Soliciting opinions:
I have a 350 gallon fish only tank that I was going to upgrade it to FOWLR tank. I bought 150lbs of live rock about 5 years ago when Live Aquaria was still selling it, as stated shipped wet right from where it was collected. I put all the rock in a covered 50 gallon barrel, no light, cycled it with a protein skimmer, heater and a little carbon for 50 days. I then placed it temporarily in a 70 gallon tank but got the itch to try a few corals, and got the bug for a reef tank . I'm in the process now of setting up a very large primarily SPS tank, but thinking I need to start 'sterile'? It's interesting to see all the hitchhikers that came in with the rock, but there is my concern. I have aggressive sponge I don't want, and a ton of brown zoa's that didn't even show up for 2.5 years.
So, finally, to my question obviously this is well seasoned rock, but I'm afraid to move it to my SPS tank because I believe it will create far more problems than the gains I receive. What would you do?
Picture of the my 70 just for a little perspective.
I have a 350 gallon fish only tank that I was going to upgrade it to FOWLR tank. I bought 150lbs of live rock about 5 years ago when Live Aquaria was still selling it, as stated shipped wet right from where it was collected. I put all the rock in a covered 50 gallon barrel, no light, cycled it with a protein skimmer, heater and a little carbon for 50 days. I then placed it temporarily in a 70 gallon tank but got the itch to try a few corals, and got the bug for a reef tank . I'm in the process now of setting up a very large primarily SPS tank, but thinking I need to start 'sterile'? It's interesting to see all the hitchhikers that came in with the rock, but there is my concern. I have aggressive sponge I don't want, and a ton of brown zoa's that didn't even show up for 2.5 years.
So, finally, to my question obviously this is well seasoned rock, but I'm afraid to move it to my SPS tank because I believe it will create far more problems than the gains I receive. What would you do?
Picture of the my 70 just for a little perspective.