Tank clean up

rayn · Apr 16, 2015

In the process of redoing a room and in this room resides a 150 lobster tank. The sole inhabitant of this tank is a bluefin Lionfish. However this tank has become overrun with hair algae to the point that EVERYTHING is covered. If I wave a net in this tank, literally mats of the tuff come up. Needless to say when I test for anything test come up 0.

In redoing this room, I am also redoing the floor. As I do the floor I will move this tank into its new spot and hopefully clean it at the same time. My question is how to clean it without putting the tank into a cycle? I don't expect perfectly clean, but would like it better.

I also am wanting to add a sump at this time for extra macro algae for nutrient export.

Reefing Madness · Apr 17, 2015

Tough one to answer. If done right, you'll run into a mini cycle, but will not harm the fish. Get totes to put the fish in, or the bathtub, put tank water in another tote, and scrub the algae off the rock, put the rock into another tub filled with tank water, this will keep the bacteria alive so that when you do put it back, there will be no die off, and it will also keep the tank from going into a full cycle. If you have sand, I'd take it all out in 5g buckets and rinse it really well, as this is the stuff that will cause your full blown cycle, because of all the crap it holds.

rayn · Apr 18, 2015

I can go with all new sand and two bags of "live sand", so no need to rinse and reuse. Rocks I can scrub in the tank water and rinse to keep the filter alive.

Did I mention this guy is cold water? Tank is kept at 62 degrees. I can't let him get warm.