So I have about 40 lbs of bubble algae and aiptasia infested live rock. I’ve had the rock about 3 years and its some nice shapes. My debate is do I move it into the new tank and get a bunch of peppermint shrimp and hope they take care of the problem and try to pick off all the bubble algae or do I just not use it and let it dry out for a couple months. I want to use it because i’m cheap and don’t want to buy all new rock but I also don’t want to just transplant the nightmare I’ve been hassling with lately. I’ve only tried peppermint shrimp once before and it didn’t work but I also could only get 1 because of the size of my tank. I also thought maybe I should just skip the shrimp and try 1 or 2 of those aptasia eating nudibranches. If it was your tank want would you do?
Peppermint shrimp worked for me when I got a frag with aptasia on it. Emerald crabs eat bubble algae but since you are going to a bigger tank I would maybe scrub it and nuke it to kill it and use other rocks to seed the tank. Then when you feel all good about it put the old rock in.
[quote=“JustSumGuy, post:2, topic:5601”]
Peppermint shrimp worked for me when I got a frag with aptasia on it. Emerald crabs eat bubble algae but since you are going to a bigger tank I would maybe scrub it and nuke it to kill it and use other rocks to seed the tank. Then when you feel all good about it put the old rock in.[/quote]
+1
I would soak it in 50/50 bleach/water for a couple days with a small powerhead running… then a good rinse, and a couple days soaking in tapwater, with the powerhead, and water changed daily…
then a nice air dry for a couple more days…
:TWOCENTS
why take a chance with aptasia and other uninvited guests… nuke it imho
I have to move my current tank in about 2 weeks and I’m worried that the new tank won’t be cycled in time with the dry rock especially because I probably wont get any rock in it until Monday, so i really doubt it will be ready. I hate to move the current tank and set up again to tear it down in less than a month to put the livestock in the new tank. Does anyone have experience with the nudibranches? I just never seem to have much luck with peppermint shrimp.
If i didnt have the livestock I wouldnt be worried about it but the livestock make it a little more difficult, the time frame i’m working with is a pain too.
Could you get enough pieces , that aren’t too infested scrubbed and kalk zapped… enough to get by? then nuke the real bad ones?
i dunno about the nudi’s… peppermints sound hit or miss with controlling aptasia… CBB’s will most likely die…
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the time limit deal is always difficult verdict_in
This is the only kind of nudi’s that I know that will eat aptasia. And if you get lucky you might get one of the pep shrimp that will eat it.
Have you thought about the live nitrifying bacteria you can buy in a bottle thats supposed to cycle a tank within a day or 2?
Other option could be get your dry rock in and maybe buy a couple pieces of live rock and cup of live sand to help seed. I am sure someone here could help you out with a seed rock if you can’t afford or don’t want to pay 8.99 lb.
I would offer a piece but I am fighting a algae problem and that you don’t want in your new tank.
Here is the link to the nudibranch i was thinking of
http://www.inlandaquatics.com/berghia.html
not sure how many i would need? I might be better just buying more dry rock depending on the number of those i would need lol
Those Berghia will work as well. Of course you can also shop around for better price when the time comes. Those website should also be able to let you know how many of them to use in your tank, I believe.
The only person that I know who was using them was Rosti and as far as I know he was doing well with them.
On another note. +1 on what JustSumGuy said, my opinion as well. I’m sure someone in the club can help you out.
If you need it set up fast I would use your old tank water and sand a piece of live rock from that tank that’s pretty clean or clean it off. Then bleach or vinegar not mixed the rock for a day. After a day I would fill with tap water with power heads and replace the water every few hours then rodi water rinse for a bit then in the tank after a good smell of the rock lol. Pretty much what John said. If I was starting over I would do it this way. Make sure nothing bad gets in the tank. I have great luck with pepppermint shrimp I had aptasia a few times and used them to rid it but it would come back when the p mint shrimps die I had a coral banded that ate them now that my CBS is gone the peppermints are still there and I haven’t seen aptasia in over a year not even in the overflow.
[quote=“dunk, post:11, topic:5601”]
Make sure nothing bad gets in the tank.[/quote]
Most who know what they’re doing and care about their tanks will say the same. ponies you have a chance to start over, so it may be wise to do so. Why not try to treat them in the current tank and make sure they are completely gone? If this sounds difficult or can’t be done why make the problem bigger by putting them in a bigger tank with more room to grow and hide.
[quote=“ponies99, post:1, topic:5601”]
If it was your tank want would you do?[/quote]
Anyone answering “if it was my tank” and not able to say they have hands on experience should be ignored. They’re not really in the hobby if they haven’t encountered the two before. Which brings me to the question I have for you. Do you plan to run to tanks in the future and QT all new animals? If you don’t plan to QT future animals you will encounter these again if you plan to purchase/trade for other corals in the future. (something to consider)
There is not a store within driving distance where you can’t find both aiptasia and bubble alage if you look hard enough and if they are anywhere in the store then small ones may have already settled on the rock or coral your buying.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
It is best to treat the cause rather then the symptom.
It is better to find a long term solution then a short one.
You often get what you pay for.
The best answer often involves the most work and often the easy way out isn’t really a gratifying way out.
[quote=“Gordonious, post:12, topic:5601”]
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
It is best to treat the cause rather then the symptom.
It is better to find a long term solution then a short one.
You often get what you pay for.
The best answer often involves the most work and often the easy way out isn’t really a gratifying way out. [/quote]
Great advice Jon, but i’m suddenly craving a fortune cookie for some reason 
are these the words of Confucius?
I decided not to use any of it for the new tank since i don’t feel like dealing with the hassle of it and i really want to eliminate as many opportunities for pests as i can. I also just found out that the Fish Bowl is willing to take it for credit which definitely makes my day since DPA doesn’t do that and I don’t feel like having 40 lbs of rock sitting around my house lol.
u can keep it but must BOIL the HECK out of it. each piece for bout 20 minutes in boiling water. it will reseed in no time upon reentering tank so killing everything is ok. i have done this a few times with great sucess. i boil the rock then cool it and use a wire brush to clean it. then a good rinse.
Wouldn’t you have to cycle it before you could put it back in an established tank? Otherwise wouldn’t all the dead stuff cycle the tank again?
That depends on 2 things:
How much dead stuff is still on the rock.
How much you add to the tank.
Not much dead stuff or only a little rock will make a small cycle.
after you boil it you scrub it clean and rinse it before it is replaced in tank. i would slowly add rocks back over a few weeks or so though.
I agree with Pat and Glen. Clean dry base rock certainly has value.