Replacing Substrate. Mixing caribsea peace river w/ quickrete pea gravel.

[Annie]

I want to completely change the substrate in my aquarium. I bought a 20 pound bag of caribsea peace river. But it does not look like it is enough for a 20 gallon long. I saw a video where a guy used the P gravel from quick Crete. I thought about mixing the two should one be on the bottom? How should I go about changing this out and trying to save my fish that keep dying.? 

I keep doing water changes I keep trying to treat with ick medicine. I suspect my substrate that I have in there now is the problem.

I would appreciate any advice. Thank you, Annie

[CJs Aquatics]

Hello, sorry to hear about your fish troubles, a few questions may help lead to a solution for you.

what kind of fish do you have that are struggling?

what do your tank parameters look like?

what type of substrate do you use currently?

to sort of answer your question, with regards to substrate the 2 you have listed, although I’ve never used them personally are both inert from my understanding, (don’t effect ph) meaning they should be safe to use together in a tank. They would need to be thoroughly washed I’m sure. They could eighter be mixed, or I would use the pea gravel as the base layer and cap with sand bc inevitably mulm and detritus will fall down there and rather then get through the pea gravel and make a mess (which could be good for plants) it will be easier for u to gravel vac it as it sits on the finer sand. 
I must say though, very rarely have I heard of the substrate being the cause of fish sickness and death, I suspect there could be something else going on in your tank. Also if your not switching for cosmetic reasons a 50 Lb bag of pool filter sand is like less then $10 cheap at most hardware stores and is often used by Aquarists as a substrate. 
 

 

[Annie]

Hello, I have had Eco complete in there for a few years. I have had problems with vacuum in the gravel even though I followed directions and videos it does not suck up the debris I do water changes but the vacuuming does not work even though I bought a stupid fancy one that was super expensive that does not work either. The algae is out of control I keep trying to clean it it keeps coming back my Pleco died I’ve had Auto’s they’re dying I have tetras they’re dying. And I have Coreys and some of them have died.

As of now I have six Coreys maybe two ottos. Five Von Rio Tetras. 

Another thing I have done went doing water changes is adding the aquarium salt and the water conditioner.

I also stand on a chair so that the tube with the vacuum gravel is up higher than the bucket but it doesn’t do anything the siphoning does not work

If I parameters you mean my water level I haven’t checked them today. But the last time I did they were all on point. I also checked to make sure the pH levels match the type of fish that can handle those pH levels add the temperature is probably around 78°