Re-Aquascaping procedure?

Fountainhead · 09/02/2006, 01:35 PM

OK, my tank is 2 1/2 years old and I hate my aquascaping. The rock is TBS (about 175 lbs.) and as such the shapes are largely dull. Since I didn't know any better when I set up the tank, they're more or less just piled in a line from one end of the tank to the other, with little variation. The resulting pile is precarious, and doesn't offer may good spots for corals. I want to gut the design and start over.

The only corals I have are a big mass 'o xenia, some giant toadstool leathers, a finger leather, and a softball-sized group of button polyps. I have a goby, a flame angel, a yellow tang, and a pair of ocellaris clownfish.

My plan is this...siphon off a few gallons of tank water into a bucket and put the coral in there, probably with a small powerhead. Siphon off more water in a rubbermaid trash can and use that to hold the rocks as I remove them. Then another container with some final rinse water.

I'll remove the corals and the rocks (save for two very large rocks that will not move very far) to their buckets, and then replace the rocks to my liking, rinsing them in the third bucket to remove sand and detrius build-up. Once the rocks are in place I'll replace the corals. Then I'll replace the water with fresh salt water...I figure around 30 gallons.

What about the fish? I imagine that this process will kick up a serious sand storm. Should I remove them to a holding tank while I do this? Or will that stress them more that the murky water?

Any advice on a major re-aquascaping project would be appreciated...learning from your mistakes and all that.

Zackb911 · 09/02/2006, 01:39 PM

Here is my tank for ideas, I love the scaping...

GuidoReefer · 09/02/2006, 01:48 PM

Looks like you could re-aquascape quiet nicely all you have to do is leave the sides intacked and take the center and stack them like bricks for a wall of rocks approach, and you wouldnt have to do much in the way of taking anything else out.....

I just redid mine and and although it took about 2hrs i did it without taking anytihng out and....i left they major parts intack and worked from it there, its takes some time for things to fit but eventually it all works out....

CThomas609 · 09/02/2006, 02:11 PM

I am in the same boat as you, I hate my aquascaping and really want to re-do it. The only advice I've gotten is do a good water change immediatly after/as you are re-do it.

09/02/2006, 01:35 PM	#1
Fountainhead Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 566	Re-Aquascaping procedure? OK, my tank is 2 1/2 years old and I hate my aquascaping. The rock is TBS (about 175 lbs.) and as such the shapes are largely dull. Since I didn't know any better when I set up the tank, they're more or less just piled in a line from one end of the tank to the other, with little variation. The resulting pile is precarious, and doesn't offer may good spots for corals. I want to gut the design and start over. The only corals I have are a big mass 'o xenia, some giant toadstool leathers, a finger leather, and a softball-sized group of button polyps. I have a goby, a flame angel, a yellow tang, and a pair of ocellaris clownfish. My plan is this...siphon off a few gallons of tank water into a bucket and put the coral in there, probably with a small powerhead. Siphon off more water in a rubbermaid trash can and use that to hold the rocks as I remove them. Then another container with some final rinse water. I'll remove the corals and the rocks (save for two very large rocks that will not move very far) to their buckets, and then replace the rocks to my liking, rinsing them in the third bucket to remove sand and detrius build-up. Once the rocks are in place I'll replace the corals. Then I'll replace the water with fresh salt water...I figure around 30 gallons. What about the fish? I imagine that this process will kick up a serious sand storm. Should I remove them to a holding tank while I do this? Or will that stress them more that the murky water? Any advice on a major re-aquascaping project would be appreciated...learning from your mistakes and all that.

09/02/2006, 01:39 PM	#2
Zackb911 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Weymouth, MA Posts: 138	Here is my tank for ideas, I love the scaping...

09/02/2006, 01:48 PM	#3
GuidoReefer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Westchester, Ny Posts: 37	Looks like you could re-aquascape quiet nicely all you have to do is leave the sides intacked and take the center and stack them like bricks for a wall of rocks approach, and you wouldnt have to do much in the way of taking anything else out..... I just redid mine and and although it took about 2hrs i did it without taking anytihng out and....i left they major parts intack and worked from it there, its takes some time for things to fit but eventually it all works out....

09/02/2006, 02:11 PM	#4
CThomas609 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 75	I am in the same boat as you, I hate my aquascaping and really want to re-do it. The only advice I've gotten is do a good water change immediatly after/as you are re-do it.