Full Version: Yikes
I have had my tropical tank up and running for almost a year (55 gallon). It came with an undergravel filter system, but I quickly added two Penguin 330 biowheels. I got tired of looking at those uplift tubes, so a couple of weeks ago, I pulled them out. The short part of the tube, that the long tube connected too, still sticks up a little, so I filled them with gravel. Now I am afraid that I should have vacuumed out under there with the gravel vacuum hose before I stopped them up. Will all the crud that is under there turn toxic, since there is no longer oxygen running under there? I tried sucking the gravel out with my python, but it wouldn't come out! HELP! Any advice is appreciated!
the water under there will become stagnant and quite easily harbour bad bacteria (dropsy, etc)
i think ya gunna have to go the hard way about it and take it out
i think ya gunna have to go the hard way about it and take it out
Oh man 
How am I going to do that with creating a huge mess in the tank? I sure don't want to strip it down and start over!!! :angry:
How am I going to do that with creating a huge mess in the tank? I sure don't want to strip it down and start over!!! :angry:
OK, here's my plan. I bought a 14 gallon rubbermaid container. I'll siphon out a lot of the water into it, put the plants and decorations in it, float the biowheels in it, and put all the fish in it. Then I'll siphon out the rest of the water with the python, scoop out the gravel and wash it, take out the plate thingies, then siphon out all the gunk underneath. I can keep adding water and siphoning it back out until I get all the gunk out. Then restock/rebuild from there. Will that work? Anybody else have advice or suggestions?
Thanks!
:monkey
Thanks!
:monkey
personally i would remove the plate, as it will still trap stagnant water , it will be well worth it 
Kev, that's what I meant. I will remove the plates. But first I have to get everything else out of there, right?
I know how I'll be spending tomorrow!
I know how I'll be spending tomorrow!
HI Michelle,
You can use the rubbermaid tub if you want. I can't remember how many or what kinds of fish you have in that tank. If they are easily stressed, you might want to go a different route. I've removed UGFs from two tanks that had been up and running at least that long and on both of them I left the fish in the tank. I can see why you wouldn't want to do that, since the process can release a lot of nasty stuff into the tank. So here's an idea for a compromise. You don't really want to remove all the water, or even half of it, because it could upset your biological filter. You can prepare the rubbermaid tub for them with a filter and heater and dechlorinated water and cycle it like any tank. To cycle it quickly, you'll use Bio-Spira, otherwise it'll take some weeks. Once the fish are in there (and there's no huge hurry to get this done, right? The safety of the fish is the most important thing.) you can move the gravel aside and lift the plate and use your gravel vacuum to suck out as much crud as possible (times two if there are two plates). Then just remove the plates. The water will be a mess, with the black crud clouding it, but it will settle down. Once it's settled down, you can vacuum the gravel thoroughly while doing a water change. Could take a day or two. Don't put the fish back in all at once. Even though you have those two Penguins, this will unbalance your tank some because of all the biobugs you'll be removing along with the UGF. Again, using Bio-Spira will never hurt and could help a LOT. In the end, patience and taking your tiime will pay off. Hope this helps! bh
You can use the rubbermaid tub if you want. I can't remember how many or what kinds of fish you have in that tank. If they are easily stressed, you might want to go a different route. I've removed UGFs from two tanks that had been up and running at least that long and on both of them I left the fish in the tank. I can see why you wouldn't want to do that, since the process can release a lot of nasty stuff into the tank. So here's an idea for a compromise. You don't really want to remove all the water, or even half of it, because it could upset your biological filter. You can prepare the rubbermaid tub for them with a filter and heater and dechlorinated water and cycle it like any tank. To cycle it quickly, you'll use Bio-Spira, otherwise it'll take some weeks. Once the fish are in there (and there's no huge hurry to get this done, right? The safety of the fish is the most important thing.) you can move the gravel aside and lift the plate and use your gravel vacuum to suck out as much crud as possible (times two if there are two plates). Then just remove the plates. The water will be a mess, with the black crud clouding it, but it will settle down. Once it's settled down, you can vacuum the gravel thoroughly while doing a water change. Could take a day or two. Don't put the fish back in all at once. Even though you have those two Penguins, this will unbalance your tank some because of all the biobugs you'll be removing along with the UGF. Again, using Bio-Spira will never hurt and could help a LOT. In the end, patience and taking your tiime will pay off. Hope this helps! bh
Thanks BH!
Patience is not one of my strong points. What if I do all the cleaning today, order the biospira online today, and add it to the tank when it comes (no longer than three days).
How long does it take for the stuff underneath the plates to become toxic? I removed those tubes almost a month ago, but it just now dawned on me about the crud getting toxic. So now I am in a hurry to get it out!
Patience is not one of my strong points. What if I do all the cleaning today, order the biospira online today, and add it to the tank when it comes (no longer than three days).
How long does it take for the stuff underneath the plates to become toxic? I removed those tubes almost a month ago, but it just now dawned on me about the crud getting toxic. So now I am in a hurry to get it out!
Well, now, I'm not sure if you are planning on putting the Bio-Spira in the tank or the tub. Not sure either if you are planning on leaving the fish in the tank or transferring them to the tub temporarily.
The crud that will come out from under the plates won't be good for your fish no matter what. You need to get a LOT of it out before putting your fish back in there. Two days worth of gravel vacuuming should be good enough if you are thorough. The Bio-Spira can have the tank/tub cycled in a few days. As always, testing is very important throughout this process.
I don't actually know about timeline toxicity of the crud. I just know it's better if they don't have to process it through their gills.
The one time I removed a UGF and didn't have Bio-Spira, it took quite a while for the tank to balance again, at least a couple of weeks. So use your own judgement and your tests and you should be ok.
bh
The crud that will come out from under the plates won't be good for your fish no matter what. You need to get a LOT of it out before putting your fish back in there. Two days worth of gravel vacuuming should be good enough if you are thorough. The Bio-Spira can have the tank/tub cycled in a few days. As always, testing is very important throughout this process.
I don't actually know about timeline toxicity of the crud. I just know it's better if they don't have to process it through their gills.
The one time I removed a UGF and didn't have Bio-Spira, it took quite a while for the tank to balance again, at least a couple of weeks. So use your own judgement and your tests and you should be ok.
bh
BH,
OK, it's a done deal now. I siphoned out several gallons of water into the plastic tub, put all the plants and ornaments in it, put in an air disc, put in the biowheels so they wouldn't dry out, then put in all the fish. Then siphoned all the water out of the tank, scooped the gravel into another tub, took out both plates and threw them in the garbage!, rinsed and siphoned both the tank and the tub of gravel and got out ALL the gunk that was under there! Then rebuilt the tank without the plates. Vacuumed the gravel one last time before filling up the tank. I went ahead and cleaned the impellers on the filters and replaced the sponges, which I have used for a long time (alternately rinsing them). Put the fish in last with as much water that I had taken out of the original tank as I could use. Also I put in BioCoat. I ordered the biospira this morning so it will be here Tuesday or Wednesday. So far, so good. The gravel is so clean it will blind you
So, I will check the water until the biospira comes, but I don't think it could get toxic in two days. I have in that tank: 5 clown loaches, 17 neon tetras, 4 angel fish, 5 penguin tetras, 2 red eye tetras, 2 red tailed sharks. B)
By the way, this would have taken hours longer if I didn't have the python! I love that thing!
OK, it's a done deal now. I siphoned out several gallons of water into the plastic tub, put all the plants and ornaments in it, put in an air disc, put in the biowheels so they wouldn't dry out, then put in all the fish. Then siphoned all the water out of the tank, scooped the gravel into another tub, took out both plates and threw them in the garbage!, rinsed and siphoned both the tank and the tub of gravel and got out ALL the gunk that was under there! Then rebuilt the tank without the plates. Vacuumed the gravel one last time before filling up the tank. I went ahead and cleaned the impellers on the filters and replaced the sponges, which I have used for a long time (alternately rinsing them). Put the fish in last with as much water that I had taken out of the original tank as I could use. Also I put in BioCoat. I ordered the biospira this morning so it will be here Tuesday or Wednesday. So far, so good. The gravel is so clean it will blind you
So, I will check the water until the biospira comes, but I don't think it could get toxic in two days. I have in that tank: 5 clown loaches, 17 neon tetras, 4 angel fish, 5 penguin tetras, 2 red eye tetras, 2 red tailed sharks.
B) By the way, this would have taken hours longer if I didn't have the python! I love that thing!
Wow, that's a lot of work! Good for you! BTW, yes it COULD get toxic in two days, so just be very on top of things in the ammonia testing department, using partial water changes of whatever size you need to to keep the ammonia below .25ppm. I'm sure you'll be much happier without the UGF Good luck!
bh
Good luck!bh
Okie dokie, I'll keep a close watch for ammonia. I am SO glad to have that undergravel mess out of there. Never again will I use an undergravel filter!
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