Adding new live rock question

[hummer]

Hi,
Just got a bunch of live rock from another reefer. Has a lot of aptasia, some bubble algae and other stuff growing on it. My current tank has none of that stuff. Was wondering what's the best way of adding the rock to my tank? Stick them all in a bin for a few weeks with a heater until it all dies off?
Thanks for any advice.

[FitoPharmer]

doubt full that will kill it off if you really wanna be sure that stuff will never get in your tank you need to basically burn it off. and keep it out untill your sure it is not comming back. its amazing how long aptasia and other stuff can survive even just damp live rock. i got these stupid worms in my tank, they were on only a few pieces of LR to start and now they are all over my tank, they don't bother anything but they are very unappealing to the eye.

[Myka]

That won't kill it off, unless you do it for months and months and months. I would hit the aiptasia with Joe's Juice, manually remove as much of the bubble algae as possible. But honestly, after the battle with bubble algae I have had, I would never buy rock with valonia on it!!! :eek:

[hummer]

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]

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]

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]

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.

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]

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]

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 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]

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.

[hummer]

Just got back from Edmonton today. Went to some fish stores there. One guy told me to just leave the rock out and let it dry completely for a few months. This will turn it into base rock. Any thoughts on this approach?

[my2rotties]

My knowledge is not that big with this... however if it were my rock, I would rather wash it under super hot water and let it cure. It defeats the entire point of having live rock if you let it dry. I would also be worried that once it is in water again, perhaps the bubble algae and aiptasia had spores or something of the sort, come back to life in water...

Don't take my word for it, but it is just how I think...