using dead coral for aqua scaping - yes, no, maybe, why /why not?

[hizbaby]

So, I have a whole bunch of really cool dead coral pieces of various sizes, and am thinking of using it to create a NSA scape - it has been dry for well over a year. I will be doing some tank transfers, the current tanks have been up since 2019, used live rock to start up, but now want to change the scaping when we do the transfer(s)... so, if i build all new scapes, either by using the coral only or dry white rock, will this be the same as STARTING OVER - meaning long cycle time, going thru the uglies, etc? Can the process be helped / eased by the live rock from the existing sump(s)? Can I just take out the current rock in the DT and repalce it with the new scape, leaving everything else in there alone? ( THAT would be great, but i feel like the answer will be a HUGE NO!) I have, and plan on seeding the new tank with coraline from the existing tank(s), and with the exception of one duncan and a hammer, have only soft corals, so not much worried about those, and can keep them running in a spare tank if i need to. also, should i use my "old" - not really at only barely 3 years, sand or replace it? - Here are the 2 tanks today, moving the 45 bow front to a 75, and will DEFINITEY be changing the sand, the black is too large of grain for my planned livestock when it goes to 75 ( the 45 becomes a QT - BONUS! )
New to this asking on forum, so hope my question goes to the right place! Thanx in advance for any tips! Y'all out here are my GO TO and have taught me much in this journey!

 

[HuduVudu]

You will be starting over if you do this. I find that even dry/dead rock with live rock will still create tankwide uglies as the cured live rock colonizes the "virgin" areas. Creating the imbalance that are called the "uglies".

I wouldn't use the black sand there are issues with it. As to using the other sand as long as it is calcium carbonate based it will be fine. One thing to note though is you need to start doing regular gravel vacs on it before you move it. There is going to be a lot of nutrients being processed in it even if it is relatively thin layer. You WILL see nitrate and possible phosphate jumps. Your alternative is to kill it, but I don't think that that is a good idea because the biodiversity will be worth more than the nitrate bump you get. Just to be clear the nitrate "spike" will be well muted with a well vac'ed sand bed.

My 2 cents.

 

[hizbaby]

great advice on sand vac! and yeah, the black is bad, i was new, it was cool looking, noob mistake!! ( although luckily, it's worked w/out issues for this long... but never again!)

 

[tharbin]

I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts in order on your questions.

There is nothing inherently wrong with using coral skeletons for aquascaping. Many of us in the 70s, including myself, used them as our primary 'rock' because real reef rock was not available (at least where I lived). That said coral skeletons can present some challenges. I would avoid using any table acro skeletons as they can be a real GHA magnet and an absolute nightmare to keep clean. Barnacle shells are actually pretty neat and some fish really like to hang out in them, like blennies. You will be starting over as the majority of your biofilter is currently in your rocks. Is it possible to do maybe one section at a time to allow the existing rock to start to seed the new 'rock'? You said you have the skeletons so I assume you've had them a long time. If so I would still soak them for a while to help remove dust/dirt/leachates. If you buy any new be aware that bleaching is a common technique used to clean them, again soak them for a while. I would avoid and 'painted' skeletons as not all of the products that have been used are reef safe.

Using rock from your sump will help ease the cycle but you will still have a mini cycle at least. The bacteria will need to repopulate as needed for your bio-load. Treat like a very young tank and introduce livestock slowly to allow the biofilter to grow with the new demands.

I would not recommend black sand. It can be problematic.

Good luck and take it slow allow time for things to adjust to your changes.

 

[Subsea]

One point on transfer of the second substrate you mentioned, I would remove all the sand and wash it in 5G buket removing excess detritus. You will lose some of micro fauna & fana, however, bacteria will survive the process. I would prefer this to dry substrate.

 

[hizbaby]

I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts in order on your questions.

There is nothing inherently wrong with using coral skeletons for aquascaping. Many of us in the 70s, including myself, used them as our primary 'rock' because real reef rock was not available (at least where I lived). That said coral skeletons can present some challenges. I would avoid using any table acro skeletons as they can be a real GHA magnet and an absolute nightmare to keep clean. Barnacle shells are actually pretty neat and some fish really like to hang out in them, like blennies. You will be starting over as the majority of your biofilter is currently in your rocks. Is it possible to do maybe one section at a time to allow the existing rock to start to seed the new 'rock'? You said you have the skeletons so I assume you've had them a long time. If so I would still soak them for a while to help remove dust/dirt/leachates. If you buy any new be aware that bleaching is a common technique used to clean them, again soak them for a while. I would avoid and 'painted' skeletons as not all of the products that have been used are reef safe.

Using rock from your sump will help ease the cycle but you will still have a mini cycle at least. The bacteria will need to repopulate as needed for your bio-load. Treat like a very young tank and introduce livestock slowly to allow the biofilter to grow with the new demands.

I would not recommend black sand. It can be problematic.

Good luck and take it slow allow time for things to adjust to your changes.

many good points for me to ponder! I did not think about being a GHA magnet! YIKES!! I got the coral from a fellow reefer, so it has not been bleached, and was at one time in his tank, a few years ago as I have had it for over a year. As for introducing a piece / section at a time ( b it made w/ coral or dry rock ) yes, I could do that to "ease" the process of the new becoming "live" .... (would definitely rinse sand if re-using - i rinse ALL sand, now, thank u former advice givers!)
The more i think on this, the more it sounds like in order for me to do a new scape, I am going to have challenges... I have sooooo much live rock, and i DO like it, but i wanna CREATE a new scape, and want it to be NSA, and do NOT know how to accomplish this using my current wet rock. But I DO now think I will be using the coral only as possible "accent" pieces ( or really fancy garden rocks which will not b seen!), except the barnacles, of which i have at least 2 very good sized ones, which i should actually right now go rinse in RODI and toss in the sump to start getting them good and nasty!
Thank you for the advice and the eye openings! - Patience I'm ok with, mistakes costing unnecessary time and possible tank issues, not so much!!!

 

[damsels are not mean]

Old rock will make the maturing process much faster for sure. And dead corals are fine to use as live rock. That's what live rock is really. Some of the best pieces of live rock in my tank were originally purchased as frags!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Add your rock and liquid bacteria such as Micro Bacter 7 or XLM and monitor silicates if possible as iy may trigger diatoms temporarily.

 

[Jilly92]

So, I have a whole bunch of really cool dead coral pieces of various sizes, and am thinking of using it to create a NSA scape - it has been dry for well over a year. I will be doing some tank transfers, the current tanks have been up since 2019, used live rock to start up, but now want to change the scaping when we do the transfer(s)... so, if i build all new scapes, either by using the coral only or dry white rock, will this be the same as STARTING OVER - meaning long cycle time, going thru the uglies, etc? Can the process be helped / eased by the live rock from the existing sump(s)? Can I just take out the current rock in the DT and repalce it with the new scape, leaving everything else in there alone? ( THAT would be great, but i feel like the answer will be a HUGE NO!) I have, and plan on seeding the new tank with coraline from the existing tank(s), and with the exception of one duncan and a hammer, have only soft corals, so not much worried about those, and can keep them running in a spare tank if i need to. also, should i use my "old" - not really at only barely 3 years, sand or replace it? - Here are the 2 tanks today, moving the 45 bow front to a 75, and will DEFINITEY be changing the sand, the black is too large of grain for my planned livestock when it goes to 75 ( the 45 becomes a QT - BONUS! )
New to this asking on forum, so hope my question goes to the right place! Thanx in advance for any tips! Y'all out here are my GO TO and have taught me much in this journey!

If I have a coral skeleton I just throw it in the sand, extra calcium. I've seen some tanks that use only coral and shells in bottom instead of sand and they had beautiful corals.

 

[tharbin]

@hizbaby

Let me clarify a little bit. I'm not saying don't use it. I always have some broken up bits in my tank as rubble and many pieces are just fine. The issue is with the showier table acro pieces or any 'spikey' piece. All of the closely spaced branches can impede flow and if algae starts to grow on it it can be very hard to keep cleaned up. Smoother pieces (for instance a pocillopora) are fine. As @damsels are not mean said live rock was once coral.

All that said I would take just about any live rock over any dry (coral skeletons are basically dry rock that has not yet eroded) or manufactured rock.

Maybe you could try taking your existing rock, with some of the skeletons and fashion larger open areas by taking some of the pieces out of the large section and moving them around. You wouldn't be able to make the fancy 'hanging gardens' type aquascape but it would still be more open. If the rocks don't stack together well enough you can epoxy them underwater. It won't really bond them but it will provide a mechanical support between the pieces to help.

Good luck. Sorry if I muddied the waters. Also follow @vetteguy53081 advice.

 

[Reefing102]

Just to add, if you have time, could add a piece or two to the sump to slowly seed the new and then it would be ready to go when your ready to change it up