Tell me what is wrong with this plan.

[HawkeyeDJ]

I'm not happy with my current aquascape. My tank is 8 months old. Parameters are stable. Fish and inverts seem happy and healthy. Only two corals right now. GSP and xenia. Both are doing great. They are each on their own island and I intend to incorporate them into the new aquascape.

Here is my plan:
1. Build the new rock work outside the tank.
2. Cure the dry rock in a tub filled with discarded DT water and some rock and sand from WC. Have a filter, heater, and flow going for about 4 months.
3. When the tub parameters are stable and match the DT, replace the current aquascape.

I would like to avoid destabilizing my DT chemistry. I've worked hard and been patient up to this point. Don't want to blow it up now.

Any thoughts on pitfalls to avoid? Bad plan?

 

[blaxsun]

I wouldn't worry about the sand, but I'd probably add some additional bacteria and place any used filter floss in with the curing rock as well. I also ghost fed for about the first week.

Good plan - I did the same (only 1-1.5 months though).

 

[HawkeyeDJ]

I wouldn't worry about the sand, but I'd probably add some additional bacteria and place any used filter floss in with the curing rock as well. I also ghost fed for about the first week.

Good plan - I did the same (only 1-1.5 months though).

Thanks! I hadn't thought about the filter floss. Great idea. My four-month plan is two-fold. First, I want the new rock scape to not only be cycled but matured. The other is that will mark the DT at one year. I want to add an anemone at that time.

 

[mdb_talon]

Sounds reasonable. I would just keep an eye on phosphates in there especially if you ghost feed it. Last thing you want is your rock soaking up phosphates and then releasing them in a presumably low phosphate DT. I learned that the hard way when curing rock in a tub.

 

[HawkeyeDJ]

Sounds reasonable. I would just keep an eye on phosphates in there especially if you ghost feed it. Last thing you want is your rock soaking up phosphates and then releasing them in a presumably low phosphate DT. I learned that the hard way when curing rock in a tub.

Thanks! Another good thing to look out for. My plan is to cycle and then just let them age with minimal feeding. I'll do substantial WC in the tub for nutrient export if I see phosphates rising. Going to basically treat the tub like a DT w/o livestock.

 

[Pazzo40]

I am in the process of doing the same thing. I bought new dry rock because of a bubble algae problem. I neglected my tank for a long time after my second was born. I just started up with all the maintenance about 6/7 weeks ago and I started dosing vibrant and now I see no bubble algae anymore but I have new rock. I like the new rock better so I'm going to cure it to replace the old rock. I put it in a freshly made batch of water and I am going to add MicroBacter 7 and I have an extra light so I am going to also put in 2 different colors of coralline algae in a bottle from ARC Reef. I'll add some pellets here and there and do water changes as well.

The only thing I was wondering about is how do I go about getting rid of the old sand from the tank if I want to replace that? I have a pair of clown fish, midas blenny, yellow watchman and an anemone that just split. I was going to be doing this change maybe 6 months from now. I planned on keeping all my old display tank water in buckets and brute garbage cans switch the rock and put the water back in but I'm worried about replacing the sand. I would keep my live stock in one of the cans with a heater and power head while I put the new rock in along with the sand. I have never done this so I didn't know if it was doable of if I should even attempt to put in fresh sand. Every time I think about all the steps I feel like backing out

 

[HawkeyeDJ]

I am in the process of doing the same thing. I bought new dry rock because of a bubble algae problem. I neglected my tank for a long time after my second was born. I just started up with all the maintenance about 6/7 weeks ago and I started dosing vibrant and now I see no bubble algae anymore but I have new rock. I like the new rock better so I'm going to cure it to replace the old rock. I put it in a freshly made batch of water and I am going to add MicroBacter 7 and I have an extra light so I am going to also put in 2 different colors of coralline algae in a bottle from ARC Reef. I'll add some pellets here and there and do water changes as well.

The only thing I was wondering about is how do I go about getting rid of the old sand from the tank if I want to replace that? I have a pair of clown fish, midas blenny, yellow watchman and an anemone that just split. I was going to be doing this change maybe 6 months from now. I planned on keeping all my old display tank water in buckets and brute garbage cans switch the rock and put the water back in but I'm worried about replacing the sand. I would keep my live stock in one of the cans with a heater and power head while I put the new rock in along with the sand. I have never done this so I didn't know if it was doable of if I should even attempt to put in fresh sand. Every time I think about all the steps I feel like backing out

I would be careful about removing your whole biological filter at once. That could prove to be disastrous. Have some new sand well cured and cycled ready to go if you decide to remove your entire sand bed.