Switching from Reef to Fish Only

[HogheadReefer]

Hello,
I have had a reef tank for several years now, and I think that I have taken it about as far as I can go. That and the fact that my job keeps me very busy so my life is very hectic. I don't want to give up my tank completely, so I have an idea. I want to switch from a reef to a fish only tank with an artificial reef. This way I can keep some fish that I can't keep in a reef, and the maintenance demands will be less. Now I know that die-hard reefers who read this will shudder and shake their heads, but I have just reached a point where I need to do something different. What I need from this forum is input. What problems could I encounter in doing this? Will my biological filtration be completely gone if I remove the live rock?.etc. I appreciate any and all help.

Neil

 

[Microcosmos]

Removing the LR at this point would be counterproductive. LR is pretty on its own, especially in an established aquarium, and really helps with the biological filtration. I recommend keeping all of it in there (the fish will thank you for it by thriving!) and going FOWLR.