Rethinking my re-setup plans

[Anonymous]

As some of you have been watching my long long history of hair algae I have tried the latest thing in reefing - rock cooking. The rock has been cooking for 11 weeks now and I think its about ready since the detritus production has slowed allot the last 2 weeks.

Currently the corals are in the main display tank on a pvc/eggcrate rack with nothing else in the tank.

My plan WAS the following: (This was to be done in a single day)
- take to corals out of the tank and place them in a bucket with a heater.
- drain the tank
- clean the tank
- place PVC supports ( 1/2 - 1 inch) for the LR to sit on
- palce the rock in the tank - add 100% all new water
- acclimate the corals bye dripping the new tank water for an hour or two
- clean up mess in living room

Now, my thoughts are the following and I think this is a bad idea now. The plan is good up until putting the corals back in the tank. I am worried about the tank going through a cycle for the first few weeks and killing the corals. I dont have a long term holding facility for the corals while the tank cycles since the lights are mounted in the canopy of the main display.

So, my options appear to be the following.

1. Give the corals to the LFS and wait 3 months and then start buying new corals. (dont really want to do this since I got a few nice SPS corals. I do not know any local reefers to give the stuff to.

2. Keep the LR cooking and sell off the corals

3. Go with my original plan and hope they make it

What to do?
_________________
Ford Wiki

 

[Ben1]

If your LR is fully cured/cooked you wont go through a new cycle, so your original plan sounds good to me.

All my corals are in buckets now too since I broke my tank last night trying to fix a small leak in a bulkhead. :evil:

 

[owenz]

What if you did everything in your plan except the 100% water change? If you're careful, you should be able to clean the tank using a siphon and small water changes in the next weeks.

I can understand why you'd want to change all of the water...but considering the problems it would create, it seems like the best place to compromise.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, since I battled hair algae for 2+ years, I want to make sure I have a clean start.
_________________
Mercedes 250

 

[Len]

I'd go with your original plan and keep an eye out on the nitrogeneous products. If any spike very high for an extended period of time, have some saltwater on hand to do a partial water change to dilute. I don't think you'll have that problem with cooked rock though.

 

[Anonymous]

The only thing I would say is this

Do your original plan, but is there a way to get the rock from your cooking vat into the tank water without taking it out of the water?

That way nothing will die from being exposed to air, and there will be even less of a chance of a cycle happening....

 

[Anonymous]

If you are concerned add back the rock in small batches over a few weeks. This would keep any spikes to a minimum. It will take a few weeks but you have been at it this long what is a few more.

 

[Rob Top]

The bacteria that cycles your water is on every surface in the water. Since your tank is all but bare, that means the tank walls, and pvc rack are coated. I would use as much of the pvc rack as you can in the structure if possible, and just wacth it. I would think you will be fine