where is line between careful and paranoid?

woodstock '69 · 10/11/2006, 07:37 PM

I am getting real close to the day I buy my first coral. Water went in this week, rock on the weekend and then ...... can't wait!

But

Now that I am really looking carefully in the lfs's retail tanks I am noticing new things.

Today I noticed aptasia in several of the frag tanks, and something that I thought was some kind of turd. When I asked the store person they told me it was bubble algae. I had read about bubble algae and as I recall it is a really bad thing.

So the question is:

Would you buy coral from a tank with visible aptasia or bubble algae? Do most lfs tanks have these at the "visible" level?

Michael

Sk8r · 10/11/2006, 08:02 PM

frankly, it's hard to avoid it. I have ALWAYs had aiptasia, which my peppermint shrimp keep in check. Yes, it's a pest, but so are vermetid worms, and they're far from fatal: bubble algae, just one of a myriad cycles my tank goes through. Phosban is your friend, for most of them, but bubble just seems to happen. I've seen tanks so scrupulously clean that no weed grows, but I'm not one of those and my sps grows, my sponges are rife, the lps is happy, so I don't worry.

I think as you say you have to determine what your own comfort level is with the common pests. I just take them as part of the natural world and have an urchin that eats the caulerpa and, yep, there are a few stray bubble algae bits about, and about 4-5 aiptasia in the tank, some of which I should probably name, since I don't think the pep will ever eat them---probably old and tough by now. If you want a pristine tank with sparkling white sand, go the other route, and you've got my respect, too.
b

Capt_Cully · 10/11/2006, 08:04 PM

You're going to go thru ALOT of algae outbreaks until the tank stabilizes. So don't let bubble algae scare you too much. Aiptasias can be well controlled with peppermint shrimp, they love them.

I had a few small aiptaisias and they were gone within 2 weeks of putting 2 peppermints in.

As for paranoid, I might get blasted for this, but coral is more hardy than you think. It might not grow well if your params are off, but, it will live depending on what you get.

Start with some shrooms or xenia to get your fee wet. I'd wait a month or so AT LEAST before you try any SPS. When you do get SPS get something hardy like plating capricornis, or green slimer.

Just a few cents to get you started.

Good luck.

woodstock '69 · 10/11/2006, 08:48 PM

Sk8r

I don't think I am a pristine freak so I won't mind letting the uglier side of nature share the tank. I just wondered if as one goes up the quality ladder of the lfss, if they had less and less bad **** in their tanks?

Capt

Good call on the green slimer - I saw a big one (about 12" x 12") today at one of the lfs and it was flat out cool! Thanx for the advice.

10/11/2006, 07:37 PM	#1
woodstock '69 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: central virginia Posts: 368	where is line between careful and paranoid? I am getting real close to the day I buy my first coral. Water went in this week, rock on the weekend and then ...... can't wait! But Now that I am really looking carefully in the lfs's retail tanks I am noticing new things. Today I noticed aptasia in several of the frag tanks, and something that I thought was some kind of turd. When I asked the store person they told me it was bubble algae. I had read about bubble algae and as I recall it is a really bad thing. So the question is: Would you buy coral from a tank with visible aptasia or bubble algae? Do most lfs tanks have these at the "visible" level? Michael

10/11/2006, 08:02 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	frankly, it's hard to avoid it. I have ALWAYs had aiptasia, which my peppermint shrimp keep in check. Yes, it's a pest, but so are vermetid worms, and they're far from fatal: bubble algae, just one of a myriad cycles my tank goes through. Phosban is your friend, for most of them, but bubble just seems to happen. I've seen tanks so scrupulously clean that no weed grows, but I'm not one of those and my sps grows, my sponges are rife, the lps is happy, so I don't worry. I think as you say you have to determine what your own comfort level is with the common pests. I just take them as part of the natural world and have an urchin that eats the caulerpa and, yep, there are a few stray bubble algae bits about, and about 4-5 aiptasia in the tank, some of which I should probably name, since I don't think the pep will ever eat them---probably old and tough by now. If you want a pristine tank with sparkling white sand, go the other route, and you've got my respect, too. b __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

10/11/2006, 08:04 PM	#3
Capt_Cully Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 13,574	You're going to go thru ALOT of algae outbreaks until the tank stabilizes. So don't let bubble algae scare you too much. Aiptasias can be well controlled with peppermint shrimp, they love them. I had a few small aiptaisias and they were gone within 2 weeks of putting 2 peppermints in. As for paranoid, I might get blasted for this, but coral is more hardy than you think. It might not grow well if your params are off, but, it will live depending on what you get. Start with some shrooms or xenia to get your fee wet. I'd wait a month or so AT LEAST before you try any SPS. When you do get SPS get something hardy like plating capricornis, or green slimer. Just a few cents to get you started. Good luck. __________________ People say cars are a bad investment. Those people don't have reef tanks. Current Tank Info: 120, Radion Gen 2 Pro x 2

10/11/2006, 08:48 PM	#4
woodstock '69 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: central virginia Posts: 368	Sk8r I don't think I am a pristine freak so I won't mind letting the uglier side of nature share the tank. I just wondered if as one goes up the quality ladder of the lfss, if they had less and less bad **** in their tanks? Capt Good call on the green slimer - I saw a big one (about 12" x 12") today at one of the lfs and it was flat out cool! Thanx for the advice.