How To Re-Aquascape Your Existing Tank, With Fish In It The Whole Time! The Crucial Steps (Low Tech)

www.patreon.com/somainkdesigns
this is the not-so-glamorous process of setting up an Aquascape in an existing gravel bottom fish tank. I had a pair of mating Nigerian red Kribs, which I did not want to disturb to the extent of redoing the substrate in the entire tank. So I picked up some mature ADA ecocomplete / Fluval / Amazonia substrate from a friend, a bag of sand, and got to work.
this rescape required keeping the fish in their current tank in approximately 40% of their normal water. this allows the beneficial bacteria and nitrifying colonies that already exist in my tank and filter- to remain, while remodeling 30% of the substrate.
I also used plants from the same aquarium to scape this tank. Often times you don't realize what you have at your disposal in your own tank, until you pull out all your aquatic plants, trim your stem plants, split your crypts, and pull apart your moss.
I know this may be a rather dry or boring video to some of you, but I am imparting some of what I have learned thus far and I do not claim to be an expert at the art of hardscaping or aquascaping. however I did recently win an aquascaping contest locally, and have been keeping fish for over 20 years now.
The feeling I was going for in this Aquascaping project was slightly Amano ADA , Slightly Iwagumi ( with my heavy use of dragon stone and wonderstone ) as well as a bit of the miniature landscape look, by adding pathways and perspective to the tank.
It still has months left to mature, fill in and grow out, be manicured and tinkered with, but the basic structure of my new landscape is now in place and actually finished as I write this description.

[@dixsigns1717]

No matter how old your videos are I always learn something from them. I am70+ years old getting back into the hobby after watching my last tank sit empty for 25+ years.

[@rdred8693]

Congratulations! I am back into it after 15 years.

[@vikkirountoit497]

Pulled up this video to get an idea where to start rescaping! My tanks are more collections of fish and plants that interest me along with things I think they'll appreciate than they are lovely aquascapes. Would like to create something more artistic:) Until you mentioned it, I hadn't even considered if I want to move any of the mechanical stuff too. Good reminder to leave an untouched area for fish to hide in, deal with heater, and keep filter going as I'm going surely going to kick up some mulm. So: gravel vac to reduce mulm dust potential, drain some water into totes for holding plants and replay when done, pull the floating plants and clean up any compostables, remove any hardscape I intend to move, pull the plants and set aside for replay in the same tank or another, add extra substrate if needed, replay the hardscape new design, add plants, replay water old and new treated, add floaters. Hope I'm not forgetting anything! Now I just have to figure out how I want it to look so that me and fish are all happy with it:)

[@Fishtory]

Best of luck to you! Have fun

[@angiebear8727]

Same here. This video and your comment that I can refer back to are both helpful. 😊

[@ACAquatics]

Great video as always brother. Thanks for sharing and keep doing what you do.

[@jmdq1]

Looks much better, happy fish 😊

[@ashleyrivera2571]

Wow ! I loveee the set up. I mean I’m sure it’s different by now but amazing !!!

[@Fishtory]

Hah thanks. And yes, I'm mid - house moving...so all my tanks are uprooted.

[@ashleyrivera2571]

@@Fishtory oh nice ! Must be stressful moving on top of during the pandemic. A double whammy. I just changed my small tank to a planted one so I’m doing a lot of trial and error. 😅

[@MrBmxbrawler]

Beautiful! When you time warped. It was quite an impressive reveal. 👏

[@Andy_Underwood...]

I also have a 'Beautiful backside' 😂

[@DanHudock]

Thank you for this video!

[@Fishtory]

No problem. I'm glad it was of use to you. Also, thank you for tuning in!

[@Dan_Stank]

Kept expecting you to talk about the Orb of Ozuvoz and how it is a level 99 magical artifact.

[@djssquibbs3295]

That two sided rock is cool I might have tried to position it so that you can see both sides and then made up my mind later.

[@Fishtory]

I did later actually haha

[@heaven7360]

I hope the tank returns to a healthy condition. Fish keeping is damn hard. I question my involvement recently. I'm sure it is probably because I'm new at it all and learn after the fact all the time. One thing is that it keeps my mind and emotions and the anxiety that builds more in the background. I'll do some work this evening to send you some good healthy light. I am certain your tank will be beautiful. I look forward to seeing it.

[@thechannelofrandomn]

I have been experiencing the same thing...I love my fish tank but I hate the anxiety that comes with questioning my beginners experience.

[@tabora_]

It definitely gets better the longer you have the tank!!!! It's VERY easy for it to go wrong at first but I really really recommend live plants and fish or snails that will help clean the tank. I never have to clean algae because I bred snails and have a corydora

[@heaven7360]

Hi Me: thank you for watching my video. Thought I'd take the time to acknowledge it.

[@avocado402]

Thanks for this video! I want to rescape my goldfish tank but I don't have a place to put my fish while I'm doing it. I think I'll just do it similar to how you did it. Take out some water and put the rocks and plants in. One of my concerns tho is the plants floating while I'm trying to put them in, will make it difficult.

[@Fishtory]

Get a little bucket for the plants perhaps? Then you can grab and replant as you go

[@mdm9096]

Can I add more ada soil on top of existing soil in my tank??

[@Fishtory]

Yes, but do it slowly.... a quarter cup per gallon every 2 or 3 days usually...so 5 cups in a 20 gallon of it's well planted and you keep up on water changes

[@ZR_1121]

What brand of filter do you use?

[@membercup714]

Sky blue shrimp !!!

[@Fishtory]

Member Cup that or yellow are my inclination...perhaps ill do yellow sakura and blue tigers?

[@justmusic3555]

Hi. I am planning to re-scape my planted aquarium. And move it yo another stand. Can i remove the water from it and return the water again after moving the aquarium and re-scaping it?

[@Fishtory]

Sure can!

[@Me-nu3df]

Can i ask? what do i do whan i already have some fishes in my tank and i want to put some plants? Pls reply needed

[@Fishtory]

toss em in. Fish love plants

[@heaven7360]

would you ever use a UV sterilizer? Not a full time thing but it seems from what I've read it has its place in fish keeping.

[@INDZDIPSET]

I used one for 7 days to kill off nasty green water (due to a very strong LED light which is now binned). They work very well, I just wouldn't recommend constant running. I don't think they have many negative effects but they are pretty hideous and will ramp up eleccy costs

[@jcjcj.]

I was thinking of redoing my gravel and putting it in the back and putting fine gravel is that ok?

[@Fishtory]

As long as the water is cycled and you have plants/a filter that still have cycled media :)

[@jcjcj.]

The Secret History Living in Your Aquarium thanks

[@Aquafinity]

Hello do you have soil in your aquarium?

[@Fishtory]

ADA amazonia aquasoil, fluval stratum, gravel and sand is all i have, and in various combinations and layering. But i have done the Walstead method and used actual planting soil....it just took nearly 2 months to cycle the ammonia and clear the water...which easily gets cloudy and you cant move plants much at all without a huge mess and ammonia spike....all that said- it grows plants well

[@PULAG]

If I want to move my plants from current tank to a different established non plant tank, will they be okay?

[@Fishtory]

Yes they should be fine :)

[@rifraf6135]

Where can i get the nat geo sand? A link please? Cant find it anywhere lol.

[@Fishtory]

Um its sold out on ebay AND amazon...petsmart carries it though! Also the link for Caribbsea sand is one of the same exact distribution and collection points for the nat geo "bahama sand" ....so in a pinch take a look at that for now...(i think they also actually source their black sand from Kauai and Iwagima? )

[@rifraf6135]

@@Fishtory alright i will take a look at petsmart. I have some some CaribSea Supernaturals Sunset Gold. Its pretty neat. Just wanted to see if there was an easy option for me if i wanted to add some more sand. Thanks for the info!

[@BentleyPascoe]

I think I know what the team up is, if it is who I think, His rainbows ended up at my place.

[@Fishtory]

Haha no, but iam taking care of all his fish... I'm a sucker for caring. I did get 4 shrimp and 6 of his nearly 50 baby kribs though He's had a really tough time and I told him not to be irrational and sell every tank. Although, I did really want that rimless 22 long haha. It's s 45 minute drive each way for Me also lol f.m.l. But no, the project im trying to organize is much much bigger. Involving shrimp mostly hopefully.

[@BentleyPascoe]

Yea, I've been talking with him back and forth, I'm watching his birds for him while he's out of the country, I just don't have the time to watch his tanks as well as keep tabs on mine. He has an ADA 60H I would love, but it's out of the budget at the moment - and likely for the cash it would take, I'd just put that toward another 150g+ tank LOL.

[@johnnybest6386]

22 gallon long 4year old deep subtrate Eco- complete red and black never vaccumed layer areboic and anarobic layerd bacteria with fish in or is it best to removed fish and all old plants for new plant rescape?

[@Fishtory]

Honestly...i would. You have a big pocket of ammonia there, so if possible moving them for a few days while it all settles, and keeping their filter media Or plants and hardscape covered in bacteria will keep things cycled far more easily. Just test the water. If ammonia doesnt go up at all, then you dont need to move them, but its always safer to just move them BEFORE you find ammonia hehe Cheers and good luck

[@UpperAquatics]

For the algorithm!

[@lloyd011721]

i say just leave it for now

[@yohjokromwood2327]

go fore same stone next time wil gif a more naturel look

[@Fishtory]

Yeah it's gonna get switched out for sure.... just don't have the funds currently

[@T-O-M-E-K]

au :-(