How to replace old rock and old sand bed...need help

[bavass]

I am planning on replacing my old live rock that is infested with Xenia and take out DSB and replace it with 1". I am wondering if any body has done this? I was thinking of getting the rock and curing/cycling in a brute trashcan with a heater, etc... Once the new rock is cycled can I pull out all live stock, and corals drain the tank, take out the rock, DSB. Put in new rock, new 1" sand bed and then fill the tank with new saltwater and add livestock back without a cycle or an ammonia spike. I really hate the idea of taking anything to my local pet store they are not very good with saltwater. Fish they can keep but thats it. I thought about trading them for store credit but to be honest I really don't want to give up my BTA and my clown. They are still trying to figure out why SPS wont grow in a 120g DT with a 36" Marineland Reef LED

 

[bavass]

I hear crickets, lol

 

[Hocky puck]

Bad idea unless you have nothing in tank

 

[Hocky puck]

Ok sry didn't read it all before I posted u wanna start a new tank basically cycle sand and rock in a trash can then empty every out of old tank and start fresh just to get rid of Xenia? Isn't there a less painful way to do this?

 

[Angel_fish]

Ok sry didn't read it all before I posted u wanna start a new tank basically cycle sand and rock in a trash can then empty every out of old tank and start fresh just to get rid of Xenia? Isn't there a less painful way to do this?

You could try lemon juice, squirt it right on the xenia while pump isnt running. The citric acid kills them very quickly. Atleast instead of having to buy new live rock.

 

[Hocky puck]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1962980
Idk about you but I'm close with people at my lfs they let me "borrow" a sea hare when I had a hair algae bloom maybe your would sell you and buy back the worm mentioned in the link above?

 

[bavass]

I don't have enough patients to kill each one, the dremel tool didn't kill them. Way to many for that! I can't see the rock

 

[Sniperhank]

For the things like your bta that require stability and high light, I would set up a qt so you can easily control the setup to not stress it out.
Cure the new rock like you stated. When it is time to swap , just take the rock you don't want out. With the water still in, start siphoning out the old sand. This will help with removing as much of it as possible the easy way, just like cleaning gravel in a LFS freshwater tank. Once it is empty, remove any remaining sand.
Once you switch things over, I would just rip the xenia off the rock and scrub it away with a toothbrush. This way you have more rock to work with for another/bigger project in the future.

 

[aadair22]

They are still trying to figure out why SPS wont grow in a 120g DT with a 36" Marineland Reef LED

Um... It's the lights...

 

[MikeYQM]

I've not done it but I've seen it done. Cure the new rock for a month or so, tear down the system & set up a couple holding tanks. Once you add the new rock & sand give it at least a day or two before adding live stock back. I wouldn't do it without a holding tank that could run for a few days if things go wrong and you get a cycle or something.

 

[bavass]

For the things like your bta that require stability and high light, I would set up a qt so you can easily control the setup to not stress it out.
Cure the new rock like you stated. When it is time to swap , just take the rock you don't want out. With the water still in, start siphoning out the old sand. This will help with removing as much of it as possible the easy way, just like cleaning gravel in a LFS freshwater tank. Once it is empty, remove any remaining sand.
Once you switch things over, I would just rip the xenia off the rock and scrub it away with a toothbrush. This way you have more rock to work with for another/bigger project in the future.

Yes the rock will be cured of Xenia but I am going to do it with bleach and or acid wash, dried out, blow torch what ever. I am planning a future upgrade and the rock will be saved and reused for that. However once I get the Pukani rock in I might love it so much I will sell the rock I have.

My thin inking on draining the tank is if I drain the water out till I have about an inch of the sand left I will trap the most detritus in that and be able to remove it easier and save most of the water for the holding tank.

 

[bavass]

Um... It's the lights...

riiight! I am telling you they are horrible

 

[Hocky puck]

No bleach

 

[bavass]

if I remove all live stock, sandbed, and rock. Put the new rock and sand in can I just use the water in the tank to cycle or do I have to use fresh made saltwater?

 

[Sniperhank]

There is no bacteria in the water. It is all in the rock and sand.