Moving corals (but its never that easy...)

[1DeR9_3Hy]

I am setting up for my next tank. Its going to be another 50 but this time instead of a cube, i am going to do a shallow reef (36*18*20). Ive collected some pretty neat softies since i started (neon green toadstool, mint green toadstool, big chunk of neptheia, green sin, random LPS, ect..) but i am having a byropsis problem and a flatworm problem right now. I dont want to ditch all my prized corals because they are infested...but i DO NOT want any of these problems in my new setup.

My only idea that i have might work is careful removal of all algae physically, then many dips in FW exit over a couple weeks and more careful removal of algae before getting them back into my new setup. But this will be very tedious, and very time consuming....so im looking for input.

What would someone else do?

 

[lombard0]

If it's me, I would seriously consider NOT to move any corals infested with bryopsis. I have never been successful in "manual removal" so this could pose a problem with a new tank in which, overall filtration isn't stable yet.

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Thats pretty much what i have been thinking....at least i can get a good head start on bank for the new corals i want.

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

bump

Is this pretty much my only option?

 

[sanababit]

take the long road, try to erradicate these pests before introducing them to your new tank, FW exit works to an extent and maybe raising mag to take care of bryopsis, reamove as much and as many as you can, you wont be sorry

sana

 

[darkdruid]

There's a good thread on getting rid of bryopsis by elevating your magnesium levels. It worked for me and several others.

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Ive had my mag levels around 2000 for a month now, and its only getting worse. I manually remove it about every 4 days, but running without a skimmer like i am (flooded out my system, now i dont trust it) it seems like its never ending.

Their are really only 2-3 corals i have to transfer (wifes picks), the rest will most likely be sold.

 

[darkdruid]

How about removing the corals from the rock (I know, pain in the rear) and remounting them on fresh rock. Then dry out the old rock for a few days, scrub it off, and reuse it. I've never had bryopsis live after the rock has been in the sun for at least 3 days.

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

If it were only that easy! lol

The big toadstool is mounted on a very porous piece of fiji LR about 5" in diameter (the corals stem is about 4", so there is little room for removing the algae that is growing in the crevices).

Then their are the duncans, which i think i will just sell since i dont have much time invested in them. So really that and my bubble algae encrusted paly collection.

 

[darkdruid]

I'm not being sarcastic when I say, that sucks. At least you can frag a few polyps of each type of paly and start over with small colonies.

And the toadstool can be fixed really easy. It looks like crap while you're doing it, but it will kill all algae. Get a piece of black plastic, like a garbage bag, and wrap the rock leaving the toadstool sticking out. Use a few rubberbands to hold it in place and put it back in the tank. Within a week or 10 days with no flow and no light, all the algae will be dead.

How much for the palys if you dump them? Bubble algae lasts about 5 minutes in my tank. I have 3 emeralds that love it.

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Thanks for the idea on the toadstool, that will look like hell but that never stopped me before! That was my wifes first coral when she was against me getting into another hobby lol...if i ditch that, it will be a symbolic 'ditching'. WW3.