Aiptasia question

[duke62]

So since adding my copperband a year ago i havent seen 1 aiptasia in my tank but tonight i decided to look in the overflow for some reason and HOLY SH!7 they are all over. it actually looks like a mat of algae but its not. what should i do to get rid of them in the overflow? i was thinking of using a algae scraper and scraping the overflow hard for like 5 minutes then syphoning out the remainder of water that is left since i will shut the return pump off but i know they will still be some left over since i will be doing it blindly. anone got some suggestions on how to remove all of them?

 

[jaa1456]

Once you scrape them, they will release spores and multiply again. The only way I know how to get rid of them 100% is to start with all dry rock and clean equipment. Unless you get lucky and get some pest free rock.

 

[duke62]

haha . read my post again there in my overflow

 

[Jaftica]

duke, can you isolate the overflow..then do like you said, scrape them off the walls, and vacuum them out with a shopvac. can you remove the plumbing back there?..if so remove and clean it as well, then rinse and do it again.

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

Throw the copperband in there lol or a few berghias

 

[saltwaterinbrooklyn]

Scrape em and it's like wetting a gremlin !!!! This I promise you!!

 

[jaa1456]

haha . read my post again there in my overflow

Yea i read your post read mine again. Your overflow is part of your tank, you will never get rid of them all the way.

 

[lnevo]

Maybe you can zap em with a Mojano wand?

 

[duke62]

i ahve no aiptasia in the tank they are isolated in the overflow. im not going to rip apart a 3 year old tank and restock it with new rock. i havent seen a aiptasia in the tank in 10 months. i know scraping them will release spores but they are isolated so if i scrape remove the water,fill the over flow again and scrape remove the water fill again and just remove the water fill up and remove water like 4 times the spores should be all sucked out, that is my theory. i was also thinking of putting like 5ml of alk in there letting it sit for an hour to raise alk to 20 then removing the water. its risky but i dont think any water will drain into the fuge .wondering if high alk will kill them

 

[duke62]

i can add a small container at the drain just in case the water goes through

 

[Jaftica]

i ahve no aiptasia in the tank they are isolated in the overflow. im not going to rip apart a 3 year old tank and restock it with new rock. i havent seen a aiptasia in the tank in 10 months. i know scraping them will release spores but they are isolated so if i scrape remove the water,fill the over flow again and scrape remove the water fill again and just remove the water fill up and remove water like 4 times the spores should be all sucked out, that is my theory. i was also thinking of putting like 5ml of alk in there letting it sit for an hour to raise alk to 20 then removing the water. its risky but i dont think any water will drain into the fuge .wondering if high alk will kill them

that should work great...when your done spray the walls with some kalk, then flush the overflow out, and repeat.

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

i ahve no aiptasia in the tank they are isolated in the overflow. im not going to rip apart a 3 year old tank and restock it with new rock. i havent seen a aiptasia in the tank in 10 months. i know scraping them will release spores but they are isolated so if i scrape remove the water,fill the over flow again and scrape remove the water fill again and just remove the water fill up and remove water like 4 times the spores should be all sucked out, that is my theory. i was also thinking of putting like 5ml of alk in there letting it sit for an hour to raise alk to 20 then removing the water. its risky but i dont think any water will drain into the fuge .wondering if high alk will kill them

wrong..there is slits in the bottom of the overflow as well,no? They will release into the tank also. Just throw a aiptasia eating fish in there or soem berghias..they will have no predators since the overflow is isolated and they will eat them up. Maybe just throw 1 in there and it will keep them under control

 

[duke62]

i sucked the water out of my over flow before when i had to fix a leak in my drain. it stays empty so no slits

 

[Weicowireman]

The overflow is designed fill up the first chamber and once that fills then it flows into the overflow section. You can have a full tank with no water in the overflow. That is how I water tested my 150.

 

[Weicowireman]

Wont that act as the same way as a algae scrubber but for aptasia.

 

[shmibly]

What if you drained the overflow and filled it with FW? I assume no ocean living creature can live without salt?

 

[duke62]

oooo that may be a plan why didnt i think of that

 

[tangy84]

Why don't u empty it and let it dry for a day or so, keep the circulation running in the tank and put a powerhead in the sump

 

[duke62]

aiptasia can handle a day even a week without water

 

[Weicowireman]

Impressive