[APD] tearing down and resetting up planted tank

["Rick Engstrom" <rick703 at mts_net>]

due to home renovations, painting the wall & ceilings and refinishing the
hardwood floors it will be necessary to empty my 77g heavily planted tank.
As this presented an opportunity to change the multi colored gravel that
this tank was set up with a number of years ago I have purchased Flourite. I
have some minor BBA in the tank at this time so my plan is to empty the tank
and relocate the fish to another tank. Remove all the plants and place them
in a large plastic laundry type tub with a mix of tank and fresh water. I
can place a couple of light strips over this tub. I am going to fill the
empty tank , throw in a cup or two of bleach , add a bubbler and let it sit
overnight. The tank should be nice and clean when I set it back up.

 A couple of questions if I may. It appears that by the time the painters
and the flooring guy are finished it will be 4 or 5 days before I can get
the tank back up and replant. How long will uprooted plants survive?

I have purchased 7 x 7kg bags of Flourite which in my 48 x 16 tank should
give me a depth between 3 and 4 inches. I plan to add a few handfuls of peat
and then perhaps 5 bags of flourite right out of the bag...no rinsing, then
lightly rinse the last two bags and add that to the top. There is a lot of
detritus in the existing tank and I wonder if this or some of it should be
added on top of the peat?

Any and all suggestions are most welcome.

Regards.

Rick


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