[APD] Re: Substrate

["George Booth" <gbooth at frii_com>]

    >I have a well-established tank (i.e. 10 years old)
    >that is leaking water. It is time for replacement
    >glass. I'm using laterite in the bottom inch or so
    >of the gravel. I'm looking for ideas about how to
    >move the old substrate into the new tank.

    Remove the top 1/3 of the gravel and do NOT use it in the new tank.
    Use the bottom 2/3 of the gravel as is in the new setup.
    Add new, clean gravel on top of the old gravel to keep the laterite from
    clouding your water (for at least a month, in my experience).

    >Or should
    >I just rinse out the old stuff and add some more
    >laterite to the new digs?

    You will be hard pressed to get the laterite out of the old gravel. You
could
    try, but I have never been very successful at that. The old gravel is
well aged
    and very beneficial. Re-use it. But "seal" the old stuff with a layer of
fresh,
    clean gravel.

    George Booth in Ft. Collins, CO (gbooth at frii dot com)
     The website for Aquatic Gardeners by Aquatic Gardeners

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