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Live rock question (1 Viewer)

guy9smiley2

guy9smiley2

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I have about 40 lbs of live rock in my 55 that's coming down (being neglected as I take care of my larger reef). I want to rock to add it to my frag tank but it's covered in aptasia. I hear of leaving it out in the sun, leaving it on dark, and the traditional vinegar bath which I have used to fight green heir algae. I know aptasia can be fierce and never dealt with it. What's my best option to go about with this process.
 
Take a 1 to 10 solution of muriatic acid to water, submerge rock into mixture, once it stops foaming, remove the rock. Rinse rock off in buckets of RO water, soak in RO water overnight. Dry rock in sun the next day.

Wear gloves and goggles while handling acid.
 
Aptasia can be solved a few ways without nuking the rock. Some of the LFS will let you put the rock in a butterfly tank or peppermint shrimp tank (or you can get these yourself) You can put the rocks in a dark tank with hob filter. It can not have any access to light or food, waste included. Eventually it will starve and die. 150 mw lasers work to kill them. Aptasia x will work. I'm sure I've missed a few...
 
I have a raccoon butterfly fish that loves aptasia. It has cleared the aptasia out of my tanks. I would let it go pretty cheap.....
 
I'm taking the Tank down and want to keep the Rick for my next build. There's literally hundreds of baby aptasia. And don't need a tank running for 1 fish and urchin so going to sell them off and save $ ok electrical bill while in the new build process

Briann. Thanks for the offer but the tank also has an algae breakout. It's just time to restart (changing tank size as well) need to find time to go get it etc... But thanks. On second thought how is he with corals and tangs? Might throw him in my big tank?

As far as muradic acid goes am I able to use a stronger dose and use vinegar? The rock won't be seeing water for months and have vinegar already. And to be quite honest seems a little "safer" option, also have experience with doing it.
 
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If the rock will be out of water for a few months, that will kill the aptasia. The fact you are also having an algae breakout leads me to think that maybe you should nuke the rock to get any trapped stuff out of it as well.

Vinegar will not work, even at full strength. Doing the Muriatic Acid is actually pretty safe if you are careful. They sell it at hardwares stores for use in pools.

No matter what you do, I'd plan to have a pair or two of peppermint shrimp in your tank. If you do ever get an aptasia on a coral frag or something, they will stop it from becoming an outbreak. I never run a tank without at least one. I had overflows full of aptasia in my old 130 gallon, but never saw one in the display tank thanks to these little buggers.
 
He is not good with corals but he is fine with tangs. They sold him to me as reef safe but i found that to be not true when he is bored he Will nip corals and even eat a rbta.
 
How much rock are you wanting to clean? I have some nudis that would be glad to clean it off for you.
 
I've tried Butterfly fish, nudis, and Aiptasia X. The best thing that works for me is pull a couple of rocks at a time and run them under HOT water. At the same time scrub off the Aiptasia with a tooth brush. Rinse and put back in the tank. Only do a couple at a time each week due to die off. Works like a charm.
 
If you are changing the tank over anyway, taking the rock out and washing with muriatic is the way to go.
 
There's about 40 lbs. but there's also what appears to be done Dino's on them as well I wouldn't want to infest your nudi tank but thanks for the offer. I will be doing the muradic acid as Ryan first mentioned and many have backed up. Thanks for the advice
 
Sounds like the rock is in pretty bad shape with more pest than just aptasia. So nuke the rock for a few minutes as described earlier.

If you have algae on the rock as well, don't leave it in longer trying to get it to dissolve as you will end up dissolving too much of your rock in the meantime. If after a few minutes is has stopped foaming, rinse in tap water then follow up with a 24 hour soak in bleach to remove the remaining algae. Rinse in tap and let it dry out in the sun for a few days.
 
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