HELP! Trying to get some of the old LR and change to DR

[Noinoi24]

So I have a Fluval 13.5 gallon tank running  since August of this year. I have this scape but ended up not holding due to it not being glued. So I had to take out at least 70% of LR.  In my sump, has 2 bags of Matrix which has been there since the set-up. Today my dry rock arrived and I did a scape and put them on the tank where the 30% of LR was. The plan is to totally get rid of the old rock and start with the new one. Now the question is, will it be safe for my 5 fishes and corals if I take the live rock put the new dry scape in there at the same time? I have Matrix and live sand. Will it be okay? 

 

Original Scape

 

No Scape

 

New Scape

 

[Subsea]

Yes, it will be ok.   I suggest you remove all rock and all fish while you aquascape.  Put fish back when aquascape is complete.

[Sjadet]

Why wouldn't you just epoxy the old liverock to achieve the scape you want?

I feel like with all the bacteria on those liverock instantly removed, in an otherwise already established tank. I'm not sure if what's left can sustain the bioload that it could previously, which might cause a slight ammonia spike until the dry rock is populated by new bacteria.

 

[Noinoi24]

1 hour ago, Sjadet said:

Why wouldn't you just epoxy the old liverock to achieve the scape you want?

I feel like with all the bacteria on those liverock instantly removed, in an otherwise already established tank. I'm not sure if what's left can sustain the bioload that it could previously, which might cause a slight ammonia spike until the dry rock is populated by new bacteria.

 

Thanks... the 70% is now unusable due to it being out of water for almost a week now. The 30% I left it piled on the side of the tank just to be sure, and I’ll take it out in a month or two.  

 

Reason why I can’t just use the old one to Is cuz i have no idea to make it the way I’d like it to be scaped.

[Lula_Mae]

Was the new dry rock clean?  If it was something like Pukani, it needed to be cured outside the tank first.  I'd have Prime and a bottled bacteria such as Microbacter7 or Biospira or Dr. Tim's on hand just in case.  Keep a close eye on your tank inhabitants.  It is true that there may not be enough nitrifying bacteria to handle your bioload.  This is why changes need to be made slowly.

 

I'm not happy with the scape in one of my tanks but will be changing out rock slowly so that it doesn't cause issues.  Slow and steady wins the race.

[Sjadet]

The best way for the future would be to just get a bunch of those bio bricks.

They can hold very large amounts of bacteria. Removing established rocks would have almost no effect on your system.

[Noinoi24]

https://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMaxx_Eco_Rock_Dry_Live_Rock_10_lbs_Dry_Rock_for_Saltwater_Reef_Aquariums-AquaMaxx-UJ21010-FISSLR-UJ21010-vi.html

 

 

this is the rocks I got... so far my Ammonia reading is 0.25 ppm so I did buy some Bio-Spira and dump the whole 3 oz bootle inside. Will wait and see..

[Clown79]

No its not safe.

 

Liverock is your biological filtration, taking it out and adding all new dry rock is like starting new.

 

The 0.25 ammonia- theirs a cycle happening

 

Dry rock can have organic matter on/in it so it needs to be cured in a bucket.

 

Why even replace the liverock? Just buy epoxy and glue it in place. 

Ppl re aquascape in their tanks all the time.

[Noinoi24]

Thanks! So far ammonia and nitrite is 0. Nitrate is at 10 ppm. And I added more fish like a week ago...