About to replace my rocks slowly

Daddyrawg

Member
So I have a 90 gallon with 90 lbs of LR..

I want to eventually replace all rock with reef saver marcorocks dry rock... if I swap out 5 lbs at a time per month should I be ok?

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What is the purpose of this swap?
If it is to get rid of pests and nuisance algae then the little buy little approach will miss the mark.

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What is the purpose of this swap?
If it is to get rid of pests and nuisance algae then the little buy little approach will miss the mark.

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Pests and algae yes, but is 5 lbs in a 90 lbs system little?

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Pests and algae yes, but is 5 lbs in a 90 lbs system little?

That all depends on how long you are taking to swap it out..
In minutes both pests and algae can potentially spread to a new rock..


The better move would be to cure (cycle) the rock separately and swap it all at once..
Even so pests/algae (spores,etc...) will still remain in the tank..

IMO you are just fighting a losing battle and most certainly if you haven't fixed the reason its all there in the first place..
 
That all depends on how long you are taking to swap it out..

In minutes both pests and algae can potentially spread to a new rock..





The better move would be to cure (cycle) the rock separately and swap it all at once..

Even so pests/algae (spores,etc...) will still remain in the tank..



IMO you are just fighting a losing battle and most certainly if you haven't fixed the reason its all there in the first place..
I dunno, the rocks I currently have leach phosphates and I'm hoping this new rock doesn't? Or not as bad?

I dont really have problem with pests it's more the hair algae

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There are better ways to combat hair algae: a good number of Banded Trochus Snails and Scarlet Reef Hermit Crabs will take care of them in no time without the need of replacing all rock. I used a good number of those (~75 snails and ~50 hermits) to clear a 40B of a massive green hair algae infestation and they licked every surface in that tank clean within two weeks. After they were done I had to disperse them on other tanks so they wouldn't starve to death. Smaller numbers will do the job as well, it may just take longer.
 
I can't not comment on the fact that they just hinted at spending something like $400+ on snails/crabs to combat an algae issue..
:crazy1::hmm5::worried::hmm6:

Replacing rock is a bit much but thats a bit more IMO...
 
I dunno, the rocks I currently have leach phosphates and I'm hoping this new rock doesn't? Or not as bad?

I dont really have problem with pests it's more the hair algae

If you are sure your rock is leaching phosphate and don't want mess with what you have then replacing the rock is fine..
Cycling all new rock at one time and swapping it in one shot is a better move..
 
I can't not comment on the fact that they just hinted at spending something like $400+ on snails/crabs to combat an algae issue..

:crazy1::hmm5::worried::hmm6:



Replacing rock is a bit much but thats a bit more IMO...
Ya I'm not getting any snails or crabs lol

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Ya I'm not getting any snails or crabs lol

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Ohh.. come on.. Just a couple hundo..$$$ :p

Do you have any snails?
How about an Urchin?
How about Fluconazole (Reef Flux)?
How about GFO?

How did your rocks get full of phosphate?
 
Ohh.. come on.. Just a couple hundo..$$$ [emoji14]



Do you have any snails?

How about an Urchin?

How about Fluconazole (Reef Flux)?

How about GFO?



How did your rocks get full of phosphate?
Couple snails lol they always die

No urchin, flukanazole on wk 3, no gfo,
AtS offline atm, 0 tds rodi...

I dunno, algae always comes back...

I think my best luck was when I was dosing
No pox, but I have 3 acros so been trying to raise nitrates to 5

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I can't not comment on the fact that they just hinted at spending something like $400+ on snails/crabs to combat an algae issue..
:crazy1::hmm5::worried::hmm6:

Replacing rock is a bit much but thats a bit more IMO...

Replacing 90 pounds of rock cost $270, so not really much less and it won't solve the algae issue long term.
So its replacing the rocks that's really the fool's errand, especially if doing it little by little.
 
Understand that a bout with algae is usual, and that there are cheaper remedies. I had an epic and persistent algae problem, which gave way permanently to fluconazole and a good skimmer. No trouble since. I'd invest the funds in a good (used) skimmer---used, because there's fairly well nothing that can 'break' on a skimmer except the pump, and they're pretty tough. One of the problems in algae/phosphate battle is ---you do something to kill it off, but nothing to remove the 'corpse', so to speak: the nutrient stays in the system to fuel another round. Using fluconazole, WITH a good skimmer, and I would not advise using it without---the skimmate was greenish near black, and for a prolonged time, before it settled back to a green-brownish muck which is ordinary. The treatment lasted---it's the second year since, with no recurrence. The brand I used was ReefFlux.
 
Understand that a bout with algae is usual, and that there are cheaper remedies. I had an epic and persistent algae problem, which gave way permanently to fluconazole and a good skimmer. No trouble since. I'd invest the funds in a good (used) skimmer---used, because there's fairly well nothing that can 'break' on a skimmer except the pump, and they're pretty tough. One of the problems in algae/phosphate battle is ---you do something to kill it off, but nothing to remove the 'corpse', so to speak: the nutrient stays in the system to fuel another round. Using fluconazole, WITH a good skimmer, and I would not advise using it without---the skimmate was greenish near black, and for a prolonged time, before it settled back to a green-brownish muck which is ordinary. The treatment lasted---it's the second year since, with no recurrence. The brand I used was ReefFlux.
I have a good skimmer an ATS and I dosed fluc...

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The new 5 lb rock I bought is so much nicer and easier to plug frags in...

It was only $15... doesn't hurt to occasionally switch out this new rock with my current ugly rocks and maybe this new rock won't leach phosphates as much

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I must see pictures of said algae/problem to comment further..
I removed one big rock that was covered with it, then I siphoned rest last night..the hair was long but week from the fluc...but there is some short strands left that I couldn't siphon...I'm even considering round 2 of fluc since i got the hairs shorter

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Keep in mind that if you have elevated phos. levels, the new rock will absorb phos. and leach back into the water later.
Cheers! Mark
 
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