Looking for advice cleaning a tank that...

[ReefnQueens]

Is fully stocked ..90% of corals (sps and zoas) are all encrusted to live rock. I don't have much room to put stuff to one side of tank....I'd like to vacuum the sand and blow off some of the rock and scrape coraline of back and side glass....what are your technics? Do u just do a massive water change and use the waste water to fill up a tub to clean rock and make room.....I'm trying to do this without shocking anything.. I also plan on getting rid of at least a 1/4 of the rock.....I know either way this process is gonna suck.....my plan is to clean the tank and sump also and change all hose clamps just for maintence to prevent future leaks like I had recently had my main return pump hose pop off while I wasn't home (sucked)....I always clean what I can reach and do maintence water changes but can't say that I've cleaned my sump and skimmer body within the last 2 years....any advice helps.....anyone wanna do it for me?$$$ lol

 

[MIKE NY]

My tank is packed and I have given up trying to clean the sides and forget about the back...it's just impossible....moving any larger rocks or corals out of the way is also impossible without damaging anything because most have grown all into each other...many have commented on how natural it looks and don't see any plugs etc...I'm able to vacuum the sand across the front of the tank and use a power head once a week to blow off the rocks and corals...

 

[bertyboy69]

Yah its definetly an impossible task , if you were to do it you woukd need to remove everything and put it into a holding tank which would cause you to move rock and hurt any coraks that encrusted onto them , the plumbing is no problem to change out but cleaning the glass on the sides and back and getting ti the sand under or behind the rock is impossible , your best bet is to upgrade ! Or just leave it be

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Reefs

 

[dacaptain78]

Do your cleaning in stages. One water change drain and clean the sump. The next water change use a small powerhead/turkey baster on rocks. Then stir/vacuum sand on another and so on.

As far as re-aquascaping I feel the easiest thing to do is get a spare tank or some large tubs and put all your corals in them w/ a heater and powerhead. Drain a large amount of your tank water out as well, especially if you are removing rock buried in the sandbed. Have a decent amount of fresh saltwater on hand incase you have to do a large water change.

 

[thirty6]

Do your cleaning in stages. One water change drain and clean the sump. The next water change use a small powerhead/turkey baster on rocks. Then stir/vacuum sand on another and so on.

As far as re-aquascaping I feel the easiest thing to do is get a spare tank or some large tubs and put all your corals in them w/ a heater and powerhead. Drain a large amount of your tank water out as well, especially if you are removing rock buried in the sandbed. Have a decent amount of fresh saltwater on hand incase you have to do a large water change.

I am getting ready to so similar. I'm actually removing everything to put a flat pc of PVC on bottom glass. My system is bb. I plan on holding tank with heaters and power heads one for fish one for corals and couple of Shrimp and another for the rock. Plan it out ahead of time and it can work. Extra set of hands is nice too.... I have been using mr clean pads and have been happy with them. Good luck and have more water prepared than you think you will need, salt too

 

[ReefnQueens]

Yah its definetly an impossible task , if you were to do it you woukd need to remove everything and put it into a holding tank which would cause you to move rock and hurt any coraks that encrusted onto them , the plumbing is no problem to change out but cleaning the glass on the sides and back and getting ti the sand under or behind the rock is impossible , your best bet is to upgrade ! Or just leave it be

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Reefs

So far I love your advice the most that you said "upgrade" lollllll.....but unfortunately that's not happening until I get out of my apartment and by a house which will happen by next year finally I'm on that road and I'm almost there, just looking the for the right house.... When that happens, I'm def going 300+

Do your cleaning in stages. One water change drain and clean the sump. The next water change use a small powerhead/turkey baster on rocks. Then stir/vacuum sand on another and so on.

As far as re-aquascaping I feel the easiest thing to do is get a spare tank or some large tubs and put all your corals in them w/ a heater and powerhead. Drain a large amount of your tank water out as well, especially if you are removing rock buried in the sandbed. Have a decent amount of fresh saltwater on hand incase you have to do a large water change.

I'm defiantly agreeing with doing it in stages and that's gonna be the base of this task...I do need some advice with moving a clam stuck on a rock?...also I have some nice gsp that has recently took off like crazy and need to cut a chunk off the rock because the chunk is between the rockwork and all over the glass, I'm gonna leave it on the glass and get rid of the rest.....once those two tasks are complete day by day I'm gonna start moving corals that are part of the rockwork to the bottom of the tank and start removing unwanted rock and placing leftover rock with coral on it stacked up in the center of the tank to clean back glass.......I'm not going to rush this and might even move just a few rocks per day to keep my sanity.....all rock is beautifully covered in coraline but I'd love to get new dry rock and replace all old rock because of majano problem but that's not gonna happen till I move and then do an upgrade....ill post pictures when I start this process.... I might even sell some stuff to make this process easier

I am getting ready to so similar. I'm actually removing everything to put a flat pc of PVC on bottom glass. My system is bb. I plan on holding tank with heaters and power heads one for fish one for corals and couple of Shrimp and another for the rock. Plan it out ahead of time and it can work. Extra set of hands is nice too.... I have been using mr clean pads and have been happy with them. Good luck and have more water prepared than you think you will need, salt too

Thanks for advice and ill def need the good luck lol