Reaquascaping my 210, how does this sound?

[acroholic]

Guys,
I am getting tired of my reef wall type setup in my 210 and want to go to a more open type plan like I have seen in Oz's, Mojo's and Sailfish's tanks.

One thing that has kept me from doing it sooner is the sheer logistical headache that accompanies this task. The reef wall is basically 125# of Totoka that is sitting on 150# of Figi. I have a lot of coral that is encrusted on the Totoka rock, and some of my colonies are large, so many of the rocks with corals on them will be the topping on the new open structure.


Here is my plan. I have a 240 gallon Oceanic tank right next to the 210, and it only had sand in it and a couple FW fish. Last night I transferred the fish to another setup, removed the sand substrate and completely cleaned the tank and the wet/dry. I am currently filling it up with RODI water, and the plan is to make the entire 240 into saltwater and to use it temporarily as a holding tank for the corals, fish and hopefully the rest of the Totoka.

I plan on doing a series of water exchanges between the 210 and the 240 so the water chemistry is similar before I place the corals and fish in the 240 and reaquascape the 210.

I'll probably put the Figi in roughneck containers so I can access it easily to build the base of the new aquascape.

I'll use part/all of the Figi as the base for the new aquascape and top it with the Totoka with the corals on it.

I plan on doing all this in a long day, as I have done similar stuff in the same time period.

I figure the corals will be OK without lights for a day, and the Totoka should have enough bacteria in it to filter the water for the time it will be in the 240.

Then, after all is said and done, I'll convert the 240 back to FW.

Sound like a plan? Below are pics of the 210/240 and the 240 filling with R/O water. Thank the lord I installed a booster pump a couple months ago.
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[snowmansnow]

sounds good to me (in theory haha). ive always been fond of a MUCH more open structure than most ppl end up with too. It really does allow your corals room to make up the scape of the tank, and in a few years you'll be glad you gave them the room Circulation is MUCH easier too !

GL with everything. I just wish I was in the ATL area so I could help folks do this kinda thing!!!

 

[grouper therapy]

Dave is it any way you could temp plumb the 240 into the other system and fill it gradually with new saltwater then do the transferr

 

[jcusmarine]

Sounds like it will be quite an ordeal, but you will be happy when you have the rock scape like you want - remember to take before and after FTS!!

 

[mvm]

Are you going to drill the rock?

 

[tgriffin]

Let me know if you need some help! We are pretty slow at work....I have only worked 2 days in the last month so I'll probably be off when you plan on doing it. I work for free!!! (I might pester you trying to get some advice in return on my future set up). If it looks like you'll need some help shoot me a PM.

 

[son of adam]

Sounds like good wholesome reefing fun....

Epoxy sticks and acrylic rods would be nice to do some things not possible or safe other wise.

 

[budsreef]

I was thinking along the same lines as grouper therapy. If you could get the overflow temporarily from the 240G to dump into the sump for the 210G, then once you get all the new water mixed for a few days in the 240G run a very slow pump, doser or aqualifter type, from the sump to the 240G and let it drip back. After a few days the water will be the same in both.

 

[grouper therapy]

Budsreef;480373 wrote: I was thinking along the same lines as grouper therapy. If you could get the overflow temporarily from the 240G to dump into the sump for the 210G, then once you get all the new water mixed for a few days in the 240G run a very slow pump, doser or aqualifter type, from the sump to the 240G and let it drip back. After a few days the water will be the same in both.

Better said.

 

[dough]

I like your idea of "conditioning" the water.

I did a tank swap last year which included new rock with the idea of an open rock work. I ended up with only 5 pieces of LR. Reduced the number of corals, until Sailfish took down his frag tank. LOL!

I used KZ Speedglue (Einsteins carries it). It's mortar of some kind, somewhat tricky to mix and sets up fast. I used it to "glue" LR together creating some unusual structures. No drilling or cutting acrylic. The color of the speedglue blended in very nice.

 

[acroholic]

grouper therapy;480346 wrote: Dave is it any way you could temp plumb the 240 into the other system and fill it gradually with new saltwater then do the transferr

I think I can. The 240 is an old school Oceanic Reef Ready. It has its own wet dry, so I think what I'd need to do is block off one of the two corner overflows, then just use one and temporarily plumb it into the sump of the 210. Maybe run a Mag 5 from the 210 sump and feed it in/out slowly.

The two tanks are not level with each other, so I can't just run a water line between them and pump from one tank to the other.

 

[lilrobb]

Cool idea!

Holler if you need a hand - I'll be there!

 

[acroholic]

MvM;480353 wrote: Are you going to drill the rock?

I hadn't planned on it. Should I? I wasn;'going to have large islands or pillars, just a more open layout. Not really sure what design yet. I was going to study the three member's layouts I mentioned in the first post.

 

[mvm]

The thing I like the most about drilling rock is the ability to get it lifted off of the substrate, thus reducing detritus. I really need to update my build thread!

 

[acroholic]

I hope I don't lose anything, and I appreciate the offer of help. Doing it his way gives me a more relaxed timeline to do it.
Dave

AndyMan;480377 wrote: I'm figuring you're expecting to lose 20% of your inhabitants, why not just donate them to me before they're toast!

What you're doing sounds like a plan though!

If you need anything, give me a shout
Andy

 

[justindville1987]

Party at dave's house!!!

 

[budsreef]

One other thing you probably already thought of but just in case is if you have the heavy rubber gloves, use them, if you don't go get some. That's a lot of rock to be handling.

 

[schwaggs]

Dave, I say pitch the FW and make both of those tanks beautiful reef tanks plumbed together.