How to go about a restart?

[Joe Batt]

I have a RedSea Reefer 350 that has been running for 3 years, however, for the last 6 months or so it has slowly slowly been crashing.

The levels according to Triton water tests are all good, my salinity is 35ppt Alk steady around 7.85-8.15 (slow variation of max 0.1 a day) Ca 440-450 Mg 1410 Nitrate 5-6 Po4 0.021 (Hanna ppb checker) temperature 25.5-26.2.

All seemingly good but the SPS has slowly died, except for a rainbow monti. The LPS seem to be OK ish except for a Ducan that has slowly also gone from 30 heads to around 3, and a hammer that was lovely that is slowly dying head by head.

The only corals that seem to be immune are a frogspawn, a candy cane, an elegance, some chalices, a gsp, and a jade cup coral, some mushrooms and a blastomussa.

I have good flow good lighting etc etc and checked everything.

I seem to now also have an outbreak of aptasia and some form of red wiry algea that has spread over many rocks and is going rampant.

I decided its time to go for a total restart :( with new dead rocks, sand etc. The only good thing is I get a chance to do a new aquascape.

Having only one aquarium, and a hospital tank what would be the best/easiest way to cycle new dead rocks. Can I cycle them in a big tub with just a circulation pump and an old led razor I have? the intention would be to cycle the new rocks, then move the fish and any surviving corals to the hospital tank whilst I drain the 350, add the cycled rocks new sand etc. then re-introduce the fish and the corals (minus the aptasia and red wire algae)

I'm hoping that a total reboot will solve whatever I have going on, so any tips and hints would be appreciated.

 

[Brew12]

I have a RedSea Reefer 350 that has been running for 3 years, however, for the last 6 months or so it has slowly slowly been crashing.

The levels according to Triton water tests are all good, my salinity is 35ppt Alk steady around 7.85-8.15 (slow variation of max 0.1 a day) Ca 440-450 Mg 1410 Nitrate 5-6 Po4 0.021 (Hanna ppb checker) temperature 25.5-26.2.

All seemingly good but the SPS has slowly died, except for a rainbow monti. The LPS seem to be OK ish except for a Ducan that has slowly also gone from 30 heads to around 3, and a hammer that was lovely that is slowly dying head by head.

The only corals that seem to be immune are a frogspawn, a candy cane, an elegance, some chalices, a gsp, and a jade cup coral, some mushrooms and a blastomussa.

I have good flow good lighting etc etc and checked everything.

I seem to now also have an outbreak of aptasia and some form of red wiry algea that has spread over many rocks and is going rampant.

I decided its time to go for a total restart :( with new dead rocks, sand etc. The only good thing is I get a chance to do a new aquascape.

Having only one aquarium, and a hospital tank what would be the best/easiest way to cycle new dead rocks. Can I cycle them in a big tub with just a circulation pump and an old led razor I have? the intention would be to cycle the new rocks, then move the fish and any surviving corals to the hospital tank whilst I drain the 350, add the cycled rocks new sand etc. then re-introduce the fish and the corals (minus the aptasia and red wire algae)

I'm hoping that a total reboot will solve whatever I have going on, so any tips and hints would be appreciated.

You don't even need the light. All you need is a heater and power head for flow. It doesn't even have to be a lot of flow. Make sure the rocks are covered with salt water and you should be fine.