Major Overhaul...What would you do???

[faerykisses]

Hello all!

I am planning a major overhaul meaning, a large PWC (15 gallons out of my 55 gal. due to a small cyano/brownw algae problem), cleaning of all components (powerheads, skimmer, HOB filter, salt removal, etc.), moving and rearranging of live rock, removing the last of my CC (not much), and adding live sand (10 lbs....I already have about a 2" sand bed but I want to get ride of the crushed coral), also just a general cleaning of all glass on the inside.

My reasoning for a overhaul is: I don't really like tha aquascaping I currently have, we have some cyano and are trying to get rid of it, this is the last of the CC I would have to remove (I have been doing it in stages) and when I do PWC and I dust off my LR it creates a "dusty" substance that settles in places my two powerheads dont reach; and it needs to go.

My question is: When doing a major overhaul like this do you QT all your inhabitants, move them to another tank/ bucket until you are done. I dont want t create extra stress for them if I do my rearrangni while they are in the tank, but is moving them to an alternate place just as stressfull?????

I would be able to provide them with a powerhead, heater, air stone and hiding places while we are redecorating....but I don't want to stress them out more than I have to. So......move or not??? Considering the work I would like to do, I figured I would just net em' all and move em'. But I wanted to check first.

My inhabitants are as follows:

1 yellow watchman goby
1 scissor tail goby
1 red fire fish
1 coral banded shrimp
1 tuxedo urchin
1 spiny black urchin
1 flame scallop
several snails (maybe 7-10)
5 hermits ( red legged, and blue/black legged striped)
3 feahter dusters
60 lbs of LR (will have to check that #)
2" at least sand bed


So is it worth moving all my fish? Do I move the fish and not the inverts??? Do I move them to buckets, large trash cans, my 10 gallon QT, or buy a new container....? How should I go about this?

Any help/advise is greatly appreciated.

TIA

~Crys.

 

[ColdFish]

Sounds like you have some serious work ahead. I'm in the same boat with my 50 gallon set-up. Have crushed coral and eventually want to get rid of it. Have been putting it off as it's not really causing me a major problem at this point.

I've moved an entire 55 gallon set-up across town before, so I don't think it would be much of an issue to fill a clean trash can , or more than one trashcan with water from your tank, and put all inhabitants in there while you do a major clean out. I think I would probably try to work as quickly as possible to replace the substrate, clean up the glass and get everything back in the tank. Also, I think I would try to put a good bit of your existing water back in the tank to minimize any extra stress. You can always do PWC's afterwards. Just guessing on this really, but that's what comes to my mind. Then again, you mentioned a cyano problem, so maybe salvaging a lot of your old water is a bad idea. Not sure there either. Hopefully somebody can give better advice.

One thing I did notice though. you said that your CC creates a dust problem in places that your powerheads don't reach. Try to eliminate those deadspots as much as possible with your new aquascape. They are probably contributing to your cyano problem. I had a hard time getting rid of mine, and adding extra powerheads finally broke it's back Keep us posted too. I'll be doing the same thing sometime soon.

 

[austinsdad]

I'd probably do two 25g tote or rubbermaid bins. A dedicated trash can is always a good thing to have anyway to store pre-mixed salt water in too. Anyway, one tote/can for the fish and another for the rock. You gonna have new aragonite sand, right? If so, might wanna rinse (if using the dry stuff) and prepare it before you disturb the tank. How old is the tank anyway?

Maybe a powerhead and a heater in the fish temp home if you thinking you'll be a few hours. I'm thinking the rock will be fine with ambient temps in the home if they are reasonable. If the tank has some age on it, maybe a powerhead in the rock temp also to keep oxygen going. If you're gonna strip the tank of the substrate and re-aquascape, I would move the inhabitants I think.

Also gonna need your new SW already mixed and ready to top off the re-setup tank, considering you keep only 35g from the old.

BTW, I had to work in Austin back in 1990 for a year. Lived in Pflugerville. Loved that place. My son was made there!

 

[faerykisses]

The tank has been set up since November. And I plan on using some live sand, 10 lbs I think it was. I haven't done anything yet since I am still in the planning/set up phase but I think it is best to have two totes...seems like the best idea for this.

I don't plan on stripping all the substrate just the CC off the top of the sand bed I already have...and then adding the LS. Will adding the LS cause a spike in anything???

I live in Pflugerville right now....I like it. Lots of growth and construction going on though. Been here about 7 years, right outside of Austin. I get the best of both worlds.