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Question about rearranging the tank

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by bobsfish, Feb 3, 2014.

  1. Feb 3, 2014 #1
    bobsfish

    bobsfish Experienced Reefkeeper

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    I plan to do some re-aquascaping and will be moving some of the rock on the bottom of the tank. Is there anything I need to do, or watch for, to prevent an issue with the release of anaerobic bacteria?
     
  2. Feb 3, 2014 #2
    ShaneP Williamsburg, IA

    ShaneP Well Known Hawkfish

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    I assume the rocks have been there for awhile? If it were me, I'd have a siphon ready for when the rock is picked up to contain the cloud and siphon the sand. There can be a lot of detritus under rocks. In my opinion, the disturbance of the phosphates is more worrisome than anaerobic bacteria.

    You may also see algae pop up on any surfaces that were previously in the sand that get overturned and exposed to flow and light.
     
  3. Feb 3, 2014 #3
    jeremy Davenport, IA

    jeremy Acro Addict

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    I did that last summer and it stirred up alot of stuff. I did a large water change like 3 times that week and ran carbon and got. I still had a phosphate spike and some Cyrano showed up. And it takes a while to get everything back in check. But all my corals were fine. Definitely have a siphon ready.
     
  4. Feb 3, 2014 #4
    bobsfish

    bobsfish Experienced Reefkeeper

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    yep, the rocks have been there for 5 years, so disturbing the bottom rocks makes me nervous. I was thinking of removing the water and holding in a big container with the top rocks and coral. Then siphon the bottom while removing the bottom rocks.

    Getting algae to pop up would not be good, but not my biggest worry. My worry is either anaerobic bacteria or getting a small cycle/spike afterwards that will kill my fish.
     
  5. Feb 3, 2014 #5
    jeremy Davenport, IA

    jeremy Acro Addict

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    Sounds like a pretty good plan. My sand was bout 2 years old when I did it.
     
  6. Feb 3, 2014 #6
    Kpotter2 North liberty, IA

    Kpotter2 Expert Reefkeeper

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    Ok when I did this I would do a 10 gallon water change about an hour before. I use the 10 gals taken out to dip and shake off the rock. Then add it back to tank. If your careful you should be ok, but one never knows for sure you dealing with a live system. At this point you can also brush the rock a little if you feel the need on some rocks as you dip and shake them off. 24 hours later do another 15 gal water change. This was on my 75gal setup. So % may need converted to what ever you are working with tank size wise.

    I would try to move the base rock as little as possible, this is why I went with a bare bottom on my 220.

    Good luck Bob! I think you will be fine. Most cycles on a older system and very little and undetectable from my experiences .

    KP
     
  7. Feb 3, 2014 #7
    bobsfish

    bobsfish Experienced Reefkeeper

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    Thanks for the input.

    Now I just need to set aside a few hours to do this job.
     
  8. Feb 3, 2014 #8
    Kpotter2 North liberty, IA

    Kpotter2 Expert Reefkeeper

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    Yeah that's always the hardest part for me.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 24, 2015
  9. Feb 3, 2014 #9
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

    Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

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    Whenever you move rock or change flow patterns, you disturb the biological balance that has been established. This will inevitably lead to a mini cycle, due to die-off of bacterial colonies, which will prompt new growth, etc.


    Depending on the extent of your re-aquascape, you will undoubtedly have some consequences. I've seen this many times and I can almost predict the exact schedule of events.


    Everything will be fine for a few weeks. Somewhere between week 3 and 6 following the change, you will have either an outbreak of dinos, diatoms, or cyano. You can do everything in the book and it will eventually disappear, usually 2 weeks after it started, which also usually coincides with how long "they" say whatever treatment method you took to battle it shoudl take, resulting in you feeling good about the efforts you made when all that really happened was 2 weeks passed and the system settled back down and things just happened naturally, and you were in the way.


    So don't go blacking out the tank and things like that when it happens. Restrict feeding for several weeks in anticipation of this event. Don't go overboard on PWCs, this can actually fuel the outbreak. Run carbon and GFO and skimmer and filter socks and change them regularly (not overly often, but regularly). Leave your light cycle like it is, but feed in the last 30 minutes of on time each day. This gives the dinos/diatoms/cyano less chance at nutrients when the lights are on, the filtration (and corals) take food out. Target feed corals instead of broadcast feeding the tank.


    Get yourself a section of hard airline hose and some airline tubing and be prepared to suck out the dinos/diatoms/cyano 1 to 3 times daily when the outbreak happens. it takes about 10-15 minutes to pass through a 120g size tank and suck the majority of it out. Plan on possibly needing to do this. You may not need to, but be prepared. But IMO that's all you can do when it does happen - and then just wait for a few weeks and it will pass.
     
  10. Feb 4, 2014 #10
    bobsfish

    bobsfish Experienced Reefkeeper

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    Great advice ....thanks
     
  11. Feb 4, 2014 #11
    nrenn Waverly, Iowa

    nrenn Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    On the more mechanical side of things, be aware that if you pull the bottom rocks up, when you put them back down they will have sand under them. Depending on water flow and burrowing livestock the sand could be excavated from underneath and the rocks settle. Worst case, rocks up top tumble down or lean against the glass. Personally haven't heard of it happening, but they always say put in your base rock before your sand.
     

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