Aptaisia and water parameters

[iseeweed]

A friend of mine has a huge Aptaisia outbreak. The tank is 125g, deep sand bed, lots of rock, big t-5 fixture, refugium w/cheato. I took a water sample and testedsalifert)

1.024
CA-550
DKH-14
MG-1250
PO4-.5!

My first thought was the CA and Dkh way too high! Then I tested for PO4, and found .5ppm! The directions stated .1 is critical.
I guess my suggestion to him is going to be massive water changes, possible phosban reactor and lighten up on the feeding-I think they feed the coral and fish way too much.
Any suggestions????
Do you think the water parameters are adding the the Aptaisia issues?
FWIW-they grow the heck out of hammer coral, so this may be some great parameters for hammers :?

 

[Anonymous]

Actually, the aiptasia is probably keeping his nutrients low. Some people recommend using them instead of macro algae...

I'd want to know a few things first to try and work out why they had taken off - how much does he feed the tank? How good is his flow?

In terms of control, he could get hold of a Berghia nudibranch or a few peppermint shrimp. Sounds like he has enough food to keep them going...

 

[SnowManSnow]

peppermint shirmp.

I added 6 to my 125g reef and as of now I can't find a single aipstia anywhere. i can't spek to the nudibranches, but I do know the shrimp worked for me. imo purchase more than a few, since some wont touch the things.

the aipstias aren't there because of a problem in your water parameters, as a matter of fact they will thrive under perfect water conditions, just like most any other anemone. Water changes would probably be good for your tank, but they will just make the aipstias happier They are there because one probably came n on a LR or a frag and multiplied DONT pull them off, scrape, or anything mechanical like that. they must be consumed or poisoned. Joe's Juice works great for that, but you have to hit each one of them.

they are very difficult to get a handle on once they reach plague lvls, but like i say half a dozen peppermint shrimp and about a week completely took care of mine.

 

[livingstone]

Do your peppermint shrimp now eat what you provide for the tank?

 

[Anonymous]

I added one to my 125 and over the last two months that one pep ate all of the aiptasia. I assume it eats scraps now.

 

[iseeweed]

Thanks everyone, I will let him know!! Sounds like pepperment shrimp will do the job.

 

[Ben1]

I find peps work great on small aiptasias but don't do much for the full grown ones. I prefer hitting all the larger ones with kalkpaste and then using peps to clean up the small ones and prevent new ones from coming up.