Switching live rock~

[kahlua]

Is there a way to do this without making my tank cycle? Or a trick where I can pull my 2 clowns and shrimps out and keep them alive in the mean time? I hate my rock haha

Tried to talk the gf into buying me another tank and was a no go lol

[greech]

Just cycle the new rock outside your tank in a bucket or rubbermaid container. All you need is a small powerhead to move water and a heater. You can also add a piece of your existing rock to speed the process. When you swap it out just replace a few rocks at a time and keep an eye on things as you go. I would not recommend just replacing the rocks all together unless you are certain that the new rock is FULLY cured (even then I probably would't replace it all at once).

[kahlua]

Sweet thanks Greech now its time to convince the gf to let me buy a few hundred dollars in new live rock haha.. I already tried for the bigger tank was a no go lol This other rock is brutal with apastia im telling you man.. Dont know whats with this rock lol


But then hmm new hitchikers booo haha

[greech]

Checkout www.bulkreefsupply.com (http://www.bulkreefsupply.com) and www.reefcleaner.org (http://www.reefcleaner.org) for some very nice dry rock that you can seed with a piece or tow of your aptaisi frre live rock. I am particularly fond of the figi and pukani rock from BRS. This will save you a lot of $$$ and since its dry, no aptaisia! But chnaces are you're still going encounter pests just by adding corals with little HHs.

Forgot to mention that you should keep your current LR live and take it to your LFS for credit. Maybe a way to sway the GF into some new frags :)

[FinFanatic]

Or you can just kill off the aptasia. I forget what it is, lemon juice? lime juice? Just get a hypodermic needle, fill with appropriate liquid and inject aptasia.
I know someone makes some kind of "kill aptasia" juice.

[Jstdv8]

I do, its Mr's wages pickling lime made into a paste and injected accross the face of the aiptasia, only do about 10 or so and then let it sit for 45 minutes and then suck the aiptasia and the paste out with a turkey baster.
I bought some rock with over 300 aiptasia on it for cheap and killed them all and have only seen one come back out of 300+. killed him off quickly too.
I'm sure i posted the whole article on here somewhere that i wrote up. try search

[star27624]

Mrs Waggs pickelig lime paste is excellent at killing aiptasia.

I have changed out pieces of rock in my tanks. The key (as stated above) is to make sure that the new pieces are fully cured, and to only change out a few at a time, and to allow time to the tank to adjust to the change fully ( I have waited at least a month) before changing out additional pieces if desired.

If your not liking the rock b/c of limited scaping options, you can drill/modify it. Just take a rock or 2 out, put it in a bucket of tank water from a water change. Use a masonry drill bit to drill holes that an acrylic rod can be put through so that you can stack the rock higher without the risk of toppling. A hammer and chisel (or dremel tool) can be used to custom fit pieces than can then be held together with reef epoxy and/or acrylic rods. This method IMO/IME gives you the greatest ability to achieve height without the risk of a rock slide or having to lose most of your sandbed to form a stable base for a tall stack of rock. It also lets you create places for coral placement. Flat places made for frag tiles or corals on pieces of LR, and/or holes can be drilled randomly to accept frag plugs too.