# changing substrate with shrimp



## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

Well it seems that my fert/soil capped with sand is finally done. Glosso cant even grow so I have had it. Its my 55g and its been running maybe 2 years. I have 2 filters, eheim 2217 and a 2213.

I have a bunch of shrimp babies and shrimps. How the hell do I change the substrate without killing half of them? 

I am switching to ADA (dun dun dun) and im concerned about ammonia spikes. Should I house all my shrimps in a smaller tank while this tank settles?


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## Caleb19 (Sep 27, 2010)

This would be highly advisable, as you will most likely see an ammonia spike due to the AS leeching. Only thing I can think of is to soak your soil in another container and allow the leeching to to transpire before you place into your shrimp tank. Just my 2 cents. Cheerz!


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

You'll have to remove your livestock for 3-4 weeks minimum. 

While some with super-heavily planted tanks are able to add livestock right away with Aquasoil, that's pretty rare.


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

Caleb19 said:


> This would be highly advisable, as you will most likely see an ammonia spike due to the AS leeching. Only thing I can think of is to soak your soil in another container and allow the leeching to to transpire before you place into your shrimp tank. Just my 2 cents. Cheerz!


So even if it sat in water it will be OK? I thought that the only way to rid the ammonia is to have a filter that has been cycled to convert the ammonia into something less deadly. Correct me if I'm wrong




somewhatshocked said:


> You'll have to remove your livestock for 3-4 weeks minimum.
> 
> While some with super-heavily planted tanks are able to add livestock right away with Aquasoil, that's pretty rare.


Yea my tank is only moderatly planted. Nothing fast growing. Blyxa, pennywort, needle leaf Java ferns.


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## vvDO (Oct 18, 2010)

Maybe you can keep the original tank running with only one filter and start up the new tank with the other... should help using an already seeded filter. I would still test water parameters until Ammonium and nitrites are zero before adding shrimp. A heater may help the cycle along quicker. My buddy foolishly thought that moving from a 20G to a 40G adding a new bag of ASII even though heavily planted would be fine if he kept the same seeded filter. Oh boy was he wrong.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

The soil will leach ammonia no matter if there is a cycled filter running or not. I would not take the filter (the cycled media, actually) from the tank with livestock. 

Here is what I would do:
Option 1: Put the Aquasoil in a bucket/tank/plastic storage box, fill with water and change the water occasionally. As the water becomes too rich with ammonia it will reach some point that the soil cannot release the ammonia to the water. By doing water changes you are allowing more and more ammonia to come out of the soil. This would be a great opportunity for you to cycle a new filter, if you needed one (like for a new tank ;-) ) (Keep the ammonia at 3 ppm maximum to do this)

Option 2: Move the shrimp and their cycled filter to another container and set up the tank with Aquasoil. Do as many water changes as needed to keep the ammonia coming out of the soil. Set up the hills and valleys, stones, planting, driftwood and so on. Some plants do not like very much ammonia. You might need to keep the ammonia under about 3 ppm for these plants. By the time the ammonia has quit leaching (roughly a month), the plants will be nicely rooted. Again, this is a good time to cycle a new filter, if you want. 

The fishless cycle takes about 3 weeks, even if you start with no bacteria. The right bacteria will find the tank even if you do not add any. Since the soil will be leaching longer than that, there is no reason to seed the tank with bacteria. It won't hurry things along.


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## accordztech (Dec 6, 2004)

So I guess Ill try and take out most of the shrimp. Sadly some may perish...well they will add to the bacteria colony lol. 

I still need to find some ADA, and then fix my co2 regulator. Once I do that then Ill buy a 10g tank and house the 5 cories and the shrimp and then empty out my tank. Should of done something like this in the first place.


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