Hello!

I am getting ready to move in around 3 weeks or so. Most of us are aware of the hassle it takes to ensure optimal efficiency during the movement of a tank. Luckily, I will be in the same area and only about a 20-30 minute drive away. I plan on transferring about half (20g) of my water to the new place.

Since I will be emptying my tank I was thinking of re-scaping my freshwater aquarium. Overall, my plants are doing well. They're growing new leaves and getting thicker almost every day. I want to take this chance and really replant everything and possibly change the substrate. Right now I'm using small-medium sized pebbles. I will most likely add some sort of additional substrate like flourite to my main tank.

Here are some things I'm wondering.

Should I just get rid of the pebbles altogether? I like the tank color, but, wouldn't mind going with a green or brown, with other lighter color mixed in. I've heard of putting some sort of clay at the bottom. Would it really help? I know I don't want sand though. I plan on still running CO2. I also know that if I change my substrate totally, that it will possibly affect my bio-filter and may need to cycle my tank again. I will be taking away the aircraft carrier and possibly the castle.

Planting: Should I replace the substrate, how would I go about replanting? I mean is there a certain pattern of what goes first? With my melon sword, I just dug a hole as long as the roots and laid them in and covered. It looks to be fine.

I plan on keeping the same stock as well. Being that I'm keeping the same stock, I was wondering if anyone has any good ideas for cave-like structures? This would be for my glass catfish. They seem to only come out of the aircraft carrier when the lights are out or when feeding on occasion. I think some sort of flat rock cave would be nice (or similar). I would probably put it to the back. Not sure though. I was actually thinking of one of the hideouts for lizards. Something like that for an terrarium could be purchased…
Well, those are most of the questions for now. I will add comments or edit this post if I come up with more.

Thanks in advance!

__________________
"May I never wake from the American Dream."
-Carrie Latet

60 gallon
5 Orange/Sunburst Platy
1 Angelfish
1 Silver Tip Tetra
2 Glass Catfish
4 Zebra Long Fin Danios
2 Siamese Algae Eaters (SAE)
2 Amano Shrimp
2 Fancy? Tetras
1 Green/Ghost pleco
Hygrophila angustifolia
Anacharis
Swords: 1 Melon, 1 Amazon, 1 Rose
Micro Sword
Moneywort
Rotala nanjenshan
Anubias barteri/Broad Leaf
Brazillian Pennywort

and some I forgot the species of...

Don't worry about keeping water. It means nothing to use it. Just fill with fresh water. If you want to change your substrate I'd go with Safe T Sorb Oil Absorbent, 40 lb. - 0800989 | Tractor Supply Company . Since it is a pretty small tank, I'd keep the current gravel in there with just enough water to cover it. This is to keep all the bacteria alive. Once you get ready to set it all up with the new substate, take net bags and fill with the old gravel and put them in your tank to help cycle it.

If you don't plan on many stem plants and your current plants are doing well, you may not need to change. If the pebbles are small enough, it's possible you may do well with anything you want.

Oh yeah, don't forget to drip acclimate the fish to the new water. Don't add old water to by-pass this.

Sweet! I was going to try and lug four, 5 gallon jugs of tank water around to the new place! haha! I think I want to get a bit more of a natural look to the tank. Possibly keey my two bigger pieces and have them look overgrown with plants...

__________________
"May I never wake from the American Dream."
-Carrie Latet

60 gallon
5 Orange/Sunburst Platy
1 Angelfish
1 Silver Tip Tetra
2 Glass Catfish
4 Zebra Long Fin Danios
2 Siamese Algae Eaters (SAE)
2 Amano Shrimp
2 Fancy? Tetras
1 Green/Ghost pleco
Hygrophila angustifolia
Anacharis
Swords: 1 Melon, 1 Amazon, 1 Rose
Micro Sword
Moneywort
Rotala nanjenshan
Anubias barteri/Broad Leaf
Brazillian Pennywort

and some I forgot the species of...

Well, it's been a nearly a month since the move and about 2-3 weeks since I've move the tanks. I was worried about the time it took the 40g to move. However, it seems to have all worked out. I don't believe I'm missing any fish, but, there are less than there should be. I mean that when (or before) I moved I was short one glass catfish and a ghost shrimp. I could have sworn to having put two RCS and one ghostie in there... huh..

Anywho, I think I'm up one platy LOL!

As an update to my setup, I've decided to add more plants. I've removed the last of the fake ones and now all are live. This is actually really fun! I just can't find a good motif or feng shui for the layout! There are so many really nice plants and larger selection of fish at my new LFS! (Not really "local", but, nothing in Imperial Beach is!)

You can see the few additions in the photos. Please, take a look and let me know what you think!

Another thing I'm going to do is buy a proper stand and a hood. My roommate wants me to, "just get one." However, I'm very FRUGAL and like to get the most for my money! I think I'm really just making excuses and trying to hold out on a deal for a 55-60g setup on craigslist! haha!

The lighting doesn't look right here....


Proper lighting....


A closer look on my bright new sword! (I can't remember the genus of sword, sorry!) I really like the color of it. The only thing I hope will change are the way the leaves are positioned. I am hoping they droop down more like the melon sword on the right. If so, then I'm going to get a matching one for the right side of the melon!

__________________
"May I never wake from the American Dream."
-Carrie Latet

60 gallon
5 Orange/Sunburst Platy
1 Angelfish
1 Silver Tip Tetra
2 Glass Catfish
4 Zebra Long Fin Danios
2 Siamese Algae Eaters (SAE)
2 Amano Shrimp
2 Fancy? Tetras
1 Green/Ghost pleco
Hygrophila angustifolia
Anacharis
Swords: 1 Melon, 1 Amazon, 1 Rose
Micro Sword
Moneywort
Rotala nanjenshan
Anubias barteri/Broad Leaf
Brazillian Pennywort

and some I forgot the species of...

Looks great!

__________________
"Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn".-- Benjamin Franklin

Thanks! I'm hoping to really grow it out. I am in the process of finding a stand or upgrading altogether. When I do decide on what I'm doing, I will be removing the medium pebbles and replacing with something fine, probably. My current substrate (the pebbles) don't let plants anchor too well.

__________________
"May I never wake from the American Dream."
-Carrie Latet

60 gallon
5 Orange/Sunburst Platy
1 Angelfish
1 Silver Tip Tetra
2 Glass Catfish
4 Zebra Long Fin Danios
2 Siamese Algae Eaters (SAE)
2 Amano Shrimp
2 Fancy? Tetras
1 Green/Ghost pleco
Hygrophila angustifolia
Anacharis
Swords: 1 Melon, 1 Amazon, 1 Rose
Micro Sword
Moneywort
Rotala nanjenshan
Anubias barteri/Broad Leaf
Brazillian Pennywort

and some I forgot the species of...

The big plant is a Red Rubin Sword.

I was gonna give you all my usual advice but then realized you already moved.

So looks like you didn't need any of all that.


Looks great.

What k value of the lights? (6500k in with my tank looks a little bluer but it could be you substrate also.

my .02

__________________
fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

looks amazing!