Need Advice

[bemyself]

Hi All,
I need some advice and appreciate someone can help. I has a 80 gal tank for about 8 months and now considering rearranging the rock work. I has a Yellow tang, Blue tang, Red headed solon, Bi color angel and a beauty coral in this tank and they are with me for at least 6 months. All are healthy.
My idea is to buy about 10-15 new uncured ( or base rocks) rocks to substitute the existing rocks that are already in the main tank for about 8 months.I plan to put some of those existing old rocks into the sump so that they can help with the filtration while the new rocks together with some old ones in the main tank.
My Lfs suggested that I put the new rocks ( base rocks I think as they are all dried up for along time) together with some old rocks into the tank and let it settle with the existing fishes.
Do you think it's a good idea? Will there be a sudden nitrite or nitrate spike?If this procedures is being done, will this harm my fishes? I'm just confuse as the Lfs told me that he will soak the base rocks in salt water for about a week and add into the main tank and then it will be cured rocks eventually. I don't think I can trust him as base rocks to cured rocks will take some time. By the way, my sump is as big as my main tank with a protein skimmer.
Sorry for the long post but appreciate any suggestion from anyone. Thanks

[OrionGirl]

Rock that has been dried won't cause any spike--there's nothing living on it to cause ammonia. There also won't be any bacteria, so removing existing rock would be a bad idea. This kind of base rock will eventually be colonized by life and bacteria, but adding it shouldn't involve anything other than a good cleaning of the rock.

[bemyself]

Dear Orion Girl,
Thanks alot for your kind advice. As I had said earlier, most of my existing rocks will either be in the sump or a few will remain in the main tank. My reason for adding more rocks is to re arrange the rock structure as the old ones don't seems appealing.
do you think it's a good idea to add in liquid bacteria after the base rocks had been added into the main tank? Is there any step by step instruction on how to do the changes?Or do you suggest that I'll maintain the tank as it's without changing any rocks structure?
Orion girl, whatever you say or suggest, I believe I'll be taking your valuable advice.
Thanks once again for your kind consideration into this matter.

[OrionGirl]

As long as the existing rock remains part of the system ,it will still be contributing to the biological filtration. You may want to swirl the rock around in a tub of SW to remove any waste that's accumulated on the rock, but that's about it. I wouldn't use a bacteria additive--there's little evidence the majority of them work. So, to make the changes, I would just do a water change, pull the rock you want out, put in the new, and fill the tank back up. If you'll be taking all the rock out, you may need to put the fish into a tub for a while, so they don't get injured by the moving rocks, but otherwise you should be able to get it done in a day.

I re-arrange my tank regularly. Not a problem, and it can result in a 'new' tank--fun!

[bemyself]

Hi Oriongirl,
Thanks once again for your kind advice. One last question, how much water do I need to change? Thanks

[OrionGirl]

I'd probably change about half. Dropping the water lower makes it easier to re-arrange stuff for me, and you know that the new setup has cleaner water than it did before, so should be more stable.

[bemyself]

Oriongirl,
Thanks a million. You really help me alot.
In my last post, I said it's the last question but in fact there's another last question. Can you suggest any sites that show aquascaping, rock formation( hopefully only rocks works without corals in it) The reason I ask is that I'll try to do my own rocks arrangement.
Apologise for asking so many last question but I believe this is the place and the people that I can rely on. Thanks

[OrionGirl]

Tampa Bay Saltwater has a few displays, I think....There are quite a few pictures here of member tanks...But really, I recommend you just play around with it yourself. Try to build some overhangs and caves, and niches that the fish can hide out in, and you'll be good to go. I change my tank around often, and always go a new route each time. Some people prefer a pile of rocks slightly offest and lots of open space, others like a wall of rock with the front mostly open. Go with the look you prefer--the fish won't criticize you. Well, most of them won't. ;)

[bemyself]

Oriongirl,
Thanks a million.
Tampa Bay saltwater will be a bit too far for me but however, as per your advice, I'll let my imagination do the work.
Thanks once again.