moving/removing DT rock

[reef tank 2.0]

If I were to remove rock from my DT so that I could change the appearance, how do I know how much is too much?

I would like to take a few rocks out, but in doing so would also change the way the flow currently moves throughout the tank. Therefor ****ing off the coral. My rock structures on the left and right are high, and it almost looks like mounds of rock. I'd like to take a few off to make the height of them lower. Which then could possibly allow me to place corals directly under the light source, since the foot candle measurement would be less.

So while removing this rock, how do I know if I have taken too much out? I already have a section of my sump with large rock. I don't have the room to move any rock down below, so I would literally be removing rock from the system.

 

[Anemone]

Can't really tell you how much is too much without knowing how much rock do you have in the tank (and sump) now.

If the stocking in your signature is current, it doesn't look like you have a heavily stocked tank, so you probably won't have an issue, depending on the answer to the question above.

Kevin

 

[reef tank 2.0]

I honestly don't know how much rock I have in the tank/sump (weight). I've had it in there for almost 4 years.

I'm hoping to move by fall, so I am trying not to add any more livestock till then. But the stocking shown in my signature is up to date.

 

[mcgyvr]

Question is impossible to answer...

Best advice is to simply go so and do a portion at a time.. Test/Adapt/Adjust as needed..

If your nutrient levels start to rise you have basically taken too much out and need to find a way to increase bacterial population,etc... to return to where you were..

 

[reef tank 2.0]

certainly makes sense.
thank you for the input

 

[mcgyvr]

Best advice is to simply go so .

Typo... "Go Slow"

 

[RioReefr]

Corals are resilient. Are you afraid of messing with the Nitrogen Cycle? Maybe buy yourself one of those bacteria-in-a-bottle and dump it in the DT a couple days in advance before moving large amounts of rock. IMO, if you do a lot of changes the corals might not like it but they will rebound after 2-3 days unless something drastic happens.

Personally, if I do not like how something looks in the tank. I do it towards the end of my light schedule -- for example, my lights start to dim at 6pm and then completely shutoff at 9pm. Between that last 1 hour, all the coral polyps have retracted and makes moving the rock-work around is pretty simple.