Replace LR Without Cycling?

[Bongo Shrimp]

So I have really let my lagoon tank go, algae wise and now I think I need to do something about it. There is too much of the junk for manual removal or anything else.

Here are the two options I have:

1. Try to replace the LR without removing the livestock. Find some cured LR and hope and pray to the reef gods that I don't cycle again. (also add a no-cycle chemical to help avoid cycling)

2. Remove all the livestock (I really don't want to do that) and drain the tank, take out all the LR, get new LR and let it cycle or not cycle- whatever.


The livestock I would need to take out includes:
3 Seahorses
5+ Bongo Shrimp
1 Yashia goby (will hide in the sand)
1 Spotted Mandarin
1 Tiny Randall's Pistol Shrimp (will most likely be lost)
2 Electric Flame Scallops
1 Sand Sifting Starfish
Some soft coral and sponges.


I'd like to go with option one if at all possible because the livestock is mostly stuff that I won't be able to get out or stuff that is very delicate. I'd also have to find somewhere to put the stuff but that's easy if it absolutely becomes necessary.

So do you think I could go with option #1?

[MizTanks]

I'd rather deal with diatoms any day-WC to deal with cycling no prob-#1 would be my choise!

[Bongo Shrimp]

Someone else also suggested putting the rock in 5g buckets for a week to cure it and then put it in. I would take out as much livestock as I could before adding the new rock.

[Sir Patrick]

If you are going to remove the rock, I have some advice...not sure if it is proven advice, but kind of makes sence to me....

I have a feeling removing rock causes a mini cycle because of sand getting stirred and all the detrius that settles on/in between the rocks.

Leaving all the base rock, that is stuck under the sand might be a good idea.

Blowing of you rock every day for a few days might be a good idea too. Siphon out what ya can.

After the tank is very clean of detrius, you might have better chances of not causing a cycle. As stated above though- this is just a hypothesis. I do know, for a fact, that disturbing a dirty/deep sand bed, can cause a mini cycle/nitrate spike/dinoflagellates.

[MizTanks]

Or you could remove the LR only-put it in buckets with some flow keeping it in the dark fer about a week killing off the algae-doing partial WC daily???

[Bongo Shrimp]

Someone else suggested to me to get some turbos but I think before I resort to taking rock out, I will go all out on the clean up crew.

I'm talking turbos, ceriths, emerald crabs, seahare, the whole 10 yards.

[Sir Patrick]

^ Good idea!

[Tom@HaslettMI]

How much LR are we talking about (both # of rocks and pounds) and what type(s) of algae?

I would go Option 1. Here are my thoughts...

a) Whether you replace it or bucket clean it* just remove half of the rock at a time and you should be able to avoid a cycle. If replacing, wait several weeks and replace the other half. If cleaning (my preferred option), repeat he process with the second half once the first half is clean.

b) If you fear a cycle then I'd suggest upping the WC frequency or volume. I just successfully moved a very mature 50 gallon across town and had little to no cycle. Mainly because I did a 100% WC at the same time.

c) I would shy away from just relying on a heavy stocking of CC critters. While it truly depends on the type of algae you're dealing with, in all likelihood some (if not most) will eventually run out of food and die. When they die they release greater quantities of nutrients back into the water and encourage... more algae growth. I'd be especially cautious adding emerald crabs to a tank with seahorses. But don't trust or keep any crabs in my reef.

*if you opt for bucket cleaning then be sure to swish the rock in old SW to get as much detritus out prior to running it with no light.

HTH,
Tom

[MizTanks]

I couldn't have said it better. I tried the CUC- all perished without having touched the algae. If my LR wasn't home to many corals I would have did the remove & starve. I went chemical. Chem-Marin Stop Hair Algae. It worked wonderfully for me. It's been 2months no algae no loss of coral or live stock.