Thoughts on 180 upgrade - aiptasia

[vester_72]

I wanted to get some people's thoughts - I have a 75 gallon with about 95 lbs. of live rock. The tank has been set up and running for about 6 years with some very nice pieces of rock.

Problem: aiptasia

Currently controlled with joe's juice, but it is a pain in the a$% and I want to be rid of it. I am going to be upgrading to a 180 gallon, using my 75 as the sump and I hate the thought of bringing all of the aiptasia to the new tank, but do not want to have to deal with it in a 180 gallon.

What are people's thoughts - would you transfer the rock as is and try beghia in the 180? Should I kill the rock and start with some new live rock and let this get re-seeded once the aiptasia are killed?

I would hate to kill my rock, but really do not want to deal with aiptasia in the new tank.

What would you do?

 

[nate82]

cook it you don't wanna start on a bad note

 

[soccerbag]

+1. Agree with Nate82.

 

[vester_72]

What is the best way to cook it - freshwater bath for a few days - or should I literally heat it up? I was thinking a freshwater bath for a week or so but if I do that I want to make sure those puppies are gone for good.

 

[chibopelu13]

if you boil it you will remove every bit of coraline that exists on it. I don't know what will happen with freshwater drips. The cooked rock will make good base rock. If you get some really really really good quality liverock covered in coraline this will seed the cooked rock and you won't be able to tell the difference in about 6 months.

you could also try controlled the problem with a copperband and some peppermint shrimp. Beghia will take a long time and you will need to order about 6-8 for a 180

 

[13threefmaniac]

Just to be absolutely certain that they don't reappear in your new tank, i would boil the rock and then leave it in freshwater for a few weeks. Getting the rock back to life can be done easily with a few quality pieces of LR to seed the new tank. Doing water changes while you cook the rock can also help eliminate any excess phosphate or other unwanted elements from your existing rock. Just my .02

 

[vester_72]

Would bleaching work just as well?

I was thinking about bleaching them in a rubbermaid, then letting them sit in freshwater for a week or two - 95 lbs. is a lot of rock to boil.

 

[LauraCline]

I had a bunch of aiptasia before a local reefer gave me an army of peppermint shrimp that he caught in his stone crab traps. They ate every last scrap of it and I've yet to see any since.