Tank Upgrade questions

[Greg Depo]

So soon I will be getting my new American aquarium 125g tank. Currently I have a 55g hex flat back which does not have any cemented rock so they just sit on top each other with corals all around. The tank has been running for about a year and a half. The rock in the tank has nice color and quite a bit of coralline algae. I will be adding more sand and more dry rock (Caribsea Shapes LifeRock ) as well as other lifeRock base. I want to obviously incorporate the new and older live rock. My question is what would be the best method to do this when the time comes to move everything over? I'm assuming I take off all the corals so the existing live rock is empty and move it to the new tank right? Then I'll have to figure out an aquascape at that exact moment huh? If I want to glue them together will the live rock have issues not being in water as it cures? Also I'd imagine alot of micro organisms and pods will most likey die? What do you guys think?

Thanks

 

[Phil D.]

You should get the shape of the aquascape in your head before the move. If you have the epoxystik putty it will work underwater to help put the rock together. Have a some water in the tank to help keep the rock wet while you stack it up.

 

[Greg Depo]

You should get the shape of the aquascape in your head before the move. If you have the epoxystik putty it will work underwater to help put the rock together. Have a some water in the tank to help keep the rock wet while you stack it up.

What would you suggest for the type of epoxystik? I see Gorilla glue has one... brs only has mortar kits but I don't see anything like epoxy.

 

[Hydrored]

I would also recommend cycling the life rock now in a tub, I started my last upgrade with it and it grew some nasty stuff and had a ton of phosphates in it. I added a tree from them in my 210 build and same story, pulled the tree out and replaced with real live rock and it just sits in my garage as a 250.00 door stop.

Here is the what I used-

WaterWeld Epoxy Putty

WaterWeld will plug or seal leaks and patch holes and cracks in almost anything.

www.jbweld.com

 

[Greg Depo]

I would also recommend cycling the life rock now in a tub, I started my last upgrade with it and it grew some nasty stuff and had a ton of phosphates in it. I added a tree from them in my 210 build and same story, pulled the tree out and replaced with real live rock and it just sits in my garage as a 250.00 door stop.

Here is the what I used-

WaterWeld Epoxy Putty

WaterWeld will plug or seal leaks and patch holes and cracks in almost anything.

www.jbweld.com

Interesting and good advice. So just get a rubbermade tub and fill with salt water? Do I need to heat it or put a power head in there? Thanks again

 

[Hydrored]

Interesting and good advice. So just get a rubbermade tub and fill with salt water? Do I need to heat it or put a power head in there? Thanks again

I put a cheap power head and heater, water change to pull out the phosphates. I left the stuff for my 210 in a tub for 60 days and had minimal growth. I will never add life rock without soaking out all the phosphates again. Maybe somebody else has had a different experience but I’m 3 tanks in using the stuff and same results every time

 

[Reefing_addiction]

What would you suggest for the type of epoxystik? I see Gorilla glue has one... brs only has mortar kits but I don't see anything like epoxy.

There are epoxy putty sticks, stuff that’s reef safe. Would imagine you should use that and not random epoxy.

 

[Cwentz758]

100% put the new dry rock in a tub for a month or two like stated above. Maybe even add some good bacteria?

I didn’t do this on my recent nano purchase and I’m going through the uglies and my phosphate has spiked to .26 and it’s a little over a month old.

Also those epoxy sticks suck IMO. I had a Seachem one, maybe it was a bad stick but It was not easy to roll together and mold, and didn’t stick for the life of me.

 

[NashobaTek]

JB waterweld works great. It will cure under water and is safe for the aquarium

 

[NashobaTek]

JB waterweld works great. It will cure under water and is safe for the aquarium

 

[Reefing_addiction]

100% put the new dry rock in a tub for a month or two like stated above. Maybe even add some good bacteria?

I didn’t do this on my recent nano purchase and I’m going through the uglies and my phosphate has spiked to .26 and it’s a little over a month old.

Also those epoxy sticks suck IMO. I had a Seachem one, maybe it was a bad stick but It was not easy to roll together and mold, and didn’t stick for the life of me.

If ya don’t mix it right and yes it can suck to mix it won’t work.

 

[Phil D.]

What would you suggest for the type of epoxystik? I see Gorilla glue has one... brs only has mortar kits but I don't see anything like epoxy.

Your LFS should have the epoxy stik that you cut a piece off and knead to activate it.