How to build a "pest" resistant tank

[Sump Crab]

For every beautiful reef tank there seems to be two more overrun with "pests". Vermetid snails, bubble algae, red planaria, asterina starfish, the list is of invasive critters is endless! For those of you that do not have certain critters take over your tank, how did you do it?


For me it's all about diversity. My philosophy is simple, having all the "pests" ensures that just one will never take over. First of all I always start with legit ocean liverock (wild or aquacultured) and then I just continue running my tank with no qt or "pest" removal. I also use fish, and their feeding niche, strategically to help. In the end I have an ecosystem that seems to find a natural balance.


There are a ton of ways to skin a cat, how did you do it?

 

[Tang fastic]

Well I killed the cat first

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I started with dry rock which didn't contain any pest on it. fast-forward to now and I still don't have any pest even with new coral additions. I think if you dip coral, use dry rock or be careful about what is on your large rock you can stay pretty pest-free.

 

[exnisstech]

I gave up trying to keep a sterile tank. It's just not worth the effort for me and it never happened so it brought disappointment as well. I welcome most pests, worms aiptasia etc. Seems like when I tried to eradicate them they just doubled down on reproducing. I stop trying to kill them all and they slow down so we just coexist.

 

[Sump Crab]

I gave up trying to keep a sterile tank. It's just not worth the effort for me and it never happened so it brought disappointment as well. I welcome most pests, worms aiptasia etc. Seems like when I tried to eradicate them they just doubled down on reproducing. I stop trying to kill them all and they slow down so we just coexist.

Same here!