Completely loaded softie tank needs evolved into an SPS dominant mixed reef

[Culinarywiz]

Just joined this forum 10 mins ago and plan to be a regular contributor. Been in hobby for 18 months with a dry startup 40-gal breeder. Have 19 mixed corals in that tank but I have been able to establish everything one by one.

I am buying an established 265 gal softie tank. The tank is consumed with polythoa's. No hard corals. The poly's are on most rocks. Big, 4 year old poly's. They are beautiful and healthy, but I plan to add LPS quickly and move into SPS shortly thereafter. A poly tank, edge to edge, just isn't my end game.

Since the poly's have hold of just about every rock (and it's plenty of rock for the volume) what would be the best method of slowly weeding them out? If I throw in some torches, hammers and candy canes, then follow with Digi and Acro, will they just win the territorial battle over time? Or do I need to replace some of the rock? It is my understanding that if I just pull or cut the poly's off, they will simply grow back.

I plan to ramp up lighting slowly. Haven't really decided how quickly yet. Only comes with 3 x 160's. Have 2 XR15 G4's to add immediately then hope to add more G5's as the tank progresses. I am good with patience. Want to let the tank settle back into a groove before getting too aggressive.

Appreciate any positive feedback!

 

[Lasse]

Can you please give us some pictures of the polythoa's? Also try to google Palytoxin an compare before you do anything else.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[blaxsun]

"Palythoa".

If you scour them from the rocks they probably won't grow back, but do take adequate precautions (gloves, mask, goggles) when working with palythoas as you don't know which ones may contain palytoxins.

 

[Culinarywiz]

Can you please give us some pictures of the polythoa's? Also try to google Palytoxin an compare before you do anything else.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Culinarywiz]

These are palythoa, correct?
Thanks blaxsun for correction

 

[Lasse]

"Palythoa".

If you scour them from the rocks they probably won't grow back, but do take adequate precautions (gloves, mask, goggles) when working with palythoas as you don't know which ones may contain palytoxins.

And do it on the outside. I do not know this exactly species but I would be careful, very careful if I should handle palythoa that I´m not familiar with.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[blaxsun]

These are palythoa, correct?
Thanks blaxsun for correction

Yes - it looks like they're all palythoa. Which specific variety I couldn't say offhand. Since they're rather large I'd definitely go with @Lasse's suggestions to do this outside in the open air.

 

[Screwgunner]

If it is not to hard to remove your rock. I would move some of your top rocks down lower and put some new ones on top for sps. I have the orange birdsnest .I have my 160's 18 inches above water . Running them at 25% white and 75% blue puts me at 350 par at the top of my tank. It is growing like krazy.

 

[fish farmer]

I would sell or give away the rocks with the most palys and keep the rocks that don't have them or are minor infections.

 

[afrokobe]

what is on the backwall? Is that part of the background?

also those palys look yuge, I thought they were duncans at first glance lol

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Those look a lot like borneman anemones that are reaching for light.

@Culinarywiz have any of them ever "walked" or moved to a different spot?

 

[afrokobe]

Those look a lot like borneman anemones that are reaching for light.

@Culinarywiz have any of them ever "walked" or moved to a different spot?

I think you are correct. I looked them up and they look very similar.

Borneman Anemone...beautiful creature!

Why don't more people keep these?! This is my new one from Fishnreef...absolute beautiful animal. I love the speckled column. Hopefully she likes the spot I picked out for her!!! (all nems are female in my world lol...too pretty to be boys!) ;):D

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I think you are correct. I looked them up and they look very similar.

Borneman Anemone...beautiful creature!

Why don't more people keep these?! This is my new one from Fishnreef...absolute beautiful animal. I love the speckled column. Hopefully she likes the spot I picked out for her!!! (all nems are female in my world lol...too pretty to be boys!) ;):D

www.reef2reef.com

If they are, they are super easy to remove.

the OP can refer to the link below and make themselves a nem cannon. Bornemans love light and flow and will walk up in a few hours. Mine split like mad, but are one of the easiest to get out with a nem cannon, as they do not take long to move.

Safe and Easy DIY way to remove Nems

Due to seeing numerous post recently about how to remove anemones and shrooms without hurting them or destroying rock work. I felt like this was in order. First off, a little back story. Years ago, when I lived in Florida and collected aquatic life on a regular basis, we always had issues with...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I don't think you have a tank full of palys there. At least none than I've ever seen. I'm with Grampa Steve above. Those look like stretchy bornmans.

After taking another look I'm sure of it. You can very clearly see the anemones foot on many of them, none are connected by a mat.

Are a few random paly bottom center of the tank, But those big pretty guys are not them.

 

[Kellie in CA]

Wow, they are really cool looking.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I will say this, as well, If they are bornemans and the OP can get them removed, depedning on what Columbus they live in, I would be interested in taking them all of their hands lol.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I will say this, as well, If they are bornemans and the OP can get them removed, depedning on what Columbus they live in, I would be interested in taking them all of their hands lol.

@Eagle_Steve and his arsenal of nem cannons...

 

[Culinarywiz]

Can you please give us some pictures of the polythoa's? Also try to google Palytoxin an compare before you do anything else.

Sincerely Lasse

what is on the backwall? Is that part of the background?

also those palys look yuge, I thought they were duncans at first glance lol

Yes, the aqua and perceived texture in the back is a background the original owner placed. I would have gone with black, but I do like it.

 

[Culinarywiz]

Those look a lot like borneman anemones that are reaching for light.

@Culinarywiz have any of them ever "walked" or moved to a different spot?

Don't actually have the tank yet. It'll be here in a couple weeks. So, I don't know if they have moved around. I certainly hope they are anemones.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Don't actually have the tank yet. It'll be here in a couple weeks. So, I don't know if they have moved around. I certainly hope they are anemones.

If they are borneman, then keeping SPS will be difficult. They stand a chance to walk all over them and kill them. They afre also not like bubble tips in regards to how potent they are. Usually a bubble tip will only damage where the tents touch and mostly do not walk all over SPS. Lets call it more a "bump into". Borneman on the other hand will want to dominate the space and will wrap around a coral to remove it from the spot it wants. They also have a more potent "sting".

So with that said, if you want to keep SPS, you will need to thin them out. If you want to just make it a nem tank and enjoy it, go for it.

Either way, the offer to take any that you do not want off your hands still stands.