reducing live rock

[crawlerman]

I have a 75g with a lot of live rock. I have no idea how much since I kept adding over a year. I would like to cut back to create a more open tank. I also have some mushrooms that have been spreading for 6 years that I want gone. My question is how to do this. I know that the rock plays an important role in housing bacteria. So do I have to take out a little at a time? My only filtration is a small refegium and an ASM G2 skimmer. Will I need to start running carbon and some kind of phosphate remover? Should I add some kind of bacteria, like Brightwell or Zeo? I have no detectable phosphates and my nitrates are below 5ppm, but I do have some algae and my glass develops a noticeable film in about 5 days.

 

[michael.lemke]

How many fish do you have? I'd take about half out and the rest of what you want out two weeks later. IMO

 

[chefzif]

I would want no less than 60-70 pounds of live rock in the system! I would look at what you have and just start pulling what u want out! If you have a great skimmer you should be fine! I would do this work before a water change! Chef

 

[crawlerman]

Thanks for the help, I have about 125#. There is a 25# to 40# that have mushrooms on it that I plan on getting rid of. I'm going to take it out in two loads two weeks apart.

 

[chefzif]

That will work!

 

[pusanpa]

FYI I have 30-40% of liverock in my sump with lots of flow.

 

[crawlerman]

I have a 5 gallon bucket full of dry rubble, I think I'll dump it in the sump. Thanks for the help

 

[mc-cro]

Rather than just dump it in the sump, I put all my rubble in little baskets that I got from the dollar store. Theyare about 10" square, and they have holes open on all sides, kind of like miniature milk crates. This allows for flow, but when I want to clean the sump, I just reach in and pull the basket out and all the rubble comes with it. makes it nice and easy to keep the sump clean.

 

[kcb1123]

I tried the rock in sump idea and it really turned into a detritus trap for me. I do like the basket idea though.