This I think is a stupid question, but here goes

[Reef Keeper 18]

I have Branch rock which now to me has grown old. It just doesnt do it anymore. So i'm looking to trade my rock in for synthetic rock and take out part of my sand... But im worried that that will cause a bloom in algae or kill the corals i got a week ago.. I also have the issue of my ******* clownfish who have been attacking my new flame hawk. So i'm looking to get rid of them too.. that was off topic but yeah think its safe for me to switch the rock and some of the sand? what about all of the sand?

 

[Saltgator]

How deep is the current sand bed? IMO, switching out sand can cause a mini cycle. When removing the sand, sometimes items that are in sand will now become within the main system instead of the sand where it was in a break down process. If you do decided to switch the sand, I would siphon the sand out (kinda removing any chance of a cycle). Siphoning the sand will also allow the water change that would need to be made too. Again, just my .02, someone else might have done this and have a better idea. GL

 

[Phaquer]

I would remove 25% of the sand in your next 4 water changes so nothing happens too sudden

 

[bct15]

Stirring the sand will release alot of trapped bad stuff into the water column. Also, the new rock will have to cycle, so everything in your tank will be highly stressed and probably die. I suggest you put everything in another tank while your new stuff cycles.

 

[Reef Keeper 18]

The only problem I have with putting everything in another tank is that my brothers tank his acan(he has a frag of the same exacact one) it looks like complete ****. My dads tank just got new rock and sand in it a few weeks ago.. Think I should just ask my lfs if they'll hold em for me cuz my dads tanks corals being held there since we restarted it. I also have one of those sand vaccumes so what sand i take out all the organic matter will go with it into a bucket

 

[LegoZ81]

Take the sand out as stated above and carefully watch your nitrates, I'd do that at the quickest over a month of time.
Does the system have a sump?
Put as much of the live rock the you have in there as you can leave the remaining in the display and add in the new rock.
Remove one old piece of rock per week as that will help give time for the new rock to become fully colonized with bacteria and will slowly let the bacteria colonies grow large enough on the new media to make up for the old being removed. the bacteria colonies tend for form uniformly acrossed the surfaces of the tank with the same oxygen levels.

 

[Reef Keeper 18]

Take the sand out as stated above and carefully watch your nitrates, I'd do that at the quickest over a month of time.
Does the system have a sump?
Put as much of the live rock the you have in there as you can leave the remaining in the display and add in the new rock.
Remove one old piece of rock per week as that will help give time for the new rock to become fully colonized with bacteria and will slowly let the bacteria colonies grow large enough on the new media to make up for the old being removed. the bacteria colonies tend for form uniformly acrossed the surfaces of the tank with the same oxygen levels.

No the tank does not have a sump build into it. So you suggest that I start taking sand out everytime I do a weekly change untill its about all gone? I was thinking about going with a finer sand.. any reason not to?

 

[LegoZ81]

How deep is your current sandbed?
Finer sand gets blown around by pumps pretty easily although i think that is part of what led to some of my success with my 125 (a 4" deep oolite sandbed)

Add as much new rock in the tank as possible let it stay with the current rock for a week, then start swapping old rock for new rock. replace same size for size rock weekly until all old rock is out, this will minimize chance of cylce. You can also dose MB7 (MicroBater 7 or a competing product)to help during this trasition to help keep bacteria levels up.

 

[Reef Keeper 18]

How deep is your current sandbed?
Finer sand gets blown around by pumps pretty easily although i think that is part of what led to some of my success with my 125 (a 4" deep oolite sandbed)

Add as much new rock in the tank as possible let it stay with the current rock for a week, then start swapping old rock for new rock. replace same size for size rock weekly until all old rock is out, this will minimize chance of cylce. You can also dose MB7 (MicroBater 7 or a competing product)to help during this trasition to help keep bacteria levels up.

My current sandbed is an inch and a half at the most I'd say. So In your opinion it'd be fine to keep all the corals in the tank as long as i did things slowly? I mean i dont have that much cash right now So I'd slowly take out the sand Until its all gone and then slowly add the new sand. Then I'd order new rock and slowly replace like you said. If I do that will i avoid transfering my new corals to a different tank? But I also dont want to take a chance with them dieing because a lot of them are higher end pieces(atleast for my standards as I have quite a limited budget)

 

[LegoZ81]

Would you please provide a picture of the tank and the size? that will give me a better idea on how to recommend going forward.

 

[Reef Keeper 18]

Alrighty I'll show you a picture of my O.L.D. OLD aquascape just for tank size references then later today(I have hockey practice and lots of **** to study) I'll take the picture and upload it for you

 

[Reef Keeper 18]

This is the one I took of the new scape lol. its an old new. Same scape. Just a difference in the corals and ****.

 

[bct15]

A tank that size will "feel" sudden changes rather easily...I really recommend you remove your inhabitants while your tank adjusts to what I consider a major adjustment to your tank...you may be successful by slowly changing everything over time, but just because it survived does not mean it was done the right way. If you do go about it with a slow change in rocks and removal if sand you need to monitor the heck out of your water parameters and have a solid back up plan for when things go arye.

PS a 37 gallon heavy duty storage bin from lowes may be just what you need...

 

[Reef Keeper 18]

A tank that size will "feel" sudden changes rather easily...I really recommend you remove your inhabitants while your tank adjusts to what I consider a major adjustment to your tank...you may be successful by slowly changing everything over time, but just because it survived does not mean it was done the right way. If you do go about it with a slow change in rocks and removal if sand you need to monitor the heck out of your water parameters and have a solid back up plan for when things go arye.

PS a 37 gallon heavy duty storage bin from lowes may be just what you need...

The only problem is I dont really have a stable place to keep them right now. Going to arc tonight i think to get rid of my ******* pair of clowns that have been bullying my fish so ill ask if I can keep the corals there.