How much will completely changing my hardscape set back my cycle?

[daftwazzock]

I really don't like the rocks I currently have in my tank and have been looking into replacing them. Will this make my cycle start over? I have a 2" sandbed and a refugium in the sump, so that should help provide more filtration right?

 

[DLHDesign]

How long has the tank been set up with the current rock work?
Are you considering replacing all the rock with new pieces, or just moving around the pieces you have?

 

[daftwazzock]

How long has the tank been set up with the current rock work?
Are you considering replacing all the rock with new pieces, or just moving around the pieces you have?

Around 45 days. I want to replace them completely, I have "real reef" rock right now and want to switch to caribsea shelf.

I have tried moving them around a lot but just can't get it right. There are also lots of ugly gray patches of concrete because I tried using concrete (Aquaforest Stonefix) to make arches out of my rocks but it didn't hold up and it collapsed, so now I have rocks with huge patches of bare concrete.

 

[DLHDesign]

45 days in you will likely not have much of an impact on your bacteria population. Do your best to keep the rocks submerged if you can. If you need to remove the rocks entirely, either keep them in a bucket of saltwater (best), or else keep them covered with damp towels while you work.

You should expect a cycle-like spike, so if you do have any livestock in the tank, remove it to another tank (ideally one that is cycled, if possible). The "mini cycle" shouldn't be as bad as an initial one (assume you just reposition and not replace).

 

[daftwazzock]

45 days in you will likely not have much of an impact on your bacteria population. Do your best to keep the rocks submerged if you can. If you need to remove the rocks entirely, either keep them in a bucket of saltwater (best), or else keep them covered with damp towels while you work.

You should expect a cycle-like spike, so if you do have any livestock in the tank, remove it to another tank (ideally one that is cycled, if possible). The "mini cycle" shouldn't be as bad as an initial one (assume you just reposition and not replace).

Thanks, no livestock as of yet except so I think I'm gonna go ahead and get it done this week, the sooner the better.

 

[GlassMunky]

Around 45 days. I want to replace them completely, I have "real reef" rock right now and want to switch to caribsea shelf.

If you are talking about completely removing all your existing rock and using just the new stuff the cycle will start over completely since you are basically breaking down your tank and starting over.
By removing the surface the bacteria is on and putting in new clean stuff you are removing all your bacteria.

 

[daftwazzock]

If you are talking about completely removing all your existing rock and using just the new stuff the cycle will start over completely since you are basically breaking down your tank and starting over.
By removing the surface the bacteria is on and putting in new clean stuff you are removing all your bacteria.

So the sandbed in the DT and sump, mechanical filtration media in the sump, porous filter balls etc, are actually not providing a significant surface for bacteria? I was under the impression that having sand vs bare bottom would make cycling and initial stability much easier to maintain.

I mean i'm starting over with the hardscape either way cause the aquaforest concrete is ***** but just wondering.

 

[Quietman]

It'll have a "recycle" likely. No way to tell how big or if you'll even notice...too many variables. If you had fish you'd have to test for cycle and do WC if needed. Since you don't, much less concern. Just check the tank is cycled when you're done before you add livestock. You didn't say you were keeping the bacteria fed by feeding or adding ammonia. Assuming you are.

 

[GlassMunky]

Will the other stuff leave a little bit of bacteria? Sure.
But you are removing MOST of the surfaces by removing all the rocks, so therefore removing MOST of the bacteria and ability to filter

 

[daftwazzock]

Will the other stuff leave a little bit of bacteria? Sure.
But you are removing MOST of the surfaces by removing all the rocks, so therefore removing MOST of the bacteria and ability to filter

So basically, products that say they add more surface area for nitrifying bacteria can't equal the actual hardscape and are at best a small supplement?

 

[GlassMunky]

So basically, products that say they add more surface area for nitrifying bacteria can't equal the actual hardscape and are at best a small supplement?

I’d say they are more supplemental than they are the main source. They are a small space comparatively to the whole display full of rock.
Plus if your tank hadn’t finished cycling, the bacteria populations haven’t grown enough yet anyway, so what you have now isn’t close to the amount it would do in an established system.
Does that make sense?

 

[Nano10]

It simply comes.down to surface area
You likely have far more rock work for your scape than you do biomedia. Therefore most of your biofiltraion happened in the rock.

 

[lavoisier]

So the sandbed in the DT and sump, mechanical filtration media in the sump, porous filter balls etc, are actually not providing a significant surface for bacteria? I was under the impression that having sand vs bare bottom would make cycling and initial stability much easier to maintain.

I mean i'm starting over with the hardscape either way cause the aquaforest concrete is ***** but just wondering.

I applaud your decision to get your aquascape right before moving forward. I'm sure you know to remove the sand and place rock directly on the bottom then add your sand back in. The only way to know for sure when you are ready for livestock is to test for NH3 once your done. I would guess you will be pretty well cycled already. Depending on where you get your live rock it may be cycled (LFS or fellow hobbyist) or it may have organic material that will need to "break down."

Be sure to post pics when your done.

 

[LegendaryCG]

Get some buckets and get the new rock wet and seed it with your bottled bacteria start cycling it. If you just pull the existing rock and put new in you will definitely impact your biofilter. Your tank is very new and honestly if you want to start over now is a good time.

**edit** oh just saw that you dont have any livestock yet, perfect time to swap it out!

 

[Dvanlier05]

Now's the time with no livestock...not sure why the stonefix didn't work for you. I had to use a hammer to break apart the pieces I bonded with that stuff. Good luck. Post a before and after

 

[arturoo1977]

If you have enough space in your tank, then keep some of your actual pieces inside it just temporarily. By being together with your new rocks will help to populate new rock with existing bacteria and your cycle won't restart again.

 

[Malifry97]

If you don’t want to wait as long, move the precycled rock down to your fuge or sump, then put the other stuff in the DT. If you want to boost it further, add some biospira and then wait a few days, and you should be fine

 

[mta_morrow]

I would put as much of the current rock in the sump/fuge as you can when you rescape. How much live stock do you have?

 

[BeejReef]

Sorry that cement didn't work well for you. I think I used the hydrolic stuff straight from the hardware store. All I can add is that any bare cement joints (that did look ***** ugly at first) will get grown over and be impossible to detect.