I have a fish store with very old established rock that I was going to use to start my 120 again. I was going to use it to assist with a quick or no cycle, but mostly use it to get all the other goodies on it like feather dusters, many sponges, some coralline, other dark algae, mushrooms, cloves, etc. it’s pretty much ideal and back to what I used to have before I tore down 2 years ago. At only $5/lb, seems worthwhile not trying to source the life elsewhere and get going much quicker.
However, some pieces definitely have aiptasia and I’m sure the rest are at least infected with spores. Some have some of the more rigid hair algaes (not sure the name) but it’s not bad at all.
I don’t want the aiptasia obviously, yet I’ve also been reefing long enough to know at some point it’s hard to avoid especially if I want the diversity these rocks have.
Do I suck it up and just get shrimp and fish to keep it at bay? I could wait and try to find someone doing a tear down that has the diversity without aiptasia, but that is an unknown and could take months to find if ever. I could be adding aiptasia anyway at some point later with all the other livestock I will be adding.
Just looking for opinions here. I’ve had it before and didn’t find it entirely game breaking to control.
I am at a clean slate (dry sand, dry rock I took out two years ago and cleaned) and just started a brightwell cycle a day ago. Given I’m at a clean slate I feel it’s a poor choice to knowingly introduce a pest days in, however if I accept it’s almost unavoidable…meh I don’t know.
However, some pieces definitely have aiptasia and I’m sure the rest are at least infected with spores. Some have some of the more rigid hair algaes (not sure the name) but it’s not bad at all.
I don’t want the aiptasia obviously, yet I’ve also been reefing long enough to know at some point it’s hard to avoid especially if I want the diversity these rocks have.
Do I suck it up and just get shrimp and fish to keep it at bay? I could wait and try to find someone doing a tear down that has the diversity without aiptasia, but that is an unknown and could take months to find if ever. I could be adding aiptasia anyway at some point later with all the other livestock I will be adding.
Just looking for opinions here. I’ve had it before and didn’t find it entirely game breaking to control.
I am at a clean slate (dry sand, dry rock I took out two years ago and cleaned) and just started a brightwell cycle a day ago. Given I’m at a clean slate I feel it’s a poor choice to knowingly introduce a pest days in, however if I accept it’s almost unavoidable…meh I don’t know.
