I have. I had too fine of sand at one point and wanted a bigger/heavier to allow for more flow. During WC, I siphoned out about 1/4- 1/3 of sand and replaced with new stuff. Repeat until done. I used live sand bc I did WC every week. Didn't truly know if the new dry sand would colonize in...
Kinda open ended. What type of corals you want to keep will play a major role in decision. Soft corals could get away with a cheap Amazon light, LPS or SPS I would second AI Prime or Kessil A80
Why not keep the tank set up while you cycle the new rock in a temp tank. This way you don't need to worry about your livestock while the new rock matures. After a month or two you can change everything out with little worries. Just my 2 cents
For the cost of filters, I gladly pay for replacements to insure that my water is good. In Lake Zurich, I make around 150 gallons a month and change my filters every 2 months and RO membrane every year. I run a BRS 7 stage with booster pump and dual membranes. My anion resin goes first, then...
2 years ago I did the early entry. It was nice getting in early and not dealing with the line but most vendors didn't show up until right before the show.