Removing Crushed Coral !!!!!

luke30mm · 12/26/2006, 01:22 PM

i have finally gotten sick of constantly vacuuming my crushed coral substate and i am switching it with a fine white sand. Is there an easier way to go about this i am planning on draining about 50% of my water and removing all my live rock and scooping it out with a toy shovel (plastic) . Is there anything i need to worry about? will i have to remove my fish and shrimp or will they be fine with a sand storm ??? my current bed height is about 1-3" deep (its wavey) is this a good depth to keep it at? i am planning on ordering my first coral (frogspawn)&Maxima clam as soon as deliveries die down with fed-ex. any info would be greatly appreciated ??

JRoweNole · 12/26/2006, 01:31 PM

I would take out all of your live stock and rock and keep them in an aerated and heated separate container with original tank water in it.

Try to keep as much original tank water in separate container(s). Try to keep this aerated and heated at tank temp as well.

Remove all sand and replace with 4" to 6" of fine grain sand.

Put back original water in tank and turn on all pumps and filtation again. Once the sand settles down, put live rock back in and then livestock.

You may also need to have new saltwater already mixed on hand at same temp and salinity.

I have done this before also.

D659600 · 12/26/2006, 01:31 PM

I just got done removing aruba shell from my 210 and replaced it with sand. I did it in 2 stages, half one week and half 2weeks later. I used a pitcher to scoop out and a to add. I increased my sand bed so I could keep a wrasse. If you dont plan on keeping a wrasse I dont think you need a 3" deep sand bed. Use lots of carbon and do your water change after you add the new substrate.

fourth horseman · 12/26/2006, 01:31 PM

use the clear tubing off your gravel vac. you should be able to get enough suction that it will suck up the coral. if you use a 44 gallon trash can you can get most of it and recycle the water back to the tank but it will make it a little cloudy. the clear tubing is good cause you can see if it gets clogged

swjim · 12/26/2006, 01:32 PM

The water is going to be pretty nasty when you remove the substrate. You might want to save some of the "clean" water you remove before beginning the project to use when refilling the tank, then plan on removing all the water that is in the tank when you're scooping out the CC.

Good luck.

luke30mm · 12/26/2006, 02:10 PM

do you think 2" is enough to attach a BTA or will that require more. I don't really want to add more if i decide to have a wrasse later (they are awesome fish) so how deep should i go ??

luke30mm · 12/26/2006, 04:39 PM

also how do you go about recovering all my small snails and crabs?? or do you just have to accept a few lost inverts ??

D659600 · 12/27/2006, 07:36 AM

1) I would go about 3" on your substrate. The BTA would be happy and if you do get a wrasse the depth would be good too.
2) When you have all of the old substrate out of the tank leave some water in with it. Most of the crabs and snails will work their way to the top and you can scoop them up and put back.
Good luck and have fun.

12/26/2006, 01:22 PM	#1
luke30mm Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 61	Removing Crushed Coral !!!!! i have finally gotten sick of constantly vacuuming my crushed coral substate and i am switching it with a fine white sand. Is there an easier way to go about this i am planning on draining about 50% of my water and removing all my live rock and scooping it out with a toy shovel (plastic) . Is there anything i need to worry about? will i have to remove my fish and shrimp or will they be fine with a sand storm ??? my current bed height is about 1-3" deep (its wavey) is this a good depth to keep it at? i am planning on ordering my first coral (frogspawn)&Maxima clam as soon as deliveries die down with fed-ex. any info would be greatly appreciated ??

12/26/2006, 01:31 PM	#2
JRoweNole Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Kennesaw, Georgia Posts: 324	I would take out all of your live stock and rock and keep them in an aerated and heated separate container with original tank water in it. Try to keep as much original tank water in separate container(s). Try to keep this aerated and heated at tank temp as well. Remove all sand and replace with 4" to 6" of fine grain sand. Put back original water in tank and turn on all pumps and filtation again. Once the sand settles down, put live rock back in and then livestock. You may also need to have new saltwater already mixed on hand at same temp and salinity. I have done this before also.

12/26/2006, 01:31 PM	#3
D659600 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Blue Springs MO Posts: 199	I just got done removing aruba shell from my 210 and replaced it with sand. I did it in 2 stages, half one week and half 2weeks later. I used a pitcher to scoop out and a to add. I increased my sand bed so I could keep a wrasse. If you dont plan on keeping a wrasse I dont think you need a 3" deep sand bed. Use lots of carbon and do your water change after you add the new substrate.

12/26/2006, 01:31 PM	#4
fourth horseman Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mesa Posts: 146	use the clear tubing off your gravel vac. you should be able to get enough suction that it will suck up the coral. if you use a 44 gallon trash can you can get most of it and recycle the water back to the tank but it will make it a little cloudy. the clear tubing is good cause you can see if it gets clogged

12/26/2006, 01:32 PM	#5
swjim Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Boerne, TX Posts: 884	The water is going to be pretty nasty when you remove the substrate. You might want to save some of the "clean" water you remove before beginning the project to use when refilling the tank, then plan on removing all the water that is in the tank when you're scooping out the CC. Good luck.

12/26/2006, 02:10 PM	#6
luke30mm Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 61	do you think 2" is enough to attach a BTA or will that require more. I don't really want to add more if i decide to have a wrasse later (they are awesome fish) so how deep should i go ??

12/26/2006, 04:39 PM	#7
luke30mm Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 61	also how do you go about recovering all my small snails and crabs?? or do you just have to accept a few lost inverts ??

12/27/2006, 07:36 AM	#8
D659600 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Blue Springs MO Posts: 199	1) I would go about 3" on your substrate. The BTA would be happy and if you do get a wrasse the depth would be good too. 2) When you have all of the old substrate out of the tank leave some water in with it. Most of the crabs and snails will work their way to the top and you can scoop them up and put back. Good luck and have fun.