Rearranging Live Rock - Aquarium Advice

chrislmorse · 10-04-2005, 06:53 PM

Hi,

I have a 50 gallon, 4 month old tank with 2 Clarkii Clowns, 1 Royal Gramma, and assorted cleaners...20 lbs Fiji Rock, 30 lbs base, no coral yet.

I would like to rearrange my rocks and am wondering how I should approach this, and what I need to be concerned with...

Thanks in advance.

-Chris

DragonForce · 10-05-2005, 01:13 AM

Rearranging rock is a really bad idea. It can stress the fish out and cause them to die. If you must rearrange it, do as little as possible. You have room in that tank for 20 more lbs of [acronym:5a1bccaa77="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:5a1bccaa77] if you want to add that and put that all nice, it would be a better idea.

JamesR · 10-05-2005, 07:48 AM

i have re-arranged rock before. Just have an idea where you want the rock to go first and move it VERY SLOWLY. This keeps the sediment from moving around too much. Also, turn off your [acronym:9d5086efa3="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]PH[/acronym:9d5086efa3], as they will just blow the sediment around. Once done, you're tank will clear up in a few hours. It does stress the fish a bit, but if you do it slowly and not often, no big deal............just don't do it if you've just added a new fish that is already stressed. If they've been in their a while, you'll be fine, [acronym:9d5086efa3="In my opinion"]IMO[/acronym:9d5086efa3].

Jim

austinsdad · 10-05-2005, 08:16 AM

I agree with both - kinda. I think you can move the rock like JamesR described. I alo think that as you add coral, you'll be adding more rock anyway like Dragonforce described.

Thing is, you've got an opportunity to re-arrange with your coral in mind when you get it. Check out some of the coral at your [acronym:669ea60278="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:669ea60278] and the rocks they're typically on. Now, look at your own aquascape and see if you've got ledges, or crevices, or otherwise space to put coral. So, as you re-do the rock, you can make space for new rock/coral.

Genix · 10-05-2005, 04:10 PM

i don't think moving rock around is a big deal. i've spent a fair amount of time doing it in my little tank and half the time my fish swim around my hand as my cleaner shrimp cleans it. just do as little as possible and go veeerrry slowly. it's easy for a coral to go tumbling or a structure to collapse. you might wanna unplug your heater as well.

PC · 10-05-2005, 11:50 PM

I re arranged the rock in my 29G and the female perc clown became very aggressive toward her mate. Basically banning him to the opposite side of the tank at night. Other then that I only have CBS and now a snail in there. I don't think they cared 1 way or another.

GL!

10-04-2005, 06:53 PM	#1
chrislmorse Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 3	Rearranging Live Rock Hi, I have a 50 gallon, 4 month old tank with 2 Clarkii Clowns, 1 Royal Gramma, and assorted cleaners...20 lbs Fiji Rock, 30 lbs base, no coral yet. I would like to rearrange my rocks and am wondering how I should approach this, and what I need to be concerned with... Thanks in advance. -Chris

10-05-2005, 01:13 AM	#2
DragonForce Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 925 Images: 1	Rearranging rock is a really bad idea. It can stress the fish out and cause them to die. If you must rearrange it, do as little as possible. You have room in that tank for 20 more lbs of [acronym:5a1bccaa77="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:5a1bccaa77] if you want to add that and put that all nice, it would be a better idea. __________________ 37 [acronym="Gallon"]gal[/acronym] all glass 50lb [acronym="Live rock"]LR[/acronym] 3' fine sand bed 1x Orange Stripe Prawn shrimp goby, 1x sixline wrassemated pair of true percula clowns, 1x CBS shrimp, 2x peppermint shrimp, 1x pistol shrimp, 1x tiger tale [acronym="Sea cucumber"]cuke[/acronym], ~20+ snails, ~10+ hermits, 1xserpent star. green Bubble coral, hammer coral (8 heads!) ,various Zoos,green finger leather, green star polpys ,[acronym="Mushroom coral"]shrooms[/acronym] 175w 10k [acronym="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym] 28w actinic [acronym="Actinic lighting"]03[/acronym] 2x maxi jett 1200 Prizm skimmer (modded) Hagen powerfilter(for running carbon 24/7) nano arctica chiller

10-05-2005, 08:16 AM	#4
austinsdad Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Clinton, Maryland Posts: 4,211 Images: 12	I agree with both - kinda. I think you can move the rock like JamesR described. I alo think that as you add coral, you'll be adding more rock anyway like Dragonforce described. Thing is, you've got an opportunity to re-arrange with your coral in mind when you get it. Check out some of the coral at your [acronym:669ea60278="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:669ea60278] and the rocks they're typically on. Now, look at your own aquascape and see if you've got ledges, or crevices, or otherwise space to put coral. So, as you re-do the rock, you can make space for new rock/coral. __________________ -Ray- "Life may not be the party we hoped for but while we are here we might as well dance!"

10-05-2005, 04:10 PM	#5
Genix Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 96 Images: 10	i don't think moving rock around is a big deal. i've spent a fair amount of time doing it in my little tank and half the time my fish swim around my hand as my cleaner shrimp cleans it. just do as little as possible and go veeerrry slowly. it's easy for a coral to go tumbling or a structure to collapse. you might wanna unplug your heater as well. __________________ 15 gallon nano-reef (4 months old) -pair of false percula clowns -royal gramma -convict blenny -bubble coral -clove polyps -green hairy mushroom -cleaner shrimp pics

10-05-2005, 11:50 PM	#6
PC Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Memphis, Tn Posts: 735 Images: 5	I re arranged the rock in my 29G and the female perc clown became very aggressive toward her mate. Basically banning him to the opposite side of the tank at night. Other then that I only have CBS and now a snail in there. I don't think they cared 1 way or another. GL! __________________ To fail to plan is to plan to fail.

10-05-2005, 07:48 AM	#3
JamesR Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 462 Images: 8	i have re-arranged rock before. Just have an idea where you want the rock to go first and move it VERY SLOWLY. This keeps the sediment from moving around too much. Also, turn off your [acronym:9d5086efa3="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]PH[/acronym:9d5086efa3], as they will just blow the sediment around. Once done, you're tank will clear up in a few hours. It does stress the fish a bit, but if you do it slowly and not often, no big deal............just don't do it if you've just added a new fish that is already stressed. If they've been in their a while, you'll be fine, [acronym:9d5086efa3="In my opinion"]IMO[/acronym:9d5086efa3]. Jim

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