Live Rock Question

[ragingreefer]

I'm getting ready to add rock to my new setup and was wondering if the rock I put in my sump has some tulip anemonies and aptasia on it if they will get into my display tank. I can get 100 pound for 50 bucks but it has some pests on it. Should I give them a high salinty bath, or just put it in?

[WXB]

You can Qt it or just go with it. I did this thing with some rock once. I put it in a bucket and for a week doing water changes. I checked it every day. One day in the morning EVERY single brittle starfish and worm was DEAD. The rock was fine. I maintained temp light and everything. It was not what I was trying to do it just happen. So you can do somthing like that. I would just add it myself.

[JoeRonda]

I would put the rock in the first compartment of the sump. Aptasia are excellent exporters of excess food, waste,detritus, etc. In a sense they are nature's filters. Any of the rock that is nice and you want to put in the DT but it has Aptasia on it, just put in some Peppermint Shrimp they work wonders at eradicating them. And as far as keeping spores of them from getting into your DT from the sump, just put in a U.V. Sterilizer in the final compartment of the sump, or better yet, plumbed into the return pipe after the return pump, but the chances that the aptasia spores could make it from the 1st comp to the last comp and go through the return pump is minimal.

[ragingreefer]

My sump dont have compartments. It is a 100 gallon rubbermaid stock tank that I was going to put an acrylic box in for the skimmer to set in where the return water comes in. Would this not work?

[natsak1]

I think the UV will work as long as it's connected to the return line. The water from the sump would be passing through the UV before it goes back into the tank.

[JoeRonda]

In that case forget the aptasia filter brainstorm, just make this easy on yourself, put in the rock and set up everything like the aptasia isn't even there. Get all your parameters right and put in a crew of 6 Peppermint Shrimp. Those bad boys will take care of those pesky anemones.

[JoeRonda]

You said that this rock was specifically for your sump huh? If you can plumb a powerful U.V. Strlzr inline with your return to the D.T. it will zap any Aptasia spores that go that way. Then you could have what is know as an Aptasia farm in your sump. This will keep your water amazingly clear, they are great water polishers that have gotten a bad name because we don't want them in our D.T.'s

[ReeferBill]

Hi ragingreef ; I would just add the rock and you can always get rid of any pestsy aptasia when you see them by injecting with lemon juice or kalk paste.The only time I ever QT live rock was when I had bad hair algea. Happy Reefing!!!!!!!

[MALIBu599]

I have about 30 lbs. in a rubbermaid tote with a heater. I am waiting for the hair algae to die off.

[ragingreefer]

I know peppermint shrimp can eat aptasia but how about the tulip anemones? I think they also call them manjos?

[ReeferBill]

I had a 750 aquaclear powerhead in with my hair algea covered rock and did a100% water change every week for around 10 weeks and when the phosphates were at zero. I then added it to my display and I hope I never have to do that again. Happy Reefing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JoeRonda]

Originally Posted by ragingreefer

I know peppermint shrimp can eat aptasia but how about the tulip anemones? I think they also call them manjos?

We are going to have to wait for a more experienced reefer to answer that. I don't believe that I've ever seen those.

[ATinPGH]

No guarantee on the peppermint shrimp eating the aiptasia. They may or may not especially if there is other things to eat. You can always try aiptasia x. Lots of people have had good success with it.

[ReeferBill]

Hi Ragingreef ; I would not put any shrimp in until your tank cycles. But I think they would eat both types of aptasia. I still think the lemon juice or kalk paste is the easiest and quickest solution.... You can also take the rock out that has the aptasia on it and use a outdoor gas grille lighter to burn the aptasia off.

[natsak1]

I didn't have luck with peppermint shrimp, but there's always Joe's Juice, kalk, etc. The one Mojano I had took four tries with Joe's Juice to get rid of it.

[zigzag1]

They will make the leap from the sump to the DT, IMO. I would setup a quarantine tank (or two) for the rock and slowly, carefully eliminate them. Use marginal lighting, no feeding (starve them, make them come out and reach for the light), observation, and plan on the rock being in QT for a couple of months, or however long it took to wipe them out.

Personally, I would hesitate to take a chance of reintroducing them into the DT after the struggle they were to remove from mine. I don't use UV, can't speak for that.. Just my opinion though, if I really _had_ to have the rock and could get a good deal on great rock, I would QT the rock. It would have to be worth the time and effort.

[TellyFish]

I would never intentionally a piece of rock to any part of my system which contains any pests. The UV sterilizer may prevent their spread, but what if it breaks? I hate those things with a passion and I would throw the rock out before putting it in my sump with aiptasia. They will likely spread somehow. Just 'cook' the rocks in darkness for a month and the anemones will disappear. Whatever amazing "filtering" properties are not worth the hassle, IMO.

Also, pepermints may eat your aiptasia if you starve them and are lucky. They will almost certainly not eat majanos.

[JoeRonda]

Originally Posted by ATinPGH

No guarantee on the peppermint shrimp eating the aiptasia. They may or may not especially if there is other things to eat. You can always try aiptasia x. Lots of people have had good success with it.

I agree you are absolutely right, but the Peppermint Shrimp I bought at Wet Pets definitely have a huge appetite for aptasia. Isn't that right neighbor. LOL