Sure. And they eat other coral.
Filefish are the closest to reef safe, they generally only eat soft corals with tendrils.
Rygh's 250 gallon - rev.2
- Thread starter rygh
- Start date
Filefish are the closest to reef safe, they generally only eat soft corals with tendrils.
sfsuphysics
Supporting Member
Yeah that's pretty bad, the zoas I'd just toss that rock there's no way you should risk anything by bleaching it, you may be able to save some zoas, but is it worth it? Big pavona(?) with them under... I think you really just need to go brutal and cut off anything that's infected and toss it.
That's a pretty brutal infestation, forget that "make sure to have a battery backup" PSA thread, this one is better make sure you don't let this get out of control, chop and toss when you see aiptasia/majano anemones, don't think you can win with peppermint shrimp, butterfly fish, zappy wands, chemical goo, just physically remove them from your system at all costs.
That's a pretty brutal infestation, forget that "make sure to have a battery backup" PSA thread, this one is better make sure you don't let this get out of control, chop and toss when you see aiptasia/majano anemones, don't think you can win with peppermint shrimp, butterfly fish, zappy wands, chemical goo, just physically remove them from your system at all costs.
Since I am spending the effort, maybe a slightly different plan...
I have always wanted Butterfly fish, Angles, maybe a Trigger.
All those wonderful non reef safe fish.
So in the back of my mind, I have long been thinking of a 2-tank system.
Current 240G would become a fish-only tank. (FOWLR)
Add a new tank on the other wall for coral. Probably 120G, 4x2x2
Still all one system, so on the same garage sump.
There is always the wife-acceptance-factor, so I need to work on that first.
I have always wanted Butterfly fish, Angles, maybe a Trigger.
All those wonderful non reef safe fish.
So in the back of my mind, I have long been thinking of a 2-tank system.
Current 240G would become a fish-only tank. (FOWLR)
Add a new tank on the other wall for coral. Probably 120G, 4x2x2
Still all one system, so on the same garage sump.
There is always the wife-acceptance-factor, so I need to work on that first.
sfsuphysics
Supporting Member
I was with you on your idea right up until this point.
"Life will find a way" if they're on the same system, expect your outbreak in the other system as well. 2 tanks is fine, but separate water, think of it like quarantine for the "good tank".
I was still planning to tear things down and restart.
Totally agree, it would quickly spread.
Except they will never be 100% gone. They hide in crevices, plumbing, sump, and so on.
Although like Aptasia, just 1 or 2 is not that big of a deal. I lived with a few for years.
It was only when they hit some sort of critical mass that they really got out of control.
Hmmm.
So the dual tank idea is not going so well with the wife-acceptance-factor.
Not really that surprised. Our family room is not huge, and it would start to take over.
I am having second thoughts also. Work keeps me very busy, so do I really have time for 2 tanks??
So maybe back to the original plan of "just" rebooting current tank.
Not really that surprised. Our family room is not huge, and it would start to take over.
I am having second thoughts also. Work keeps me very busy, so do I really have time for 2 tanks??
So maybe back to the original plan of "just" rebooting current tank.
The (disturbingly long) plan:
## DRAW UP LONG TERM PLAN
Plan for fish?
Plan for coral?
This needs to be done before I start fragging/selling/removing things.
## TO BUY:
Interex kiddie pool, 6', 240G, $35
Extra heaters
Ammonia detectors
Ammonia chems/absorbent
## SET UP TEMPORARY CORAL FRAG TANK
Use current 25G QT tank.
Use good LED lights from DT
Current QT bio filter should be fine.
## SET UP TEMPORARY FISH TANK
Get new tank. Make space in garage. Lay down pool bubble cover.
Use old skimmer
Use leftover silica sand from old sandbox. Have lots.
Use old T5 light, or maybe light from DT.
Build screen top.
Set up old algae scrubber. Great for Ammonia + O2.
## SELL/GIVE AWAY SOME FISH + CORAL
Depends on the exact future plan, but likely find a home for:
Tuskfish
Cuban hogfish
Bicolor Angel
Any corals that are not infested
## CYCLE NEW TANKS
Dr Tim + Wait
Both new tanks need to cycle.
--- WAIT FOR CYCLE --
## MOVE CORAL / NEMS
Make small frags of key corals.
Put them in new coral tank.
Move water exchange system to temp coral tank.
Move Kalk reactor output to temp coral tank
Put 2 clownfish in the coral tank, with nems.
## MOVE FISH
These go in kiddie pool
Best if this is done slowly. Perhaps one every couple days.
Allows bio filter to adapt.
## EMPTY OLD TANKS
Drain old salt water.
Remove rocks and sand.
Clean as well as possible.
Let it dry out. Hopefully minimal stink.
## FIX THINGS
Hire someone to buff out scratched??
Larger overflows??
## STERILIZE OLD TANKS
Fill with tap water + chlorine.
Run pumps, etc. Clean it out really well.
## NEW "REEF" BOTTOM
Plastic acrylic/starboard + rubble + Aragopoxy.
No more sand, but not a mirror flat bottom either.
Should look like reef rock bottom.
## STERILIZE CURRENT FANCY ROCK STRUCTURES
* Yes, be VERY careful on this step. Dangerous.
Tap water + chlorine. To sterilize.
Tap water + acid. To remove crud.
Power Wash
Change rock structure bases, to work on non-flat reef bottom.
## SET UP OLD TANK
Add rocks, salt water, etc.
Cycle.
--- WAIT FOR CYCLE --
## TRANSFER
Move fish and coral back. SLOWLY
## DRAW UP LONG TERM PLAN
Plan for fish?
Plan for coral?
This needs to be done before I start fragging/selling/removing things.
## TO BUY:
Interex kiddie pool, 6', 240G, $35
Extra heaters
Ammonia detectors
Ammonia chems/absorbent
## SET UP TEMPORARY CORAL FRAG TANK
Use current 25G QT tank.
Use good LED lights from DT
Current QT bio filter should be fine.
## SET UP TEMPORARY FISH TANK
Get new tank. Make space in garage. Lay down pool bubble cover.
Use old skimmer
Use leftover silica sand from old sandbox. Have lots.
Use old T5 light, or maybe light from DT.
Build screen top.
Set up old algae scrubber. Great for Ammonia + O2.
## SELL/GIVE AWAY SOME FISH + CORAL
Depends on the exact future plan, but likely find a home for:
Tuskfish
Cuban hogfish
Bicolor Angel
Any corals that are not infested
## CYCLE NEW TANKS
Dr Tim + Wait
Both new tanks need to cycle.
--- WAIT FOR CYCLE --
## MOVE CORAL / NEMS
Make small frags of key corals.
Put them in new coral tank.
Move water exchange system to temp coral tank.
Move Kalk reactor output to temp coral tank
Put 2 clownfish in the coral tank, with nems.
## MOVE FISH
These go in kiddie pool
Best if this is done slowly. Perhaps one every couple days.
Allows bio filter to adapt.
## EMPTY OLD TANKS
Drain old salt water.
Remove rocks and sand.
Clean as well as possible.
Let it dry out. Hopefully minimal stink.
## FIX THINGS
Hire someone to buff out scratched??
Larger overflows??
## STERILIZE OLD TANKS
Fill with tap water + chlorine.
Run pumps, etc. Clean it out really well.
## NEW "REEF" BOTTOM
Plastic acrylic/starboard + rubble + Aragopoxy.
No more sand, but not a mirror flat bottom either.
Should look like reef rock bottom.
## STERILIZE CURRENT FANCY ROCK STRUCTURES
* Yes, be VERY careful on this step. Dangerous.
Tap water + chlorine. To sterilize.
Tap water + acid. To remove crud.
Power Wash
Change rock structure bases, to work on non-flat reef bottom.
## SET UP OLD TANK
Add rocks, salt water, etc.
Cycle.
--- WAIT FOR CYCLE --
## TRANSFER
Move fish and coral back. SLOWLY
Man this is a major operation, the likes of which I have not seen. I have a large zeovit reactor you can borrow if you like. When I transferred all my fish into a new holding tank last year, I was worried about my newly cycled bacterial filter being able to handle the large volume of fish. You can dump in 4-5 zeolite bags in this reactor and it soaks up a bunch of ammonia directly. Then you can remove the stones (or reduce inflow) to grow your bio filter to accommodate. It was nice backup to have. Also had some Purigen in filter bags ready to go.
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Big task, but also a lot of detail in the list, which makes it seem worse than it may be.
Far easier than setting up a large tank from scratch.
Good idea on the zeovit reactor.
I was thinking of purigen, but that might be better.
I think I have an old phosphate reactor around somewhere, but if not, I might hit you up to borrow yours.
Coral reefer
Past President
Let me know how I can help. Not buffing out your scratches tho...
Yes, it does change the plan.
The babies won't really survive, but I don't have the heart to mess it up on purpose.
Plus, it is fun watching the dad take care of them.
I am surprised the eggs are so out in the open. Especially with two pretty good sized carnivores in the tank.
sfsuphysics
Supporting Member
Be careful about using kiddie pools I have heard some horror stories. Not sure if they were pool related or very quickly doing things related though.
Yes, that is a bit of a worry.
Main concerns:
1) Leaking.
But this short term, and I can be careful.
2) Algae and Mold inhibitors in the PVC.
I doubt cheap ones will bother. Plus I am not using it for coral, so should be ok for fish.
But the alternative is some big stock tank, which I then have to get rid of later.
I guess I could ask around though.