I need/want to go barebottom in 55g for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because the rocks are too small and my big telescope keeps sucking them up and it takes her a while to spit them back out. I'm afraid one day she's going to not be able to and choke. Or, ingest one.

Second and third, it's just flat-out ugly and discolored with brown algae.

I know it's advised not to remove all the gravel at once, but if I remove it a little at a time, the tiniest of pieces will be exposed and I worry about the gf - especially big Goldie - swallowing or choking on them.

So, I guess my question is, which poses the greater risk? Removing all the gravel at once and potentially upsetting my cycle? Or taking a chance on one of my fish eating the tiny bits of gravel if I do it over a week's time?

TIA!

Lisa

What you could do, although it may be a bit ugly for a few weeks, is remove the fish into a bucket for a few hours while you are working on the tank. Then take all of the gravel from the tank and vacuum up the tiny bits. Place 3/4's of the gravel back into the tank, but put it in nylon stockings. Then take out a stocking full of gravel at a time. Then you wouldn't have all of the little bits exposed when you are removing the gravel and you wouldn't have to worry about your fish sucking it up in the meantime. It will work well if you don't have huge amounts of gravel to deal with

Er...isn't most of the beneficial bacteria is in the filter? Removing the gravel slowly is a good idea, but removing them all at once won't hurt your cycle either. Yes gravel do have a small amount of bacteria there, but not enough to upset the cycle.

Do what's best for your fish, but be realistic also.

Oh, that's a brilliant idea! Thanks TouchofSky!

D, I guess it depends on who you 'talk' to. I've seen it mentioned here a lot that gravel holds a considerable amount of the good bacteria and to remove it all at once can put a whammy on your cycle. That's great if it's not the case, but to be safe, I'm going to err on the side of caution and bag it.

Thanks to both of you again!

Lisa

Please let me know how it works out

As long as you're monitoring your water then the worst that could happen is that your biceps get a work out : )

I wanted to take a lot of my gravel out (those bags are really misleading. I only used half the 'suggested' and I still had way too much!) so I did it a quarter every week, just to be safe. My tank was still cycling so I have no idea whether it affected it or not.

Good luck!

I just took out about 3/4 of my gravel from my tank. Just enough left now to cover the bottom. I'll let you know if anything disastrous happens.

Caution is good, and if u have time to do it, then go for it. I didn't have that much patience and removed all my gravel all at once

It's not often that patience and I are in the same sentence. Unless it's preceded by "Don't have".

Actually, it wasn't that bad. Since I removed all the gravel anyway, I just bagged it while the tank was refilling. And btw, it looks GREAT! Dh wasn't thrilled with the idea at all, but even he likes it. It has such a clean, 'modern' look now and with the gravel gone, the bottom looks like a mirror. Cool beans!

The only problem is that stupid orange sticker is visible from certain angles. It's between the glass and the center brace on the bottom, so I can't remove it. Whose bright idea was it to put it there?

Again, thanks so much for the help everyone! I am lovin' the barebottom look!

Lisa

Glad you like the barebottom look. I have a few tanks bare bottom, and I like them, too.

Maybe you could put a few polished river stones in the tank where the sticker is?

I picked up several bags of those colored glass 'marbles' last night. The flat ones. I'm washing them now and plan on sprinkling some around, so hopefully those will help hide that hideous sticker. I also got some glass containers to put plants in, so if the glass marble things don't work, I can place a plant over it.

I am thinking with this more clean and modern look I'm heading towards, I need to change my background. Right now I have one of natural scene ones with the rocks and plants. It just doesn't go anymore. I'm pondering going with a solid blue or maybe even black.

The absolute BEST thing about removing the gravel though is that I FINALLY have perfect params! I've been struggling for almost a year to get my NitrAtes below 40 and I tested this morning and they are down to 10! That gravel must've been trapping some nasty stuff, even though I gravel vac'd at least twice a week.

My fish are definitely happier!

Lisa

Your new decor ideas sound lovely. I hope you can take a photo when you are finished. I would love to see the new look.

I does sound as if your gravel was trapping nasties. I am glad that your water is now great

Lisa, a cheap easy way of putting a background on is posterboard. I have a black one on the back of my goldy tank, and a blue one on my trop tank. It hides the cords, and brightens the tank up. All you have to do is cut it to fit, and tape it on! And if they get wet, they are cheap to replace.

I recently went barebottom on my goldy tank too, and I just love the way it looks. I agree with you on all that gravel holding in toxins. The water is much cleaner now! I saw all the other members here with pics of their barebottom tanks, and I fell in love with the look.