I need YOUR opinion

[Mappelbaum37]

Ive started a few threads on this topic and I hope I can get some good feedback in this last one. I have a 75 gal. tank and am planning on switching from crushed coral (caribsea mixed w/ aragonite) as my substrate to sand. I would be taking out all fish corals and LR (about 80 lbs.) in the tank, switch the substrates and put everything back in. WILL I HAVE A NITRATE/NITRITE/AMMONIA OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF SPIKE IN MY TANK WHERE A FISH OR CORAL WOULD MOST LIKELY DIE??? is there a chance of this happening? will it probaly happen? am i safe to do this change?

 

[cham]

If your crushed coral has been in there for any length of time then yes, you will be releasing a TON of nutrients. There is a bunch of detritus and general garbage down in there that you do not want in the water column.


Here is how I would do it.


Get storage containers that will hold roughly 50 or 60 gallons. Syphon your exisiting tank water off (without distrubing anything) into these containers.

Then remove the live rock and crushed coral and toss the rest. Then rinse the tank out and add the old tank water (the clean stuff in the storage bins) in to the bare tank followed by gently placed sand and finally 15 to 20 gallons of freshly made salt water.

Should be good to go.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Just did something similar to that over the weekend.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1233581

 

[BrokeColoReefer]

I moved my tank about 20 feet a few months ago. I pulled the live rock, moved my corals to my frag tank, put the fish in the QT and made SURE i didnt disturbe my sand bed. With all that i still had a mini cycle and my corals suffered a bit. I think any time you disturb anything major you can expect some loss.

 

[Mappelbaum37]

my tank is a little less then a yr old and Ive had the crushed coral as long as the tank so I'd say its about 9 months old. Would chis be considered a major change for the tank?

 

[cham]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11050906#post11050906 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mappelbaum37
my tank is a little less then a yr old and Ive had the crushed coral as long as the tank so I'd say its about 9 months old. Would chis be considered a major change for the tank?

Yep

 

[Mappelbaum37]

so would my tank probaly have some losses after the change?

 

[Toddrtrex]

I had zero losses from my change over the weekend.

 

[cham]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11050935#post11050935 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mappelbaum37
so would my tank probaly have some losses after the change?

Its possible, but not guranteed one way or the other. If you do it right you should be fine.

Monitor the water closely the first week. As long as your live rock is good you should be ok. Be ready to do small frequent water changes if things do get out of wack.

Dont waste your money on "live sand" if you haven't already bought it. Waste of $$$ IMHO.

 

[Mappelbaum37]

then what should I buy if Im not buying live sand?

 

[cham]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11051080#post11051080 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mappelbaum37
then what should I buy if Im not buying live sand?

Dry sand of the size and color that you like. The sand will gain its own life. Getting a cup of sand from a local reefer or the LFS that you buy the dry sand from is a great way to go.