Upgrading. What are your thoughts?

[RaisingKane]

I will be upgrading my 3YR old established JBJ 45 to a Waterbox 130.4 in the next couple of weeks. I know I shouldn't take any sand over...but the rocks! I have quite a bit of coral but a NASTY aptasia outbreak that I cannot seem to keep under control...I had a Klein's Butterfly that wiped it out - but then he started to eat the other corals so he had to go...then the aptasia came back with a vengence. Long story, but the question is - do I start from scratch or move over the rock and coral knowing I'm immediately introducing apatisa into the new tank? What would you do?

 

[Sean Clark]

If Aiptasia is a problem for you then I would say start fresh. Otherwise plan on managing the Aiptasia.

 

[adittam]

Honestly, I feel like it's dang near impossible to remain completely aiptasia-free in this hobby if you ever buy or trade frags from anyone other than big-name (expensive) coral shops or QT all of your coral for a couple months before putting it in your DT. For that reason, I've just resigned myself to managing aiptasia, and would bring all of the old rock and coral with me into the new tank, which is exactly what I did when I upgraded from a 46 gallon to 80 gallon tank recently.

 

[RaisingKane]

I have tried everything to get rid of these nightmare pests. Well - everything except the majano wand...

 

[adittam]

I have tried everything to get rid of these nightmare pests. Well - everything except the majano wand...

Berghia nudibranch?

 

[RaisingKane]

Honestly, I feel like it's dang near impossible to remain completely aiptasia-free in this hobby if you ever buy or trade frags from anyone other than big-name (expensive) coral shops or QT all of your coral for a couple months before putting it in your DT. For that reason, I've just resigned myself to managing aiptasia, and would bring all of the old rock and coral with me into the new tank, which is exactly what I did when I upgraded from a 46 gallon to 80 gallon tank recently.

That is what I am thinking. If I have to get another Klein and maybe lose some coral - I would be losing it all anyway if I started from scratch.

 

[RaisingKane]

Berghia nudibranch?

YES! I bought 6 of them and I think the apatasia ate them. LOL I tried the peppermint shrimp as well and came home to them all dead stuck in an apatasia. The only thing that really worked was that Klein, but then it goes after the other corals once the aptasias are gone.

 

[Sean Clark]

From what I understand the majano wand is really good at spreading Aiptasia all over.

 

[ReeferSamster]

Honestly, I feel like it's dang near impossible to remain completely aiptasia-free in this hobby if you ever buy or trade frags from anyone other than big-name (expensive) coral shops or QT all of your coral for a couple months before putting it in your DT.

I concur. And this is why if you find a reefsafe copperband butterfly and give him blackworms, he will keep the population under control.

Baby aiptasia will always be lurking in tiny crevices in the recesses of rock where you can't see them. But managing the ones out in the front next to coral and view is the best we can do.

I would not start all over. It would be a waste of time, because unless you are very very strict on vendors and QT for weeks, aiptasia will eventually show up.

At least thats my experience in this hobby. I don't QT for weeks at a time with a magnifying glass, and I like having multiple sources for my corals fish. Maybe someone with a much stricter regimen might get away with it for longer.

In my opinion, aiptasia is something to be controlled, just like algae. There will always be spores of algae in any reeftank. Its up to your husbandry and proper balancing organisms that prey on the problematic aiptasia (or algae), that help you manage to keep the situation from becoming plague like proportions.

 

[adittam]

YES! I bought 6 of them and I think the apatasia ate them. LOL I tried the peppermint shrimp as well and came home to them all dead stuck in an apatasia. The only thing that really worked was that Klein, but then it goes after the other corals once the aptasias are gone.

LOL. Pretty sure the aiptasia won't eat them, but wrasses or peppermint shrimp will.

 

[Sean Clark]

 

[adittam]

My copperband butterfly is an aiptasia-eating machine, and they're the most reef-safe of all butterflies. That said, do your research before buying one, because they can be very difficult to get eating frozen food.

 

[ApoIsland]

I will be upgrading my 3YR old established JBJ 45 to a Waterbox 130.4 in the next couple of weeks. I know I shouldn't take any sand over...but the rocks! I have quite a bit of coral but a NASTY aptasia outbreak that I cannot seem to keep under control...I had a Klein's Butterfly that wiped it out - but then he started to eat the other corals so he had to go...then the aptasia came back with a vengence. Long story, but the question is - do I start from scratch or move over the rock and coral knowing I'm immediately introducing apatisa into the new tank? What would you do?

I don't think you will ever be aiptasia free so I would not waste the time and money getting new rock. I have a copper banded butterfly in the display and a peppermint shrimp in the sump that keep them eaten back.

If your peppermints died within a day it's probably something with your acclimation killing them and not the aiptasia. They were just the lucky recipient of the carcass floating over.

 

[Danroo]

If you have huge aiptasia close their mouth with super glue or aiptasia x. You can introduce nudibranch for the smaller one.

 

[RaisingKane]

I don't think you will ever be aiptasia free so I would not waste the time and money getting new rock. I have a copper banded butterfly in the display and a peppermint shrimp in the sump that keep them eaten back.

If your peppermints died within a day it's probably something with your acclimation killing them and not the aiptasia. They were just the lucky recipient of the carcass floating over.

Totally - It was just a sight when we saw the shrimps in the aptasia when they were supposed to be eat them. I acclimated them a really long time so not sure what happened there, but I did something wrong for sure.

 

[Mjl714]

In my case, my first try with peppermints was trouble, they eventually went after acans, but this second try I made sure to get lysmata wurdemanni worked, while it took months they have cleaned up and so far (just over a year) leave the corals alone. Now i have wrasses and a hawkfish, so the shrimps are only out and active at night.

Goodluck with your upgrade.

 

[RaisingKane]

In my case, my first try with peppermints was trouble, they eventually went after acans, but this second try I made sure to get lysmata wurdemanni worked, while it took months they have cleaned up and so far (just over a year) leave the corals alone. Now i have wrasses and a hawkfish, so the shrimps are only out and active at night.

Goodluck with your upgrade.

Thank you! I am very excited. You know how it goes - always wanting bigger and this is about the biggest I can fit so I will have to be happy with it until the kiddo moves out and then FISH ROOM!

 

[ReefGeezer]

I would love a chance to start over with 100% new live rock that I prepared prior to putting it in a brand spankin' new tank! I got some live rock from KP Aquatics about a year ago. They sent some really good rock.