Live Rock Stuck in tank

[Dez]

I feel really stupid here...but I have I think 2 pieces of live rock that are stuck in the tank. During my tank build, I did everything bit by bit. I had my frag tank running on the middle shelf on my system. While aquascaping, I took all my unused rock from the display and put it temporarily in my frag tank. Well, stupid me, a couple of pieces of rock I put in from over the top shelf of my system (there was no tank on the top shelf at the time) and into the frag tank. I had to go over top because it did not fit through the top of the frag tank and the bottom frame of the top shelf. Since then I have plumbed in a 75 gallon tank on the top shelf.

There is no way to get the 2 pieces of rock out of the frag tank now unless I try to break that rock in the tank. I'm not willing to risk that as my frag tank is only made out of 1/4" glass, but it's held water for the last 7 years. So I guess I have to live with those 2 pieces of rock in that tank unless I want to drain the tank and slide it out to get the rock out.

My intention was to have the frag tank "clean" with just eggcrate and PVC for my frags later on....

Has anyone ever made such a stupid mistake as this? I feel so dumb!

[Glennrf38]

Hammer and chisel to try and break them up a bit???

[Dez]

Hammer and chisel to try and break them up a bit???

Not worth the risk - the bottom of my tank is 1/4" glass floating bottom with a 48 x 18 footprint....I am so nervous about that as is.....

I guess I'll have to convert those pieces into very expensive live rock frag racks....

[Glennrf38]

Can you get someone to hold them above the glass while you break them?

[fishytime]

you could probably go in with a cordless drill and punch a series of holes in the rock to soften it up a bit.....how about this for boneheadedness....1) decide to plumb in a pony tank to the display....2) decide to upgrade the already over-worked skimmer.....3)measure skimmer section in sump and order appropriate expensive arse skimmer..... 4) realize after skimmer is ordered that a 12"x12" footprint skimmer wont fit in the 8" I have between the top of my sump and the bottom of the display:redface:.....so......5) order custom sump.

[lastlight]

If you want a clean frag tank then starting with a clean tank is best (emptrying it out and giving it a good clean. What's involved with draining it? I'd go that route and then mail the rock to me for the sound advice.

[Dez]

If you want a clean frag tank then starting with a clean tank is best (emptrying it out and giving it a good clean. What's involved with draining it? I'd go that route and then mail the rock to me for the sound advice.

I guess I could drain it and cut the plumbing and add unions. Just so boneheaded that's all.... you could come help and have the rock for cheap, but it'd cost you more in gas to get here..... oh well...

[lastlight]

Lol I can't remove 2 of the 3 tanks inside my stand if there's ever a problem. There was actually when the sump leaked and I solved that with a ton of silicone in a few suspect spots. I can't move my stand to paint my walls which I wouldn't mind because it's plumbed into the wall without unions.

We all make "smart" choices but you can fix yours!

[soapy]

I am envisioning a sort of log splitter arrangement with a vice or a set of clamps with one end having a sharp edge to cleave the rock. You just keep tightening until the rock splits.

[Delphinus]

If you want a clean frag tank then starting with a clean tank is best (emptrying it out and giving it a good clean. What's involved with draining it? I'd go that route and then mail the rock to me for the sound advice.

:lol:

+1 though (well, at least the part about "if you want a clean tank, start with a clean tank". Well, ok, sure, what the heck, I'll agree with the send the rocks to Brett. +1.).

You could build upon this idea too, you could slide out the frag tank and make a new one and slide that one back in. This new one could have a 3/8" bottom (if that would be the ticket to more sleep at night).. :)

[Dez]

:lol:

+1 though (well, at least the part about "if you want a clean tank, start with a clean tank". Well, ok, sure, what the heck, I'll agree with the send the rocks to Brett. +1.).

You could build upon this idea too, you could slide out the frag tank and make a new one and slide that one back in. This new one could have a 3/8" bottom (if that would be the ticket to more sleep at night).. :)

Well, the tank has held water for 7 years so I sleep well. It's just the fact if I accidentally drop the rock while taking it out or something like that. Definitely would not be a good scenario..... It's amazing what glass holds...

[soapy]

If you are going to try breaking up the rock in the tank you could line the inside of the tank with that hard blue foam insulation. That should save you from an errant hammer blow.

[lastlight]

Tony he can build even more upon my idea. Clean the display out as well. I have LOTS of room for rock =)

I'd be scared to even touch that tank let alone break a rock in it. Leaving it as is or removing it all at once is safest I think.

[Dez]

Tony he can build even more upon my idea. Clean the display out as well. I have LOTS of room for rock =)

I'd be scared to even touch that tank let alone break a rock in it. Leaving it as is or removing it all at once is safest I think.

Yeah, maybe when I have a tank crash the display will have to be cleaned out, for now it is slightly permanent as it is built into the wall :)

Come visit and who knows what goodies you could get from my tank!

[Dez]

Just a little update. Someone came by and picked up most of my live rock in the 40 gallon frag tank today, so I was forced to get the stuck rock out.

It wasn't as bad as I thought. I just incorporated a water change into it. I drained the frag tank. Cut the plumbing and added a union. Shifted the empty tank enough to get the large rocks out, then did my water change.

My standard water change is 75 gallons, so it wasn't too big of a deal. Now I get my "clean" frag tank. Yay.