Need suggestions for adding LR without the unwanted pests

[jlinzmaier]

Hello everyone.

I'm doing the aquascaping on my 420 gal DT with dried pukani rock. After it cycles for several weeks, I'd like to add some top quality LR and some live sand to provide some diversity of life. I don't want to add any unwanted pests that aren't safe for a reef tank - flatworms's, harmful snails or crabs, aptasia, mojanos, etc...

Anyone have suggestions on how I can preserve the good reef safe critters, sponges, pods, stars, worms, etc.. while preventing the addition of any unwanted critters??

I could do freshwater dips, iodine dips, revive dips, or other common treatments, but that would also be detrimental to the animal life I'm trying to add in the first place. I could QT the rock but it would be pretty hard to rule out the hundreds of unwanted pests by simple observation.

Any ideas would be very much appreciated!!

Jeremy

[thegrun]

Put your live rock in a quarantine tank for 6 weeks before you put it into the DT. Any unwanted hitchhikers should be apparent after six weeks.

[Chiefsurfer]

^that's a LOT of watching, capturing, watching, capturing and watching some more. However, that does seem like the ONLY way to try this.

I have heard hyper-salinity will make most crabs, pistols, and mantis jump right off the rock. I did it with a number of rocks, and could still see the living moving crabs in the rock immediately upon re-introduction to the tank. QT is the only way to be sure. Chances are, you will STILL get unwanted stuff. Only other thing you could try is get some good LR, and taking a BIG chisel to it repeatedly. Critters will come out, and you can break off any of the beneficials to put in the tank. This still doesn't guarantee pest-free.

[Jhutto]

Even with that you may not get everything but is should work for most critters.

[jlinzmaier]

I think I'll likely do a freshwater dip to draw out any crabs or mantis shrimp then watch it in QT for several weeks. I think that is likely the safest way to do it without killing off everyting benficial that I'm trying to add.

Thanks for the replies everyone!!

Jeremy

[Flavordsm]

Wouldn't doing a freshwater dip turn live rock into not so live just wet rock? Just curious. I've never added live rock because of the same problem you are faced with. Just dry rock and seeded with live sand. I think the stuff you mentioned wanting to keep can't handle fresh water, or at least that is what I have been under the impression of this whole time? I'm interested in knowing what to do in case down the road when I upgrade I want some live rock.

[undrtkr_00]

You'd probably be better off getting a small amount of LR from somebody you know who's had a tank up and running for a while with no pests. :hmm4:

[jlinzmaier]

Wouldn't doing a freshwater dip turn live rock into not so live just wet rock? Just curious. I've never added live rock because of the same problem you are faced with. Just dry rock and seeded with live sand. I think the stuff you mentioned wanting to keep can't handle fresh water, or at least that is what I have been under the impression of this whole time? I'm interested in knowing what to do in case down the road when I upgrade I want some live rock.

If there are shrimp and crabs in the crevices of the rock, the freshwater will make them do their best to escape the FW. They'll then evacuate the crevices and crawl into the open where they can be caught and removed. A 5-10 min FW dip will get the crabs and shrimp to evacuate, but not harsh enough to kill off the majority of the good animals encrusted on the rock.

You'd probably be better off getting a small amount of LR from somebody you know who's had a tank up and running for a while with no pests. :hmm4:

I've thought about that but most of my friends have some sort of little unwanted creatures or simply don't have much rock to spare. Unfortunately all those little creatures that don't seem to bother anything in anyone elses tank seem to raise hell in my tank. I have a fair amount of live rock in my current 180 but I've been noticing more and more aptasia and mojanos. I'd also like to get more diversity from some really nice deep water cultured Florida rock. The Florida rock can get shipped overnight which will prevent a lot of die off that is typically seen when ordering LR from the Pacific.

Jeremy

[jlinzmaier]

Anyone have any experience with GARF grunge??

The marketing makes this stuff sound pretty good and I just sent Leroy an e-mail asking how I can be sure it won't contain any unwanted animals.

Jeremy

[mikedelgado]

you'd probably be better off getting a small amount of lr from somebody you know who's had a tank up and running for a while with no pests. :hmm4:

+1

[Mathews Z7]

Anyone have any experience with GARF grunge??

The marketing makes this stuff sound pretty good and I just sent Leroy an e-mail asking how I can be sure it won't contain any unwanted animals.

Jeremy


It's excellent but pricey. you won't see the benefits overnight.........well it'll take 3 or 4 days for the tank to clear after adding it..........but in a few months you'll find all sorts of life popping up. i added 20 lbs to a 180g tank with over 400 lbs of dry base rock and within 6 months it was some of the best looking rock out there with tons of funa life.

[jlinzmaier]

It's excellent but pricey. you won't see the benefits overnight.........well it'll take 3 or 4 days for the tank to clear after adding it..........but in a few months you'll find all sorts of life popping up. i added 20 lbs to a 180g tank with over 400 lbs of dry base rock and within 6 months it was some of the best looking rock out there with tons of funa life.

Thanks for chiming in. It is expensive, but it sounds like there is a great diversity of fauna that it adds. Adding 20 or 30#'s is still probably cheaper than buying some high quality LR or live sand. I'm curious to hear what Leroy responds back with in regards to the risk of unwanted fauna like FW's, unwanted snails, etc....

Jeremy

[BigRedSpecial]

Sounds interesting... does GARF ship to Canada by any chance?

[jlinzmaier]

Sounds interesting... does GARF ship to Canada by any chance?

I'm sure they do. Send Leroy an e-mail and I'm sure he can give you details.

http://www.garf.org/index.shtml


Jeremy

[BigRedSpecial]

Thanks, I'll check it out!

Back to your thread though... personally, I'd go for hypersalinity before fw, due to fear that a fw dip could potentially kill desirable inverts.