Adding new live rock question

hummer · #1 04-30-2009, 06:12 AM

Should I still cook it to kill off all the other stuff?
I've been looking through some threads and it looks like peppermint shrimps do a great job vs aptasia.

my2rotties · #2 04-30-2009, 04:06 PM

Can the rock be rinsed off with fresh water quickly? Would fresh water kill these things off? I know there would be some die off, but if it is not rinsed for very long would it help? I had some badly infested rock with scores of aiptasia on it, I did a quick rinse with tap water to kill it off. It never did come back, but I have over 400g of water in my system to deal with the die off from about 20 pounds of rock.

hummer · #3 04-30-2009, 05:31 PM

I don't think a quick rinse would kill them. They seem to be pretty strong. I wonder though if hot tap water would do it. Has anyone tried? Then just re-cure the rock.

my2rotties · #4 04-30-2009, 05:50 PM

When I took the rocks out, I used a turkey baster of boiling water on the affected areas... then rinsed the rock off in tap water. It was not cold but luke warm. I wanted to rinse the dissolved aiptasia off of the rocks. I did this about 12 weeks ago and nothing has returned to the rock. I have added peppermint shrimp and have a copperband butterfly so I think they eat the little ones if the start growing back. The big ones do not get eaten it seems and zapping them with hot water was a good thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hummer

I don't think a quick rinse would kill them. They seem to be pretty strong. I wonder though if hot tap water would do it. Has anyone tried? Then just re-cure the rock.

hummer · #5 05-01-2009, 03:43 AM

I just blasted the new rock with boiling water. Some aptasia fell off and some started dissolving. They seem to have retreated into the rock. I don't see as much as I did the first day. Boy does it ever stink. Found a 3" bristle worm too.

my2rotties · #6 05-01-2009, 03:53 AM

The smell is wonderful isn't it? I don't know how large your tank is to let it stay in the display without fouling up the water with any die off. If you can get some peppermint shrimp they work wonders, depending on what live in your tank already. Mine don't eat the larger aiptasia but I do not see anymore little guys at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hummer

I just blasted the new rock with boiling water. Some aptasia fell off and some started dissolving. They seem to have retreated into the rock. I don't see as much as I did the first day. Boy does it ever stink. Found a 3" bristle worm too.

hummer · #7 05-01-2009, 04:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by my2rotties

The smell is wonderful isn't it? I don't know how large your tank is to let it stay in the display without fouling up the water with any die off. If you can get some peppermint shrimp they work wonders, depending on what live in your tank already. Mine don't eat the larger aiptasia but I do not see anymore little guys at all.

I have a 90Gal. The new rock is not in my main tank. I put it in an old 77Gal I have laying around. I was going to rid the rock of aptasia first and cure it. Then add it to my main tank. Hope I'm doing it correctly.