[brisco]

Yes my sand bed is mostly shallow, except where the goby and pistol shrimp build a condominium! I do a vacuum about once a month and stir up all the areas that I can but really that is only about 70% of the tank floor. The rocks are on the glass bottom.

I can see what you are saying about move time. There will definitely be areas of previously undisturbed sand. I guess that I will replace all the sand then. Live sand would be best, I am guessing.

The aquarium live stock will be temporarily transferred for a few hours while the flooring is replaced, but really the impact to the inhabitants will probably be as traumatic as a full move I would imagine.