How to remove live rock without messing it all up

TikiBird · Jan 27, 2017

I'm sure this has been addressed before, but my searching wasn't very helpful. If anyone knows of an old thread for this, please share the link!

So I have to remove my live rock temporarily to catch a fish. It's a BioCube 29 so there's not a ton of rock to deal with, fortunately.

I'm just wondering if my removing it for however long it takes me to catch the fish will mess up my parameters (I'm thinking if anything dies off while it's out?).

Is this a valid concern? What should I do to keep from messing up my tank from this process?

ahiggins · Jan 27, 2017

So the die off...I wouldn't really concern yourself with it too much. I would be more concerned with the detritus you will disturb after removing rock. Love rock can be out of the tank for like a half hour before I worry about the bacteria die off.
If you have a lot of detritus roaming around after the rock is taken out, you could blow off the rocks (all of them) then wait for it to settle without flow then do a waterchange

ThreeAces_1 · Jan 27, 2017

I have a biocube 29g and to catch a damsel I got a looseleaf sized sheet of acrylic from Home Depot for like 5 bucks and when he was near a corner after feeding I put the sheet in,, imagine a partition, and he had no room to escape,, still quick and agile,,but he had no where to hide and I got him out ten times easier!

TikiBird · Jan 27, 2017

ahiggins said:
So the die off...I wouldn't really concern yourself with it too much. I would be more concerned with the detritus you will disturb after removing rock. Love rock can be out of the tank for like a half hour before I worry about the bacteria die off.
If you have a lot of detritus roaming around after the rock is taken out, you could blow off the rocks (all of them) then wait for it to settle without flow then do a waterchange

Sounds like a good plan! Thanks @ahiggins!!

ahiggins · Jan 27, 2017

No problem, we have all had to take established rocks out at one time or another lol

Maritimer · Jan 27, 2017

At worst, you could fill a plastic storage tub with tank water, remove the rock to the tub, and then catch the fish. (With some of my fish, you might just be catching them from the tub!) Once the fish is where you need it to be, replace the rock.

Total dry time for the rock; about 80 seconds, tops.

~Bruce

TikiBird · Jan 27, 2017

Thank you so much, @ahiggins and @Maritimer!! I was ready with a bucket for the rocks, but the fish fates were on my side today because I only had to remove one rock to catch the guy!! Truly amazing luck. I need to go buy a lotto ticket. Lol