I'm Ready to Break Down My Tank!!!

[john.m.cole3]

I've had it! I'm done!!!!!! I can't keep fighting this losing battle anymore... My buddy @Lram853 and @brandon429 saw an aiptasia in my tank one day about 8 months ago. we got it injected with some kalk paste, and it was gone. Then, a few months later I spotted a few more... hmmmm........... guess I'll kill them the same way. Now, I've probably killed over 500 of those jerks and they just keep coming back. I know I know, peppermint shrimp, CPB, matted filefish, boil;ing water, lemon juice, super glue, yah dee yah.

Now let's talk about the vermatid snail problem. UGH! I thought a few were cool at first, but not anymore. When I turkey baster my rocks, it looks like they are COVERED in slime. I've been manually removing them, but am not satisfied with how the rocks look with some of their reminants remaining.

Speaking of rocks, I like the look of my scape, but it is not practical for maintenance. I created too many overhangs in a tight space that I can't get to with my siphon.

Vibrant has helped rid my tank of bubble and hair algae. It bottomed out my nitrates, so I started dosing spectracide. Now I have red and green cyano on the back glass and the nitrates exploded back up to 50!!!

I say it's time for a tank reset, what do you guys think?

 

[SillyBeast67]

I think with your knowledge, a tank reset would be good. You'd be able to perfect everything this time. Although I am torn because your tank is well established and obviously healthy because your corals grow good. But I think if you're done battling those issues and nothing is working, you might need to re set. Just make sure when you start back up that everything you introduce into your display is free and clear of any type of pest or you'll just be battling the same problems down the road.

 

[brandon429]

I must call no reset this is why:

the mode of reproduction for your aips is pedal laceration and fragmentation, its not sexual repro that is casting the organism about. its tiny fragmentations they do, such as some bits surviving a chem burn procedure and replanting/growing/anchoring

either way its not a broadcasting method of reproduction for those anems, its an asexual mode, which means that they'll respond to scraping just like the red mushrooms did in my tank. red mushroom invasions and aiptasia invasions are similar, but aips will beat corallimorph growth rates for sure. same method tho

the dental procedure of scraping them out works as well because they do not anchor deep, its a light topical attachment and light abrading will score the surface free with no chem used. it will require setting the rock stacks out of the tank for extended work, power wash moment too (detritus ejection, hard washing w pressure sw is possible)

I think your rocks may not be ideal for in-tank work, but they're suited for columnar removal more than any set ive seen. they're likely somewhat cemented additionally by coralline now for extra sturdy remove and restore.

You may not want a modular system that is removed to be cleaned, in that case rearrangement or redo might work. But those aiptasias are accessible for surgery ill help if you want

if theres hundreds of them and the job is huge then I can see how a restart due to anem invasion could help, I was near restarting my bowl over the red mushroom invasion look how many there were

 

[NeuroticAquatics]

I had an Aip invasion in my 240g and used lemon juice. Took each rock out, squirted (or poured in some cases) lemon juice, waited a couple minutes and rinsed with RODI. About a month later, I only have a few Aips left that were near some Meteor Shower. I plan to go back for round two, but I went from hundreds to maybe a dozen for now. I'm not sure this would work for everyone, but it seems to have done the job in my case (at least it seems for now).

 

[bif24701]

I'm have good luck with those Aiptasia eating nudis. I have thousands of aiptasia and they have stared clearing them out now. I bought only 8 in Oct and now they are over 100. Don't give up.

 

[john.m.cole3]

Good points gents. My issue with removal and return is
a) I can't see the aiptasia when they are out of water
b) the scape needs to be changed to be more maintenance friendly
c) erradication of the vermatids is still an issue
d) my marinepure brick would carry majority of bacteria needed to restart the tank with minimal to no cycle
e) aiptasia are growing on the glass and seams
f) I have 2 other tanks ready for frags and fish so time to reset would not be an issue

 

[john.m.cole3]

I had an Aip invasion in my 240g and used lemon juice. Took each rock out, squirted (or poured in some cases) lemon juice, waited a couple minutes and rinsed with RODI. About a month later, I only have a few Aips left that were near some Meteor Shower. I plan to go back for round two, but I went from hundreds to maybe a dozen for now. I'm not sure this would work for everyone, but it seems to have done the job in my case (at least it seems for now).

Hey cool, I did a 15 month travel assignment up the hill from you in JT. Palm Springs is a fun place! My problem with removal is that the structures are epoxied together and weigh 15 to 25 lbs, I can't see the nems when out of water (poor vision), and I'm looking to re-scape anyways. Question: Do you think curing the rock in salt water would rid the aiptasia and vermatids?

 

[tankaholic]

What does your rock work look like? And what size tank?

 

[SillyBeast67]

Hey cool, I did a 15 month travel assignment up the hill from you in JT. Palm Springs is a fun place! My problem with removal is that the structures are epoxied together and weigh 15 to 25 lbs, I can't see the nems when out of water (poor vision), and I'm looking to re-scape anyways. Question: Do you think curing the rock in salt water would rid the aiptasia and vermatids?

Heck those Asptasia are hard to see outside of the water and I have perfect vision. I inherited a few from the frags I got from you but I seem to have eradicated them thus far. No biggie though. I've seen some great experienced reefers with Asptasia in their display. And it doesn't seem to be a big problem. As for the vermatid snails, I have a bunch of em too but they seem to be going away on their own and when I have my hand in the tank I'll break them off rocks when I can. Luckily my scape is made up of a bunch of small rocks so if there is a problem rock I just pull it out and fix it or just leave it out in the sun for a few weeks lol your big chunks of rock might not be so easy to take out...

 

[brandon429]

John quick brainstorm

Just wondering but do you think your power blue view light when shined on the exposed rock would flouresce on the aiptasia flesh to help us see them

 

[john.m.cole3]

Umm... i dunno, you mean the blue led flashlight?

 

[john.m.cole3]

scape

 

[john.m.cole3]

I just bought a bunch of cool rock including tonga branch, dead tabling SPS, shelf, and base rock. I'm doing some other things with my frag tank and another project as well. I'm not emotionally tied to my rocks except for the tower on the right. I was wondering if curing the rocks in SW would eventually starve off the nems and vermies?

 

[john.m.cole3]

@brandon429 did you notice what this post is under. Rev gave hub city its own sub forum!

 

[brandon429]

Hey that's sick I just barely saw this afternoon at work that's so good for lbk
Can't wait to see your frag tank setup
to be able to vend some frags out of it and increase competition locally is all good

 

[tankaholic]

Is this tank the one you have a the ghost overflow on?

 

[john.m.cole3]

yeah

 

[brandon429]

TWilliard has a thread on meds to eliminate the verms

and Im down for a surgery run easily I say we try and dental work the beast columns. you didn't quit lifting weights to pick up the drone remote controller like I did you should be able to Hercules them out lol

but I really think we could set the stacks on a towel outside tank (spray your war coral that's cemented into position, can handle some air easily mine does half hour no spray) and with my metal picks we can remove the aips. prob a retreat w be needed to get the leftovers, but I would like to preserve the life on the rock you really have cured it nicely. I bet its less than my red shroom invasion

 

[john.m.cole3]

OK OK, I'm game, and we could just break down the other 2 structures and form something easier to maintain cleaning wise. Nothing is encrusted on the rocks anymore except some anemones. Shoot me a text for when you might be available. I have plenty of time on the weekends. Thanks Mr. Brandon!

 

[His & Hers. 240 Reef]

Go for it!! We completely remodeled ours. We had thousands of asterina starfish eating all our zoanthids. Plus aiptasia, plus nitrate city. So we completely started over. We have all our same fish, but everything else is new. New lights, new pumps, new sand, new rocks, new plumbing, new canopy, and a new paint job. It is refreshing! And also a lot of fun buying new coral[emoji16][emoji16][emoji16]