Rescaping Tank - Shrimp and fish out or stay in?

[Atom]

Oh no...I am topping off my fluval stratum with Ada! Anyone have experiences with the ammonia issue morainy mentioned? I was hoping to add the shrimp back within a few hours. I'm most likely just adding another maybe 2 to 3 cups worth of soil. Hmm...

I can't wait to see your new Betta and aquastyle morainy! No luck wih the vals either? Mine are doing okay. I am also experiencing the yellowing but no spots. I just started dosing nitrogen so I will see if that helps, but accidentally dosed excel today and remembered they melt them. Darn.

[Morainy]

Hi Atom,

Don't forget -- I've never used ADA! I"m just going by what I learned from CRS_Fan. I might be wrong about the ammonia.

If you end up in a pinch, I'd be happy to take your shrimp into the tank with my pygmy cories until your water is ready. They would be fine there and would be easy to catch afterwards (it's an Ebi, too).

[Atom]

Thanks Morainy. I've also read that Ada releases ammonia somewhere. I'll look it up. If it's a problem I can always move the shrimp into my Eheim for the time being. Catching them back is the problem because the tank is full of vals.

[Atom]

Added the new ada soil and just did a test...



I'm guessing a water change is needed and my shrimp and fish will have to stay in the bucket for a little while.

[2wheelsx2]

Probably because you stirred everything up too. Give it time, your filter will catch up.

[Morainy]

Good for you for doing the test! Lovely colour, but too bad.

[2wheelsx2]

This thread should answer your question:

Substrate swap to ADA - Aquarium Plants

[Atom]

Thanks 2wheelsx2. That's very helpful article.

Wow...daily water changes. So I guess I should be dosing my micros and macros heavily since I'm essential removing all of my water? Should I be worried about the brand new plants and the ammonia spike?

I'm going to move my shrimp into my other tank for now. Tempted to move my white clouds back in after the first week if readings are good.

[2wheelsx2]

You shouldn't need to dose anything, as the AS will continue to leach the nutrients into the water column. Plants more readily take up ammonia as a source of N than nitrite or nitrate, so you don't have to worry about the plants, just the fauna. White clouds will probably fine, especially with an established filter and the old substrate underneath.