"Replacing rock" in 5 month old tank...Best Method?

[digitaledge]

Ok, I have a 5 month old reef tank currently with 18lbs "real reef rock" The purple man made stuff, which I am starting to dislike the look of this rock and I'm also worried about the natural filtration due to this rock being really dense and its also turning blue. I know coralline algae algae will grow over it in time.

My tank is a 25 gal nano cube.

This is what I would like to accomplish, just looking for the best method and I know this is the place to ask. I will be buying 20lbs of BRS reef saver rock which is super clean with no die off. What is the best method to replace my current rock?

Should I let the reef saver rock cure outside the tank for awhile? Best Method and how long? Then just replace it all at once?

Thanks!!!

 

[Reefing Madness]

You can put in what your tank will hold. You'll need to keep it in there for about 6 weeks to allow bacteria to colonize before you'll be able to remove the other rock. When you are able to remove the other stuff, you can add the rest of your rock at that time. The rock won't start any cycles, as your just colonizing it, but you have to keep the other rock in there until the other is ready. If you replace it all at once, with new rock your tank will go into a hard cycle, if you have nothing in there, then I'd do it that way.
Or cure the other stuff, by throwing it in a tub or bucket for 6 weeks, throw in a piece of the cycled rock to help out.

 

[digitaledge]

Thanks for your reply!!

Well, not having much room in my display tank, I could probably only add one or two pieces depending on size. Thinking I will just cure all the rock
outside the tank in a tub using the dirty water change water from display tank and a piece of current live rock? also using a heater and powerhead
for 6 weeks or so and changing the water every time I do a water change which is weekly. Do you think this would be sufficient?

How do I determine when the new rock is fully colonized or cured because I really would like to replace all of the current display rock at one time.
Six weeks safe? or can this be a shorter amount of time?

At the moment I only have a cleaner shrimp and 10 Corals including LPS, Zoos and one SPS. I want to do this
the safest way possible.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Yea, all that would be sufficient. You would test the water in that tub as if you were cycling a new tank. You could also throw in a jumbo shrimp from the store (grocery stroe) to give er a big kick start. Throw it in a net, and lay the net in the tub, this will keep the decay localized there. When your Ammonia and Nitrites are 0 and your Trates are 40, the rock is officially cured.

 

[digitaledge]

Sounds good!!! Thanks again for the info, just purchased a 10 gallon brute to get this going........

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[digitaledge]

Made some room in the display so I decided to add it all 20lbs. Rinsed the rocks really well before adding. All My corals look fine so far no issues!! going to do a water change tomorrow. Then the waiting game begins, so 6 weeks at the earliest? Then I will remove the real reef rock. This BRS Reef saver is Nice!!!

 

[Reefing Madness]

6 weeks is just general, 4 weeks would be the shortest I'd go.