Going to restart a tank (#3) with what I learned over the past couple years, but I need to understand this issue

[skipcurl]

Boy. I have learned a lot over the past couple years about this hobby. I think I have had every pest (good and bad) and every algae (well maybe 1% of them!!). My last two times my tanks just got out of control, and it has become very frustrating. The 1st tank was vertimid snails, the 2nd tank was green turf that was invincible. In this next tank, I am going to try so hard not to introduce anything (but I know it will find its way). Not sure how you guys all get through these different items. Some of you make it so easy. Anyway, I need to understand this critter. I started a new frag tank to house all my DT corals and try to save some of my corals and obviously this guy got over (along with Pineapple Sponges and yes Green Turf). It is amazing how fast it exploded (I am just showing the sump). It is everywhere. I think it is a snail (pin head size). Probably going to Nuke the frag tank, but what kind of snail is this?

I am at the point on where my new tank will only get new frags from trusted sources and all my equipment has dried out for over 1 month. And the frag tank will be reset also. Just moving the fish over.

I will not give up. Roger in eastern PA.

 

[blaxsun]

Spirobid worms. The plague of sumps everywhere... (including mine)

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

If you’re meaning the white spiral shells, they’re Spirorbid Worms - harmless filter feeders, but they do have a tendency to have their population get out hand.

 

[bushdoc]

I second others about spirobid worms. Had them too, but after several weeks population dwindled and can't find them anymore. Every tank goes through natural succession from ugly stage, spirobid worms, stomatelas, coralline algae to maturity.I personally think it is impossible to have "sterile" tank without those critters, but if you want to try, I wish you good luck.

 

[brandon429]

You will get all the same invasions in the new tank due to sourcing from the same approximate places for new stock and rocks, without a means for correction for items that express into your display. You must learn to beat the invasions as they present now, fully, then you start over for opposite reasons like wanting a different tank etc.

turf algae has ways to be beaten. I used to have it in my reef and lost a reef to red turf, once. Then I got mean against it in my current tank and it didn’t win when it tried to come back

starting over due to invasions only seems like it will work, it implies we know what to do to avoid the re invasions but that’s only true if we can beat the current one.

you will need two reefs in your home once you’re ready (able to run the current invasions out without starting over)

1. a receiving tank where all entrants for the display pass through months of observation, to see what they express, so big invasions don’t ride into the display


youd never buy anything from a pet store and add it right into your display, that’s perhaps #1 cause of the issue for most reefers.

2. a display ran using the methods you already proved on the current system, for things that get through your filter fallow tank. Nothing, nothing goes into the display until it passes through your observation tank.

 

[skipcurl]

You will get all the same invasions in the new tank due to sourcing from the same approximate places for new stock and rocks, without a means for correction for items that express into your display. You must learn to beat the invasions as they present now, fully, then you start over for opposite reasons like wanting a different tank etc.

turf algae has ways to be beaten. I used to have it in my reef and lost a reef to red turf, once. Then I got mean against it in my current tank and it didn’t win when it tried to come back

starting over due to invasions only seems like it will work, it implies we know what to do to avoid the re invasions but that’s only true if we can beat the current one.

you will need two reefs in your home once you’re ready (able to run the current invasions out without starting over)

1. a receiving tank where all entrants for the display pass through months of observation, to see what they express, so big invasions don’t ride into the display


youd never buy anything from a pet store and add it right into your display, that’s perhaps #1 cause of the issue for most reefers.

2. a display ran using the methods you already proved on the current system, for things that get through your filter fallow tank. Nothing, nothing goes into the display until it passes through your observation tank.

Yes. My next setup will definitely go through an observer tank and a way to go back and forth. I am really not worried about beating back most algaes. And the spirabid worms do not bother me as I figure they are part of the cycle. But that turf algae, I could not win against. Probably my fault as I should have addressed as soon as I saw it. But I just could not beat it. It just destroyed my rocks and I threw them away.

My last fight, I took out all the coral, fish, everything alive. Took every rock and dipped in Peroxide 12% for over 5 mins, let some of the rock dry, turned off lights, every parameter in range. AND IT STILL CAME BACK. I think it built up resistance to previous fights. LOL. Turf definitely makes this hobby hard.

What do you mean by mean on the Red Turf? Replacing rock. I would love to be mean and keep existing corals in place.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[skipcurl]

I second others about spirobid worms. Had them too, but after several weeks population dwindled and can't find them anymore. Every tank goes through natural succession from ugly stage, spirobid worms, stomatelas, coralline algae to maturity.I personally think it is impossible to have "sterile" tank without those critters, but if you want to try, I wish you good luck.

Good to know. I have had them before. But wow did they explode. I will consider part of the cycle.