Need some advice...

[rbaby]

Hello all,

 

I have an ADA 60-F shallow tank, and I've had a few issues with my rocks after leaving it in the care of my husband for weeks:

 

1: I had some SPS spawn in my tank and now they are encrusting and growing on all the rocks. Sounds great but really isn't.

2: HUGE vermetid snail explosion--it is normally not a problem for me but these tubes are literally EVERYWHERE and starting to grow in between corals and looks awful.

3: Aiptasia - least of my issues--easily handled by 3 nudis but still a nuisance.

4: I just want a new aquascape too...one that will be more stable for my maxis. They've basically made my structure unstable by wedging themselves in between places--I did not mend my rocks together which I will want to do with the new scape for this reason. I need to add more shaded areas as I have some pieces that are bleaching--being that it's a small tank and shallow there's nothing I can do about it unless I re-scape the tank.

 

I basically want to start over with my rock base without carrying over the nuisances I'm trying to recover from.

 

Background - low bioload. I have 1 hermit and 2 snails. Just corals after that (maxi minis, torch, hammer, rhodactis, palys, zoas, encrusting monti), 30% water change weekly. I have about an inch of sand bed.

 

Can I realistically take all my rocks out--chisel out all my corals, put dry rock in, do more frequent water changes for a few weeks, keep the water and sand and be able to avoid a cycle? Is my bioload low enough that any chiseled rock and sand will suffice? There's no die off from the dry rock so what am I missing?

 

Thoughts? Guidance? Thanks folks.

 

Thanks!

[Nano sapiens]

That's a loaded question that depends on a lot of factors. I'd say a 'mini-cycle' would be worse case scenerio unless you have a dirty sand bed that gets stirred up which could cause real issues. I'd perform the SPS removal as quickly as possible (or dunk the LR in salt water every few minutes while the operation is on-going) to preserve the periphyton and nitrification/denitrification bacteria. Also, good quality dry rock that doesn't leach phosphates would be ideal.

 

Curious, what coral spawned?

[rbaby]

Thanks--I was thinking of buying from reefcleaners and bulkreefsupply - do those need to get cooked or are those alright? I wanted to build the scape on my dining table...will make it so much easier to putty together.

 

I had a birdsnest and a poccillipora spawn on me--which it suppose to be a good thing and seemed fine at first with it encrusting on parts of the rock--but now they are starting to branch and has just become quite a problem.