Is It Possible?

[JMJ99]

So I bought a 125 gallon and was excited to get it up and running, and even though I didn't like the gravel that came with it I put it in anyway. However, the more I look at the gravel and the plans I have for the tank, the gravel just doesn't fit in. Is it possible to remove the gravel that is in the tank now and replace it with sand or different gravel without draining the water out of it and removing the fish that are in it? If it is possible, what would the easiest way to do it be?

[rcombs]

Its very possible. You can use a funnel with a tube to carry the sand to the bottom and just load up the funnel. This will lessen the cloud from adding the new substrate and lessen the chance of burying a fish. Or you can have someone with a large net try to keep the fish at one end of the tank, add sand to a side then switch sides.

[JMJ99]

Okay, that seems easy enough. But what about getting the gravel that is in there out?

[linuxrulesusa]

Okay, that seems easy enough. But what about getting the gravel that is in there out?

Big net, cup with holes punched in the bottom, and or clean dustpan should work well.  Won't be easy but it's possible.

[Bremmon]

I've done this a couple times now, It's a bit of a pain in the rear, but doable. Take your time and you will be fine... try to rush and you will have a huge mess on your hands. I scooped the old sand out with an old time flour scoop and then added the sand back in by putting it in a tall bowl and slowly lowering it to the bottom and dumping it out. My second 55 had silica sand in it..silica is super fine and it made an enormous mess, so much so I eventually had to move the fish out because the water got so cloudy.

[rcombs]

+1 on a clean dustpan. Works fast too.

[TrailerParkFishTanks]

I drained most of the water out of mine when I changed substrate but when I cleaned the sand I did it in a pillow case then I just lowered it to the bottom and gently pulled the bottom of the pillow case and there was almost no cloudiness. Its possible to do it without removing everything but it will be a lot more difficult, and although lots of these fish are pretty, some are pretty dumb and will try to get themselves buried so be careful. Good luck.