Before everyone starts asking questions, here's the thread outlining the issues that I've been experiencing: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/coral-dying-in-dt-but-thriving-in-nearly-identical-qt.805983/
After over 2 years of battling with my dream tank, my beloved Red Sea Reefer 525XL, I have given up. I have spent so much time, so much money, and so many gray hairs on trying to get it to thrive, and it’s just been disappointment after disappointment at every single turn. I was SO careful with it, too. Everything was quarantined, I took my time with everything, I have everything automated (water changes, dosing, trident testing, etc). I got proper PAR measurements and set my lights accordingly. I cannot express how disappointed I am at this point. And it's not like I'm new to reefing - I've had tanks for 5 years now. My 30g which was my original tank was for the most part always amazing. Heck, I have it as a QT tank now and even when I neglect it and forget to do a WC on it for 2 months it's still thriving. With my big expensive tank, though, no luck. At this point I've simply run out of options...
I’m not out entirely, though. Im going to give it one last shot with a full tear-down, a full cleaning, and then a rebuild. 100% new live sand, 100% new live rock, no original coral (because nothing could survive in there except for mushrooms and zoas), the only things that are getting put back in there eventually are the fish. I'm even going to change up my salt (I've always used HW Marinemix, but it doesn't seem very common and I can only find it at BRS).
So here is where I need some advice... just general tips on the tear-down, cleaning, and re-stocking of my tank.
I don't even know what else I'm asking for. I just don't think I can deal with another dud if this rebuild doesn't work out, so I want to make sure that I increase my odds of success in every possible way.
Thanks for listening to my sob story
After over 2 years of battling with my dream tank, my beloved Red Sea Reefer 525XL, I have given up. I have spent so much time, so much money, and so many gray hairs on trying to get it to thrive, and it’s just been disappointment after disappointment at every single turn. I was SO careful with it, too. Everything was quarantined, I took my time with everything, I have everything automated (water changes, dosing, trident testing, etc). I got proper PAR measurements and set my lights accordingly. I cannot express how disappointed I am at this point. And it's not like I'm new to reefing - I've had tanks for 5 years now. My 30g which was my original tank was for the most part always amazing. Heck, I have it as a QT tank now and even when I neglect it and forget to do a WC on it for 2 months it's still thriving. With my big expensive tank, though, no luck. At this point I've simply run out of options...
I’m not out entirely, though. Im going to give it one last shot with a full tear-down, a full cleaning, and then a rebuild. 100% new live sand, 100% new live rock, no original coral (because nothing could survive in there except for mushrooms and zoas), the only things that are getting put back in there eventually are the fish. I'm even going to change up my salt (I've always used HW Marinemix, but it doesn't seem very common and I can only find it at BRS).
So here is where I need some advice... just general tips on the tear-down, cleaning, and re-stocking of my tank.
- After I fully drain it, what should I be cleaning it with?
- How long should I let it sit dry?
- Any random words of wisdom on cleaning a large tank?
- Thoughts on spending the money on true live rock/sand from somewhere like Gulf Live Rock for the rebuild?
- 2x Clowns
- 1x Magnificent Foxface
- 1x Yellow Tang
- 1x Vrolik's Wrasse
- 1x Leopard Wrasse
I don't even know what else I'm asking for. I just don't think I can deal with another dud if this rebuild doesn't work out, so I want to make sure that I increase my odds of success in every possible way.
Thanks for listening to my sob story