Complete rock change

[mrcote1]

Hi everyone, it's been a while since I posted. Got pretty busy and tank was neglected for months. Since i started my tank I never had luck with any sps coral even with all parameters in check but I always had small amounts of copper in the tank. I suspect thats why acros dont grow in my tank. I bought the rock from a lfs that got it from a tank breakdown. So I want to do all new rock and sand in my tank but keep the fish and coral I have.
Is this possible to do a total change out like this without killing everything?

 

[shrimpchips]

Probably depends on how big the tank is, and how much rock you’re talking about. Bigger the tank, more difficult it will be to not get a huge spike. You’re basically breaking down the whole tank, so the bigger the tank the bigger the problem it will be.

have you tried running cuprisorb or polyfilter to seeif that sufficiently keeps copper levels in check?

 

[mrcote1]

Its a 75 gallon with a 40 gallon sump/refugium. And ive tried absolutely everything even the copper absorbants. I did those for about 6 months. The tabks been set up for almost 3 years now. Only sps ive been able to keep and grow is a pocillipora. Ive lost probably about $500 in frags of all other types of sps over the years. Not a single one grew.

 

[shrimpchips]

If I had to do it and had the space, I’d get a barrel or two, or one of those 100g Rubbermaid stock tanks. Get new live rock from a trusted source, and have it cooking in there. When you’re ready, net all the fish and anything you want to save, empty the whole system, and hope that the residual copper in the silicone, plastic and any other bits that can absorb and release copper won’t leach appreciable amounts of copper back into the system.

 

[mrcote1]

Yea Im thinking that might be the best way. Probably gonna get mostly dry rock then like 5 to 10 lbs of live rock. What about the sand? Switching that out too could be an issue right?

 

[shrimpchips]

I’d remove sand in stages (like 1/4 a day) so that it doesn’t muddy things up too quick and cause a big spike. Probably replace it completely too.

For replacing with dry rock and a little live rock, your tank might take a while (several months) to mature and stabilize again. If you’re able to, start curing the dry rock with your new seeded live rock.

 

[mrcote1]

Alright, ill set up a few large heated totes with saltwater, put all my drock rock and new live rock in and let it sit for a couple months. Then when the time comes, ill remove everything, add new sand and rock all at the same time then hope for the best

 

[PSU4ME]

I just did this on my tank. All old rock gone, new live rock qtd for 50 days. Drained all water, washed all sand with tap water, rinsed with RO. Put back in, added water, rock, fish.... all good.
All in the same day

 

[mrcote1]

I just did this on my tank. All old rock gone, new live rock qtd for 50 days. Drained all water, washed all sand with tap water, rinsed with RO. Put back in, added water, rock, fish.... all good.
All in the same day

Did you have coral as well when you did this? I have a bunch of soft coral and lps, and my one large pocillipora colony. Id be mostly concerned with the coral

 

[PSU4ME]

Not in particular, I had corals but ones I could put in a holding tank. It takes planning that’s for sure but it can be done.