Going To Bare-bottom, Putting Aragonite In Filter For Buffer

[atmmachine816]

I wanted to try a substrate on my tank, and now would like to just go barebottom for ease of cleaning, yes I wish I listened to andywg but wanted to try a substrate. So here's my idea. I'm going to take all my aragonite out and put as much of it as I can in my aquaclear, test my pH levels and make sure it keeps my pH high enough, if it doesn't I'll either use a buffer (baking soda) or go back to a aragonite.

Here's what I plan to do, and do it quickly:

-Put fish in container
-Put snails in container
-Put crab in container
-Put rock with corals and corals in container with water
-Take Live Rock and put it in large trash bag and seal it.
-Drain water into bucket
-Take out substrate and put in filter
-Put Live Rock back in
-Put corals back in
-Put fish and inverts back in

Will the Live Rock be ok in the trash bag for maybe 10-15 minutes as that is all I hope this takes me? Or do I need to put it in water, if so I need to go and buy another bucket.

Your thoughts/comments?

thanks

 

[kkyyllee]

your liverock will start a new cycle being put in a a trash bag it needs to be kept underwater the whole time

 

[atmmachine816]

hmm ok, I'm thinking if I put the rock in my bucket that I prepare my saltwater in it should be ok, or would the slight difference in water not be good?

 

[SkiFletch]

10-15 minutes in a bag would be fine, no mini cycle should happen... However when planning something like this, never believe that it will take you anywhere near as much time as planned . These things take lots and lots of time and there's no way you'll get it done that fast. I don't mean to insult your skills or abilities, but Murphy's law WILL kick in, something will go wrong, and you may very well be left with a big problem on your hands.

If I might suggest an easier method... Why not get a big siphon hose and just siphon the sand out?

 

[superman]

aragonite really doesn't buffer your water unless your PH is EXTREMELY low, in which case your inhabitants would already be dying.

 

[atmmachine816]

10-15 minutes in a bag would be fine, no mini cycle should happen... However when planning something like this, never believe that it will take you anywhere near as much time as planned . These things take lots and lots of time and there's no way you'll get it done that fast. I don't mean to insult your skills or abilities, but Murphy's law WILL kick in, something will go wrong, and you may very well be left with a big problem on your hands.

If I might suggest an easier method... Why not get a big siphon hose and just siphon the sand out?

I might be able to make the 15minute mark, when I moved my tank downstairs my sister helped me and I got it done in 15minutes though this is different. No insult taken, I know how things always take longer than you think The siphon wouldn't work because I wouldn't be able to get it in and around my rocks unfortunately, I'm afraid I'm stuck with removing most of the rock, or at least the top layers. Would I be able to put it in my bucket that I prepare my saltwater in since it's about the same as the water in my tank?

aragonite really doesn't buffer your water unless your PH is EXTREMELY low, in which case your inhabitants would already be dying.

O, so they lie on the package and I didn't do my research well enough thank you though

 

[fishlette]

10-15 minutes in a bag would be fine, no mini cycle should happen... However when planning something like this, never believe that it will take you anywhere near as much time as planned . These things take lots and lots of time and there's no way you'll get it done that fast. I don't mean to insult your skills or abilities, but Murphy's law WILL kick in, something will go wrong, and you may very well be left with a big problem on your hands.

If I might suggest an easier method... Why not get a big siphon hose and just siphon the sand out?

I might be able to make the 15minute mark, when I moved my tank downstairs my sister helped me and I got it done in 15minutes though this is different. No insult taken, I know how things always take longer than you think The siphon wouldn't work because I wouldn't be able to get it in and around my rocks unfortunately, I'm afraid I'm stuck with removing most of the rock, or at least the top layers. Would I be able to put it in my bucket that I prepare my saltwater in since it's about the same as the water in my tank?

aragonite really doesn't buffer your water unless your PH is EXTREMELY low, in which case your inhabitants would already be dying.

O, so they lie on the package and I didn't do my research well enough thank you though

i agree with fletch. ive always heard 2 hours is the longest live rock can be out before it starts to die off. i also agree that you should never give yourself short time frames if you can get away with it. maybe you could try siphoning out the sand you can get to and then do a little creative arranging in the tank. move all the rocks around in the tank until you can siphon out all that sand. may be a little more tricky but it means you can leave everyone in their water

if you dont want to siphon, it might be best to fill up a whole bunch of buckets with tank water and put everything in that. i have a large tub for if this has to happen for whatever reason. i fill the tub up with water from the tank, add a heater and then i have enough time to do what i need to without rushing.

 

[atmmachine816]

I shall attempt to do this, though my tank is only 5.5 gallons so a short time frame is doable, I'd like to be done in 15 minutes but it would probably be more around 30.