Re-scaping question

likwidglostix · 05/14/2009, 01:24 AM

I was thinking about buying a small tank from wal mart to transfer my fish into while I redo my BC14. I'm using an aquaclear 30 for mech/chem. I've forgone the biomass since I've got a well established tank. If I put it in to establish bacteria, how long will that take? Should I transfer my corals as well? My goal is to get rid of all my rookie mistakes at one time, over the course of one or two weeks. The sand will stay the same, although I may add another 10# to the 20 that I have. I've got about half of the bio-balls out so far, I'm going to take the rest out and do either a fuge or StevieT's media rack. I'm not terribly worried about my fish because I've got two ocellaris and a flametail blennie and they've been very tolerant of me so far. Corals include red mushrooms, wild acro, ricordias, calaustrea, favites, galaxia, digitata, zoos, and palys. Inverts are blue legs, an emerald, astreas, ceriths, and a pair of feather dusters.

I guess I'm just overwhelmed and would like some advice on how best to redo my tank without killing anything. If I set up a tank for the livestock, will leaving a few pieces of cycled rock in along with the established sand shorten or minimize the new cycle I'm sure to have?

WDLV · 05/14/2009, 11:19 AM

You are talking about a pretty small system. I would move everything at once harvesting as much of the old water as you can before you stir up the system.

Rinse, bleach, re-rinse and dry your old sand before reusing it. It is a nitrogen bomb. Your best bet is really to replace it a little at a time over the next few weeks. The new sand will also help keep up your pH while it has its mini cycle.

05/14/2009, 01:24 AM	#1
likwidglostix Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Waynesboro, VA Posts: 194	Re-scaping question I was thinking about buying a small tank from wal mart to transfer my fish into while I redo my BC14. I'm using an aquaclear 30 for mech/chem. I've forgone the biomass since I've got a well established tank. If I put it in to establish bacteria, how long will that take? Should I transfer my corals as well? My goal is to get rid of all my rookie mistakes at one time, over the course of one or two weeks. The sand will stay the same, although I may add another 10# to the 20 that I have. I've got about half of the bio-balls out so far, I'm going to take the rest out and do either a fuge or StevieT's media rack. I'm not terribly worried about my fish because I've got two ocellaris and a flametail blennie and they've been very tolerant of me so far. Corals include red mushrooms, wild acro, ricordias, calaustrea, favites, galaxia, digitata, zoos, and palys. Inverts are blue legs, an emerald, astreas, ceriths, and a pair of feather dusters. I guess I'm just overwhelmed and would like some advice on how best to redo my tank without killing anything. If I set up a tank for the livestock, will leaving a few pieces of cycled rock in along with the established sand shorten or minimize the new cycle I'm sure to have? __________________ Does the little mermaid wear an algebra? Current Tank Info: 55 gal corner mixed reef, 20 gal sump/fuge.

05/14/2009, 11:19 AM	#2
WDLV Skunk Hybrid Freak Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Pasadena, MD. USA Posts: 3,003	You are talking about a pretty small system. I would move everything at once harvesting as much of the old water as you can before you stir up the system. Rinse, bleach, re-rinse and dry your old sand before reusing it. It is a nitrogen bomb. Your best bet is really to replace it a little at a time over the next few weeks. The new sand will also help keep up your pH while it has its mini cycle. __________________ - Walter D. LaRoque V "The tanks go or I go." - Ex Wife