Re-aquascaping
- Thread starter Irishman
- Start date
If you have a DSB then just be careful not to disturb the sand bed too much or it can cause a mini cycle or worse. One of the things that always concerns me moving things around in there is what is hiding where. Those snails and crabs can be hard to find and I would hate to hurt them moving things around too much.
The anoxic areas that you expose will need to die and repopulate with oxic bacteria. Same with the inverse. If you go slow, then you can probably handle it - there is more than enough of both types in your tank. Make sure your skimmer is clean and have some salt mix ready just in case. You might need to fight some N and P on the back end, so just monitor/test the water a lot.
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I've done it once on my current tank. Wasn't by choice, but tank developed a small leak after I had the tank up for about 6 months. I removed everything, sand and all, repaired the seals and then put it all back with a new scape.I even re-used the sand since it was only 6 months old and didn't have to much issues with a cycle. I put rock, corals and fish in a 30g, that I hooked up to the existing sump, and put the sand in a 10g with a heater. Everything lived, corals and all, although at the time I only had a few indestructible corals and a couple hearty fish, but they lived and I still have them.
Now that the tank is several years old I wouldn't consider it unless it was a dire emergency, as I would have to frag or remove most of my colonies and basically start over.
So I would say that it can be done, especially if the tank is newer, but the older the tank, and the more stuff you have it in it, will increase the likely hood of losing most, or all of it.
Now that the tank is several years old I wouldn't consider it unless it was a dire emergency, as I would have to frag or remove most of my colonies and basically start over.
So I would say that it can be done, especially if the tank is newer, but the older the tank, and the more stuff you have it in it, will increase the likely hood of losing most, or all of it.
I have rescaped my tank w my posslapoara spawned and I had it growing all over. Took rocks out w coral on it scraped/cut them off. Used a few new rocks but nothing major other then the task of getting things back where I wanted. If the tank is off line for awhile be sure to put a air stone in tank to help w oxygen. It can be done but as said above be ready w new water and some time!