Upgrading a SPS tank - Time to kick out pests?

[rynosreef]

For those of you SPS heads out there who've upgraded to larger tanks, and who were coming from a tank that had all the usual pests (aiptasia, bubble algae, vermatids): Did you attempt to start clean in the new tank? With all new dry rock, rebased coral, etc. Or did you just bring over you old rock, pests and all?

On one hand, I'd LOVE to be rid of pests, but at the same time I suspect it would only be a matter of time before they get introduced again, and taking established colonies from a tank with mature biology to a dry rock tank seems very risky. Any thoughts on this?

Of course if you just want to share what your "buddy" did (**wink wink**) because you've never had pests, I'd love to hear what "they" did too!

 

[blaxsun]

Not an SPS head, but when I did upgrade to a larger system I went with new sand, mostly new rock and thoroughly weeded out the old stuff for pests, etc. I can honestly say that I didn't really have any, so it wasn't necessarily as daunting a task as it sounds like it might be with you.

What my "buddy" did was be very selective with the corals he added in the first place. He deals with a reputable LFS where corals is actually their primary focus, so nothing leaves with aiptasia, vermatids or pests of any kind for that matter). Of course, hindsight is always 20-20...

 

[rynosreef]

Thanks for the insight! I feel in my case the pests are not eradicable if my live rock is kept. They’re likely in cracks and crevices I’d never be able to get to. Meaning a true reset of all rock, inverts, etc would be necessary. And to me that seems like a sure fire way to kill acros.

And I hear ya about finding a solid LFS. I’ve yet to find any locally that are up to snuff. And it seems on a long enough timeline certain pests are almost unavoidable.

 

[billyocean]

Thanks for the insight! I feel in my case the pests are not eradicable if my live rock is kept. They’re likely in cracks and crevices I’d never be able to get to. Meaning a true reset of all rock, inverts, etc would be necessary. And to me that seems like a sure fire way to kill acros.

And I hear ya about finding a solid LFS. I’ve yet to find any locally that are up to snuff. And it seems on a long enough timeline certain pests are almost unavoidable.

I'll never start a tank with all dry rock again unless it's one I put off for a year or so. I'm with you though...wouldn't want to risk the acros with dry rock. Maybe a new source for live rock and cure it for pests first? Expensive but maybe effective and perhaps ypu could salvage a bit of your rock

 

[rynosreef]

Yep.. my current tank was started with all dry rock. Took over a year for acros to survive and grow. And that was in spite of bacterial blooms, and just overall instability. Now the tank is thriving (except for those occasional weird losses). I just don’t know the “juice is worth the squeeze” risking full grown acro colonies in a sterile tank, just to attempt ridding pests that are likely to accidentally be reintroduced now or sometime in the future.

 

[billyocean]

What pests? Aptasia will be handled by nudibranchs. The vermitids I have don't bother anything and bubble algae can be scraped off and siphoned..doesn't matter if you pop them. If that's the biggest extent of it..I would say roll with it. Using that diy coral snow to help with flocculants after blowing out rocks once a week has helped with the vermitid numbers. Nor sure if you have the big vermies that irritate corals bad though.

 

[bar|none]

All Dry Rock. Did move corals over after dipping. Just saw my first aptasia in the new tank yesterday, doh!

 

[rynosreef]

What pests? Aptasia will be handled by nudibranchs. The vermitids I have don't bother anything and bubble algae can be scraped off and siphoned..doesn't matter if you pop them. If that's the biggest extent of it..I would say roll with it. Using that diy coral snow to help with flocculants after blowing out rocks once a week has helped with the vermitid numbers. Nor sure if you have the big vermies that irritate corals bad though.

I hear ya. In my experience nudibranchs have helped, but have never been able to eliminate aiptasia. Maybe I've just been unlucky, but I've tried multiple times. And yep, I agree it's not a huge issue with vermatids and cleaning up bubble algae. BUT not having to do any of that, because there's none in the tank sure would be nice

I have a feeling I'm just going to roll with it and keep on managing things. I'd rather have a few pests I'm managing than a clean tank with dead acros.

 

[rynosreef]

All Dry Rock. Did move corals over after dipping. Just saw my first aptasia in the new tank yesterday, doh!

D'oh! It only takes one... and those jerks can hide/grow in almost anything

 

[billyocean]

Unless everything is quarantined from snails to corals..something will sneak in

 

[skimmerman]

The only pest I had switching from 125 to 180 was majonoe anemones. I purchased a asfur angel. Wiped them right out and never bothers corals. Beautiful fish