Is it possible to redo aquascape?

[Sharebear]

Dear Aquascape Guru/Artistic and talented people..

I sort of want to re-do my aquascape or at least the half portion highlighted in yellow...
I wanted a bit more open space for my fish to swim freely ... and for me to.. be easier to stalk my fish (especially my mandarin gobies)

Also.. that zoas is continuing to spread like wildfire... and need to separate it from the other rocks.. haha
Most likely will be buying MarcoRocks -- Dry Aquairum Live Rocks and use E Marco-400 Aquascaping Mortar Complete Kit (in Gray.. I think?)

1. Been reading about curing but since... MarcoRocks are clean... is it necessary?
2. Should I try to add some type of bacteria kit to the new dry rocks?
3. How unsafe it is... to remove half the rocks and replace them with new dry ones...
4. Any pros/designers that are WAY better at this than I am thats located in the Bay Area? haha

Thank you

 

[Phil D.]

Yes you can replace the scape. I suggest to mortar them together outside tank. The when add use Microbacter to supplement bacteria. But, how long has tank been up? Do you have anything in sump that would be colonized?

 

[Sharebear]

Yes you can replace the scape. I suggest to mortar them together outside tank. The when add use Microbacter to supplement bacteria. But, how long has tank been up? Do you have anything in sump that would be colonized?

Ah I am not sure exactly for how long... since someone else built it and it sorta came with the house. I believe they started to build it in October 2018 from the receipts I gathered.

I do have a sump that has chaeto with some live rocks and some marinepure blocks? And I am planning to add copepods/oceanmagik from Algaebarn when I get my shipment.

Should I be getting like.. a big bucket to add the bacteria into the dry rocks?

 

[Phil D.]

With the chaeto, rock and Marinepure, you don't need to worry about adding bacteria directly to the rock. You have enough surface with those, (plus sand bed), to make the new into "live". Just add the bacteria to the tank water.

 

[Sabellafella]

Dear Aquascape Guru/Artistic and talented people..

I sort of want to re-do my aquascape or at least the half portion highlighted in yellow...
I wanted a bit more open space for my fish to swim freely ... and for me to.. be easier to stalk my fish (especially my mandarin gobies)

Also.. that zoas is continuing to spread like wildfire... and need to separate it from the other rocks.. haha
Most likely will be buying MarcoRocks -- Dry Aquairum Live Rocks and use E Marco-400 Aquascaping Mortar Complete Kit (in Gray.. I think?)

1. Been reading about curing but since... MarcoRocks are clean... is it necessary?
2. Should I try to add some type of bacteria kit to the new dry rocks?
3. How unsafe it is... to remove half the rocks and replace them with new dry ones...
4. Any pros/designers that are WAY better at this than I am thats located in the Bay Area? haha

Thank you

You sure can rescape. The thing is with any dry variation of rock, its safe to say we don't know where it comes from. It couldve been under ground soaking all the junk that surrounds it. So yea, you may want to soak it in saltwater just I case, even if it's just a week or so. Don't need a power head, no need for a heater. Maybe swap out the water 2 3 times to get it clean then you should be good to go.

For the bacteria stuff, up to you. It's not required nor necessary to add or soak any supplement bacteria. No matter how the process goes, if the rock is not cycled outside of the aquarium( and cycled inside an aquarium) you'll run into issues like a tad low PH and or slow extra alkalinity consumption since ammonia- nitrite bacteria use oxygen and bicarbonate for they're reproduction process. Hence why one would see low alkalinity and ph the first few months of setup.

Other then for those reasons, if you take proper precautions, it's fairy safe. It definitely would not be unsafe that's for sure, sps might get a little upset over something like that but it's relatively harmless. Way less harmless if you cure the rock.

Take a look at build threads on here, the amount of breathtaking aquascapes is incredible. Without a doubt will find something that catches your interest. Enjoy!

 

[Sabellafella]

Btw. Ive had rock in this bucket for over 2 years stored in my garage. Some pieces of live rock sprinkled in just as a feel good thing . I just so happened to need a shelf piece to fill in one of my acro colonys I'd be taking out on tuesday. Every now and then Ill change the water.

 

[Sharebear]

You sure can rescape. The thing is with any dry variation of rock, we don't know where it comes from. It couldve been under ground soaking all the junk that surrounds it. So yea, you may want to soak it in saltwater just I case, even if it's just a week or so. Don't need a power head, no need for a heater. Maybe swap out the water 2 3 times to get it clean then you should be good to go.

For the bacteria stuff, up to you. It's not required nor necessary to add or soak any supplement bacteria. No matter how the process goes, if the rock is not cycled outside of the aquarium( and cycled inside an aquarium) you'll run into issues like a tad low PH and or slow extra alkalinity consumption since ammonia- nitrite bacteria use oxygen and bicarbonate for they're reproduction process. Hence why one would see low alkalinity and ph the first few months of setup.

Other then for those reasons, if you take proper precautions, it's fairy safe. It definitely would not be unsafe that's for sure, sps might get a little upset over something like that but it's relatively harmless.

Take a look at build threads on here, the amount of breathtaking aquascapes is incredible. Without a doubt will find something that catches your interest. Enjoy!

Wow thank you very much! I have 3 55 gallon brute trash cans.. maybe I’ll glue the new dry rocks together... put it in salt water and then possibly when I do water change..use that water for a week then do another water change.. and use that water... then add...

oh that’s smart.. save some left over rocks
I don’t have too many corals atm since I’m too newb... but I did learn... don’t put Zoas smack in the middle of the tank hahahaha...

I was totally fine with the way my tank looked until I joined reef2reef.. and was amazed... time to try to step it up!!!

thank you for the great info!

 

[Sabellafella]

Wow thank you very much! I have 3 55 gallon brute trash cans.. maybe I’ll glue the new dry rocks together... put it in salt water and then possibly when I do water change..use that water for a week then do another water change.. and use that water... then add...

oh that’s smart.. save some left over rocks
I don’t have too many corals atm since I’m too newb... but I did learn... don’t put Zoas smack in the middle of the tank hahahaha...

I was totally fine with the way my tank looked until I joined reef2reef.. and was amazed... time to try to step it up!!!

thank you for the great info!

Lol I mean hey, Getting creative is what makes it exciting. How big is that tank? Those gyres are tiny in there LOL. And yea try getting any encrusting type of coral on its own little section or rock. Especially if you start cementing down your rock, there's potential for problems in the future. Just have to make sure stuff doesn't get on your main structure unless you have plans on it perma kept there.

 

[Sharebear]

Lol I mean hey, Getting creative is what makes it exciting. How big is that tank? Those gyres are tiny in there LOL. And yea try getting any encrusting type of coral on its own little section or rock. Especially if you start cementing down your rock, there's potential for problems in the future. Just have to make sure stuff doesn't get on your main structure unless you have plans on it perma kept there.

lol I think it is a 350 gallon tank? 70x34x34 (excluding the 1 inch thickness of the acrylic)

I just added the ice cap to the maxspect 250 so I can blast my strength to 90... since it was really hard to change the setting through the maxspect controller.

I think I might have to add another one behind the rocks vertically... since cyano seems to get there a lot due to lack of flow? Hahaha
honestly I’m not sure what the heck I am doing.. I just got a book for saltwater aquarium for dummies..

I also just had my first clownfish death.. Bc it was too small and fell into the oversump.. sadness... so now I’m too traumatized to buy fish haha

 

[Jedi1199]

Here is a good video for a DIY aquascape from BRS.




I am considering something similar for my own tank.

Nice to see another local here

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Sabellafella]

I just got a book for saltwater aquarium for dummies

Lol we've all been there. But wow thats a big tank.

Its not to hard to put together, thankfully the hobby is pretty interesting and fun so it makes it easy to learn. Best piece of advice, if you have the time, just read through the threads. You'll seem to make sense of everyone's success and failures. There's many small little things and techniques that eventually add up to make you understand, and make it easy. Big tank like that is alot to take on but it's super simple once you learn.

Without a doubt all the maintenance, you'll have to make it super simple. Hauling buckets of water after 5 months gets to be a pain. Might cost a little extra money, but there's plenty of ways to automate this stuff. In no way or shape should this hobby ever be a burden. A tank like that the possibilitys are endless. In the end it's well worth it, I've been in this hobby since I was a kid, and I swear I'll never give it up. There's a few times where it'll test your patients but in the end it's all about keeping things interesting.

Definitely reach out if you have questions.

 

[Jedi1199]

I just got a book for saltwater aquarium for dummies..

You are very lucky to be doing this in a time where resources such as this forum exist. When I first started aquarium keeping, I had to rely primarily on books, magazines, and (worst case) LFS employees, who tended to be full of enthusiasm and short of knowledge.

 

[Sharebear]

You are very lucky to be doing this in a time where resources such as this forum exist. When I first started aquarium keeping, I had to rely primarily on books, magazines, and (worst case) LFS employees, who tended to be full of enthusiasm and short of knowledge.

LOL yes this forum has been very useful! Although it does get confusing talking to LFS employees and then reading different things on the forum.

Also a great hobby during this pandemic.. although I do always find excuses to go to the aquarium store...

my main thing I have to start doing is.. testing the water more often... but chemistry was never my thing lol
Learning a lot and meeting great people that are actually friendly and knowledgeable is great though

 

[Jedi1199]

Honestly, your aquascape looks beautiful! If your fish and corals are happy and thriving, I personally see no reason to change it. You have 18 sq ft of floor space and 54 cu ft of space overall. That is a HUGE space to work with. Hard to tell from the picture where exactly the rocks are placed in the tank. it appears that it is somewhat close to the front glass? Would it be possible to push it back in the tank intact and add another piece in the middle to achieve a depth to the overall scape in the tank?

 

[Sharebear]

Honestly, your aquascape looks beautiful! If your fish and corals are happy and thriving, I personally see no reason to change it. You have 18 sq ft of floor space and 54 cu ft of space overall. That is a HUGE space to work with. Hard to tell from the picture where exactly the rocks are placed in the tank. it appears that it is somewhat close to the front glass? Would it be possible to push it back in the tank intact and add another piece in the middle to achieve a depth to the overall scape in the tank?

Ah yes a lot of them are towards the front and the back.. is pretty hidden with cyano... hahaha
I’ve had some rocks fall.. maybe 4 pieces so far?
I try to clear some cyano with my makeshift python siphon starter and coral feeding tube since I really can’t reach into the tank due to the height.. but sometimes the rocks easily move possibly might fall again... who knows...
Too bad the rocks that Zoas are taking over... aren’t coming off though LOL! It would be so much easier to control their massive growth..
Plus I think it would be a great excuse to hammer the crap out of stuff and get some of that anger out and call it “my art”

 

[Jedi1199]

Plus I think it would be a great excuse to hammer the crap out of stuff and get some of that anger out and call it “my art”

LOL right!!

Well I have no experience at all with redoing an existing scape so, unfortunately I cannot advise you there. IDK if it is an option, but perhaps you could completely redo the scape with new dry rock, following ideas shown in the video I posted earlier? Then you could cure it and start with a fresh custom setup (and get that hammering and beating anger out at the same time)

 

[ThemytB]

I have done this a few times- things that I have learned or have worked for me.
I always put the new rock in a bucket of tap water for a couple days with a powerhead, then r.o. water for a couple days, then saltwater for a couple days, then I put the new rock in my sump for a while(as long as I can stand)- In my experience the "fresher" the rock the more it disturbs the balance in the display tank and the cleaner/whiter the rock is the more the "uglies" seem to jump on it and take it over when it gets into display tank lighting. Also the more you can keep the fresh rock in the shadows of older rock the less intrusive it will be. New clean rock and direct lighting seems to be perfect for nuisance algae.
Expect to scrub off some uglies for a while until the better stuff starts taking hold.

 

[Sharebear]

I have done this a few times- things that I have learned or have worked for me.
I always put the new rock in a bucket of tap water for a couple days with a powerhead, then r.o. water for a couple days, then saltwater for a couple days, then I put the new rock in my sump for a while(as long as I can stand)- In my experience the "fresher" the rock the more it disturbs the balance in the display tank and the cleaner/whiter the rock is the more the "uglies" seem to jump on it and take it over when it gets into display tank lighting. Also the more you can keep the fresh rock in the shadows of older rock the less intrusive it will be. New clean rock and direct lighting seems to be perfect for nuisance algae.
Expect to scrub off some uglies for a while until the better stuff starts taking hold.

Ah thank you very much!!!
Would you recommend that I glue the rocks tighter into a solid piece and then to start soaking?
Supposedly easier to glue when dry... not sure hahah this is my first time attempting to be.. “artistic”

 

[Sharebear]

LOL right!!

Well I have no experience at all with redoing an existing scape so, unfortunately I cannot advise you there. IDK if it is an option, but perhaps you could completely redo the scape with new dry rock, following ideas shown in the video I posted earlier? Then you could cure it and start with a fresh custom setup (and get that hammering and beating anger out at the same time)

I really wanted to redo it to show “negative space” as Bulk Reef supply says...
hahaha but... I honestly don’t know how in the world I would remove the heavy rocks in my current tank... and to replace it LOL!
im really curious how the previous owners got the giant rock in the first place....
I wonder if I can... go inside the tank..... but I also don’t have a space to let my fish chill while I take over their hone haha

 

[Jedi1199]

I wonder if I can... go inside the tank..... but I also don’t have a space to let my fish chill while I take over their hone haha

Now THAT is something I would like to see!.. I can see the news headline now: "Woman calls 911 after getting trapped in her aquarium..." On the other hand, if you want to be original, that is a decorating scheme that NOBODY else is using!! Hehehe