Adding new rocks to an established tank

[ssster2020]

Due to a silly newbie mistake 5 years ago I’m being overrun with mushrooms, the particular culprit is a red discosoma. I have a rock that is basically totally covered with them. Actually many rocks are covered.

My plan to start controlling them is to remove the bad rock and replace it with a dry rock. I may be overreacting but I don’t want a cycle. Then I get as many as possible off the rock and then place it into the dark sump for a period of time. When it is clean I’ll exchange it with another.

Is this a workable plan? Any suggestions would be welcome

 

[Subsea]

How about a full tank shot with white light?

Consider selling mushroom rocks.

 

[fishyjoes]

I have never had this problem, but I think it's a fine plan. I would let the new rock sit in the sump for a few weeks before swapping it (them) to the display.

 

[ssster2020]

 

[Subsea]

Tank looks good. If mushrooms are a problem for you, I suggest you sell them as nutrient export.

 

[Uncle99]

That’s a good plan. Add a new rock, clean the old, repeat….yup…that works….just not overly fast.

Very nice tank!

Adding a dry rock has little impact on anything.

 

[slingfox]

Since you are removing the mushroom rock, have you thought about just scraping it down and putting it back into the display tank? I don’t believe mushrooms are particularly invasive unlike some other corals like Blue Star Polyps which often come back even after a deep scraping.

What you propose seems safe as long as you leave at least some of the existing aquascape to do their thing

 

[fishyjoes]

Wow, so many mushrooms I thought it was some red algae or something looking at the thumbnail

 

[Tikki]

The mushrooms look nice imo. I would hate to disrupt the tank too much personally. You could always prune the mushrooms back periodically and donate or trade to lfs or other reefers. Cut with scissors or razors and put in a basket of rubble to heal up. Might put a little aptasia x on the part of the foot that remains.