Newbie Reef discussion

[gbass83]

I have a tank that has been in my care for 1 week. It was a working reef for 8 years before being torn down. From there it was transfered into a bin full of live rock and kept alive for a few months. The fish were sold back to the store. I have found that I have an Aiptasia situation and am looking to nip it in the bud. Per the owners instructions I have a been testing and have: 0 nitrites 0 nitrates 0-0.2 ppm ammonia 0 phosphates 400ppm calcium 3 days in a row My magnesium was a little bit low at 960 but I dosed a little yesterday and am at 1140 today
I have a cleanup crew and added a lawnmower blenny today and will not be adding anything for while.
I do have a little bit of algae but it doesn't seem to be spreading. The coraline on my LR is still there and not decreasing. My biggest issue is that I have some Aiptasia that are slowly spreading. I see a new one everyday and would like to bring the problem to a halt as safely as possible. Any ideas? Will post tank info below.

I got this on Craigslist and this was the description:
75 gallon Perfecto (Marineland) all-glass aquarium. Bertch cherry vanity base cabinet modified to hold the additional 700lbs. Custom made AETech refugium-style biological filter system that includes; Refugium tank. Environmental Tower Super Skimmer (ETSS) powered by a Supreme Classic #7 (pump replacement required). Protein skimmer equipped with a separate effluent reservoir with charcoal air filter. 4 washable filter socks. Supreme Classic #9.5 return pump flowing through Loc-Line adjustable nozzles. Two Little Fishes PhosBan Reactor 150 loaded with NeoZeo zeolite media plumbed into return line. Eshopp's Overflow Box and U-tube with custom lid and vacuum silencer. ViaAqua 300 watt titanium tube heater with remote thermostat and probe. Additional equipment and supplies; Gamma U.V. 15 watt sterilizer powered by a Rio+ 1100 power head with Loc-Line return. Current Nova Extreme Pro T5 lighting system with two timers for sunrise/sunset operation. Hinged full glass top. Eshopp's magnetic mount coral frag shelf with ceramic frag bases. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals reef salt, 150 gallons+ $70 gift card for Eddie's Aquarium Centre, Cohoes, NY 100lbs+ live rock with several soft corals and leathers. 5 gallon pails to mix salt, siphon for water changes, glass scrapers, feeding tubes, test kits, pH meter, hydrometers, everything you need to set up and operate a successful reef tank.

 

[amperidot]

I got a hypodermic needle at a farm and feed store and I squirt about .5miligrams of vinegar into the aiptasia's polyps mouth. Seems to get rid of them pretty instantly. It only seems to work on smaller ones though, and if you do this too much you'll mess up your tank's ph
I know there are a lot of great approaches though, so try searching aiptasia in the forums and you will see some good opinions.

 

[pyithar]

kalkwasser paste, vinegar, boiling water, blow torch/lighter, berghia nudibranch, some peppermint shrimps, some copperband butterfly, and some not reef safe butterflies like raccoon butterfly will work.

 

[sde1500]

If they haven't taken over everything yet, and you don't want to spend hours with your hands in the tank with a needle killing them, a natural predator is a good solution. I spent the last couple months watching some slowly spread across my tank. Added a peppermint shrimp last week. Never see the shrimp out at all, but most of the anemones are gone already.