Replacing frag rack

[Kinetic]

I have a 40g breeder tank I'm using as a prop tank right now. In it is one big eggcrate, almost the entirety of the tank. Now this sucks because when I lose frags underneath, I have to squirm around the sides to get it.

What I'm planning to do, is build 3 smaller racks, as tall, but now movable. They will also be two leveled, the bottom being the area where I can stuff live rock in, to keep them off the bottom of the tank.

Now the tricky thing is, can I premake these racks, then take out my entire frag rack full of corals and keep them out of water for a few minutes while I desparately scramble to put in the new ones, stick the live rock in them, and replace each frag one by one? Or is that too much stress? I'm thinking the exchange would take something like 5 - 10 minutes.

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Art,

Do a water change and fill a plastic bin with the old water. Set your new racks in there and switch your frags over so you can clean out your 40. You can stack the racks temporarily in your spare container if it's cramped.

That's what I did the last time I switched frag tanks.

 

[tuberider]

I do exactly as Norman Stated, I have three smaller racks ~14"X5". I remove frags from one rack to a bucket with some water, and slide the other racks around to clean/inspect. I think it depends on the coral as far as exposure, you know how it is 5-10 minutes can become 15-20 min in 5-10 min. I'd play it safe.