF to wet/dry. Then in 6 weeks or so, when I want to change to sand-will it be okay to leave the fish in a 5 gal bucket? The gal at the LFS said that if I convert from UGF and CC to this, that I have to let the whole tank cycle again without fish. Is this true? I am so confused!!! Amy
P.S. I do have inverts in the tank as well. Thanks!

 

[thomas712]

You may well see a cycle in your tank, but I don't think you will see one like a new tank cycle. You will be basically waiting for your bacteria to move and grow onto the bio balls. But it is nothing that I can guarentee.
Try this - does your lfs sell bio balls, do they use bio balls? Can they sell you some of thier bio balls from thier system? It would be like getting live sand with the bacteria already on them. You would have to get them home pretty quick so the bacteria do not dry out.
OR
Get a hang on filter, saddle filter, and get that going for a few weeks so that it will have the bacteria in it then yank the cc and UGF out and contiue to use the hang on filter. This will assist in keeping a bacteria bed and help to keep the cycle down.
You can of course also use the crushed coral in nylons to help seed the bacteria in the new sand bed.
You have choices here that are on your side of the bacteria, use them.
Keep the fish in a bucket or other container (rubbermaid) and have a heater (if necessary) and powerhead for circulation and they should be fine for a few days.
Thomas

 

[joker]

well I believe that when you disturb the substrate to remove your UGF, you are going to create, at the very least, a mini cycle. As far as leaving them in a 5 gal bucket, if you do get a mini cycle, then you are talking a couple of days at the least, which, IMO, would not be good.