Upgrading tank.........salvaging corals

[Realest20]

Hey folks,

I have been slowly planning an upgrade of my first 30 gal bow front canister filter reef tank to 120 gal herbie overflow sumps system. I am getting closer and closer to set up time. My problem is Aiptasia. The 30 is littered with it, and I want to everything I can to ensure my new tank doesn't start with the same issue. I tried to battle the Aiptasia for a while with Aiptasua X, but I feel I have lost that battle. It continues to return in larger numbers every time.

Can you suggest some methods of ridding my corals of Aiptasia? Maybe its not worth trying to salvage them.

My thought process currently is to slowly rid the 30 of rock and sand, turning the 30 into a clean bottom frag tank, and monitor and kill off aiptasia. I currently have these corals: Pink Colt (leather finger), Candy Cane, frog spawn, green star polyps, plating monty.

Thank-you
Ryan

 

[ezerasurfr]

Get new rock and cycle your new tank properly. Leave everything in the 30, and simply frag once the corals get large enough. Thereby not bringing the aiptasia into the new tank. remember, they come with rocks and on frag plugs. If you frag your corals yourself, you can be certain to only bring the corals (no plugs or rocks)

 

[Reef Frog]

Here's the problem: Let's say you can go to great lengths in starting over, and not one aiptasia makes it into your new tank. But what about the future? You probably plan to buy new corals. Another individual, egg or larvae can make it through on new LR, frags or colonies, unless you employ lengthily quarantine.

Ailtasia grows like to plauge proportions because A) There is lots of organic matter in the water and B) they were allowed to grow too long without intervention.

To me they are just a fact of life, just like weeds in a garden. But not as much of a pain to deal with. When a Gadsden gets over run, you would generally make one big eradication effort and then start more regular and easier maintenance to keep it acceptable.

Keeping the organic matter in the water at lower levels will help a lot. Filter socks, wet skimming, GAC & GFO all help to differing degrees and will slow down new growth. I've proven this to myself many times & can give details if interested.

Then, zapping a few that I see every few weeks is actually an easy and short job. This works well for me.

LOST THE BATTLE? Did we give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Heck no! We fought and won. You've got a small tank. Ailtasia X can be used to carpet bomb (don't do this with Kalk paste) large patches if you don't have the patience to kill one by one. I've never seen s coral polyp ingest it but have a turkey baster at the ready and blow the blobs away if they happen to fall on a coral. You may go through a lot of product and it's expensive but this works. You may have to really keep on top of it in the beginning but it can be slowed WAY down with a little effort. JMOs. Good luck.

 

[Reel North]

Uh. The Japanese bombed pearl harbour. Otherwise, great post lol

 

[j_mazzy]

that was funny

 

[Hitch08]

LOL! Someone needs to watch "Animal House"