OK I want to redo my aquascape from the bottom up using the same rock, has anyone here done this, to the extent of removing colonies and moving them if so what did you do with what was encrusted did you glue over it, scrape it off, leave it or what ?
I’ve done it several times. I find the easiest way to handle the colonies you can move is to take them out of the tank and put them in a separate container, either a smaller tank, or a rubber maid storage bin. They’re not going to be in there that long, so you don’t have to worry about lighting, but if you have a small heater and a power head it’s certainly not going to hurt any.
As for the encrusted corals - they pose a little bigger a challenge. Option A is to be cognizant of where they are on the rock and try to leave them exposed and in good positioning in the new rock work, not always easy, and you’ll usually end up missing one and killing the colony, either by stacking a rock on top of it, or by positioning so it’s in the shade and not getting any light.
Option B would be to use a dremel and cut out a chunk of the rock it’s encrusted to and remount it after you’ve arranged the aquascaping.
These of course are just my ideas, I’m sure there are other (read “better”) ways.
Yea, what Craig said.
Just do slow and be careful and you should be OK.
When you move a colony and there is still coral left on a rock, if possible, try and break off that piece of the rock with the remaining coral. Sometimes I use a chisel and hammer to break a rock. You can cover most of the rock with a rag or towel and just leave the peice you want to break off exposed.