I just did a major clean on my algae-ridden sorority this afternoon and I stuffed my girls into a 6 gallon Rubbermaid container. As a bonus, you can just float the plants in there with them and they'll have a place to hide. If you don't take more than like 4 hours, you don't even need to plug the filter in. One thing you can do is just take the filter media out and set it in the tub with them. As long as it stays wet.

How big are the rocks they have at Home Depot? You probably want small rocks, the kind they call "pea gravel." With bigger rocks, any uneaten food slips down between them and sometimes the fish get stuck trying to get to it.

The Fluval is loud? That's good to know. I've pretty much come to the conclusion that there is no quiet filter. *buys three more packs of ear plugs*

Alright, I dont have a big enough tank is the problem, how would I go about that? Could I just get a tub, like the storage kind or something and some how put the old filter in or on there until I use it to clear the regular tank up?

I am thinking of doing this over Spring break, but I will need to get the gravel. Can it be natural river rock from Home Depot? I know they sell the pebble typerocks that are natural, or they should... If not i will buy aquarium ones from Petco or Petsmart. Gonna be so much work!

Okay great, I maybe only use that media till I get a new filter, I am gonna grt the Tom, to many complaints on how loud the Fluval is.

Probably the easiest way to make a substrate switch is to move the girls to a temp tank, drain everything, remove the plants, and scrape as much of the sand out as you can. It'll be okay if you have to leave some in but get as much out as possible. Stir the dirt a little and then add the gravel on top. Actually, you might want to plant the plants and then spread the gravel around them, 'cause it can get hard to jam plant stems through a thick layer of gravel.

Your tank will probably be a big cloudy mess though, unfortunately. Best way to clear that up is with extra mechanical filtration (more foam/filter wool in the filter) and lots of water changes.

Yup, you can definitely add an old carbon bag. Carbon is actually a great medium for cultivating bacteria because it's so porous; lots of surface area for the bacteria to grow. As for filters, I'd say go with whichever filter you can easily find replacement media for. I haven't had any experience with either filter but for me, Fluval replacement parts are always easier to find.

I am getting sick of my sorority, I am starting to dislike sand in the heavily planted tank. I wanna switch to gravel but I dont know how I would do that, I wanna use the same dirt because it has already gone through the phase where it gets all the tannins out and doesn't have any more of that bacteria.

How should I do it?

Key if I take an old carbon bag, it is literally just a bag of carbon, grime my sorority tank and put it in the 5 gallon filter, wouldn't it have some bacteria? So it would jump start it?

I am considering replacing the filter in the 5 gallon as well, though I am not sure whether to get the Fluval mini filter with the spray bar or the Tom mini internal filter.

G'night! I'm heading off too.

Yeah, I am shipping someone on here a bunch of floating plants, after that I may just sell them on Aquabid.com or just toss them.

I am gonna go to bed, so good night!

Amazon Prime has been a blessing and a curse. I save so much when I order but I'm sure I order more than I should just because of it. <_<

Sounds like your sorority is pretty peaceful.

Oh, almost forgot. I know OFL said floating plants are great for oxygenating but they also hide the light for the plants growing underneath. Something to consider.

I know, I have a tetra in there now, I don't like it but until I get Amazon Prime again I am not gonna order another heater or really anything, well maybe a new filter.

When I put her in, the girls didn't remember her, then all of a sudden they didn't bother her when she was in the cup. Put her in and really nothing. Though she did try to fight with the best fighter, which may have gotten taken over by Rarity, not sure, but Rarity flares at them to get out of her turf lol.