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^ agree to all of that ? Tub method is the way I went, worked a charm. Now I use the tub as a fish-storage container. Took me most of the day to get through the whole process with a slightly overstocked 29 gallon tank - hence way more gravel. I think yours is only a 10 or something? If you switch the heater and filter to the tub, it can hold the fish and shrimp for a week or so with no problems, so you are able to take the safe approach - leaving the livestock out of the tank for a few days to let the tank settle.

Any substrate for plants will release a certain amount of nitrogen (ammonia). Ammonia is harmful to fish and shrimps. So, yes, they all contain some form of toxin. You don't want the livestock in the tank when new substrate is added. It's advisable to move them out to a temporary tank or container while you change the substrate and let it sit in the tank with a mature filter for a few days before reintroducing the livestock. As Crabby mentioned the best way to do it above. Catch all the livestock and rebuild the whole tank at once. Keep your filter running in the temporary tank/box. Just get a cheap plastic box if you don't have another spare tank. This box can always be used for other storage items, or as an emergency hospital tank after you finish with this project.

I've had to do it before, and it really is a million times easier to just remove decor and livestock, then drain the tank and switch substrates, and fill it back up, adding livestock and decor back in. I didn't suffer a single loss from the process, and it gave the tank time to settle with the new substrate. I'm not sure if fluval stratum does this, but some substrates require a period of time to sit in the tank without livestock - they release ammonia when first added, so it is unsafe for fish or shrimp to be living in the tank during that time. I suggest you research this, and decide whether it is the right substrate for you. You could just as easily go for an inert gravel or sand, and that will be pretty much as good for the neos as stratum. It's meant specifically for well planted/aquascaped tanks and caridinas, and in my opinion is not worth the price. If you were to go with that substrate, and not remove any livestock, I would personally set about it by removing the substrate either by hand or with a small aquarium net. Be extremely careful of the shrimp, as shrimp can sometimes be a bit dumb... usually not, but it's better safe than sorry. Once all your substrate is removed, wash your new substrate very well, and slowly add it in with a cup or something. Don't pour from the bag - again, crushed shrimpies are not happy shrimpies. Good luck!

yes indeed :) Thanks for the compliment!

As stated byothers, there really isn't any short cuts that really are 'short cuts' in the end,, best to just empty and refill, a friend of mine did his 160L this weekend and it took about 4 hours doing as recommended above. He was replacing gravel with soil substrate as he wants to have a go at keeping more plants. He has a lot of my cull red cherry (browns) and fish so wasn't wanting/needing a buffer substrate so he is using this; https://www.tetra.net/en-gb/products/tetra-activesubstrate He also used the 'complete substrate' underneath which is probably more important with plants, as that has the minerals etc. but if you just like/want the look of the soil and to grow a few easy plants maybe you could just use the active substrate on its own. I know my friend won't have kept the fish separate from the tank once he put the new substrate in, so they will have gone back the same or next day so will be interesting to see how it works longer term, but he is using the 2 substrates which may/probably get either an ammonia spike or build up of minerals just like all the other substrates due to the Tetra complete substrate being used as well? If you can keep the fish in a different container as JayC recommends, even for just a week to let the new tank settle and test Nitrate/nitrite/ammonia over that time would be safer than just putting the fish/shrimp straight back once the new substrate is in place, also as JayC states. Having read up on this there also appears to be Seachem Flourite and I believe these 2 products are inert from the research I did. I would be interested to hear if anyone knows as that should mean they would be ideal for neocaridina shrimps if you want the soil type look??? I am assuming these products are available in USA. I had thought I would use the 'Tetra active substrate', on its own if I reset my oldest tank that has tetras and RCS but even after 5+ years the plants grow so ridiculously well, there is no point changing it, I don't use any fertiizers either. I haven't used the Fluval substrate so am not familiar with that! Simon

Well I mean it wouldn't be 'toxic' as such, but substrates like that often release ammonia when first added. I would suggest doing some research into it in addition to asking the forum.

Does anybody know if the substrate releases anything toxic?

No I was looking for a nicer substrate for my neo tank instead of the brown pea gravel How should I remove the existing gravel with shrimp n guppies in it and install The new fluval substrate? Without causing too much chaos

Fluval stratum is fine for Cardina shrimp. Neos don't really need it, but can live in a tank with this substrate after a small acclimation. Are you intending on keeping Neos and Caridina together?

Is fluval stratum a good substrate for neos and cardinia as well?