Aiptasia Overflow

[born]

Has anyone ever read up more thoroughly on aiptasia in an overflow box?

I read a forum topic on this guys tank who has encouraged aiptasia in his overflow so that the aiptasia could possibly use up excess nutrients and be a more biological filter. Also the excess food that gets sent straight to the overflow box, they eat up so less nitrates are in the tank.

I'm currently attempting this in my 125G reef tank. I noticed a couple aiptasias in my overflow and decided not to kill them after reading this guys thread. I did have about 3 or 4 aiptasia in my display but after destroying them I haven't seen any at all come back or any new ones. I've checked day and night in every spot I could and didn't see any new ones forming in the display. There is also aiptasia in my sump, but I don't think they're spreading from the overflow or sump into the display.
As of now there is hundreds of aiptasia in my overflow, ranging from a cm to 2 inches long.

A member in the forum said that says,
"Intresting thought, but is there an litreture as to that they require to grow and nutrients they do use, as i can imaginge that these would useing mag, dkh to grow and would be more of a strain on these elements and that would far out weight benifts of nitrate or phos reduction that will occour if any at all?

So does anyone have any further info or experience on the topic? Just wondering if this could benefit my tank, or if I'm digging my system into a hole that'll screw me over later on.
The thread is from, http://www.reefersparadise.com/smf/index.php?topic=1296.0

[Red Coral Aquariums]

I'm not sure how you would keep the aptasia spores out of your display. I think I would trust chaeto more.
Kevin

[Funky_Fish14]

I've actually heard of this several years back. I think the principle is the same as xenia/anthelia in a refugium... the stuff still has to grow and use nutrients just like algae would. I dont know if it would take it up as effectively as macro would though.

[born]

Ya macro is probably the better choice. But I thought it was a cool new technique that I haven't seen done really

[Lampshade]

I"ve noticed my overflows are swimming with pods, was thinking of adding some rubble in there to promote it more, but never thought of cheato, i think it'd just be a drain clog waiting to happen. Mines a pain as is growing into the sump's weirs, i could only imagine a turbulent overflow with all the water feeding into a small opening.

[Reverend]

after reading about all these things a couple years ago i've experimented with several (cryptic zones, xenia, aiptasia, sponges, remote DSB). truth is, i really don't think you get as much bang for your buck as macro algae, particularly the cheato variety.

that being said, since i set up a display refugium (i sectioned off my sump so that the front viewing area is the reverse photoperiod fuge an the back 2 sections are where i have skimmer reactors heater etc) i still have some of these things set up.

i do grow pulsing xenia in the fuge section along with feather caulerpa, grape caulerpa, red dragons breath macroalgae, and halimeda. yeah, i know, the caulerpa isn't a good idea but it looks pretty and i keep an eye on it going sexual.

under the skimmer, i set up a cryptic zone, growing sponges, aiptasia and all things creepy in the dark crypt.

like i said, its hard to tell if any of these additional/experimental options help since they take awhile to establish but they're fun to set up, particularly when you start getting bored!

people do all sorts of weird things to their reef when they get bored (eg. the rice experiment as a biopellet alternative!).

so yeah, i would say if you're serious about wanting improved natural filtration, stick with the proven, simple, and elegant solution of rolling ball of cheatomorpha in a fuge. if you're looking for something a little experimental and a bit dangerous, try growing an aiptasia scrubber. personally, once you get a ball of cheato rolling in a fuge (which is a difficult feat on its own!), then maybe start experimenting with these alternative methods.

[Reverend]

and yes, after growing aiptasia purposefully, i now occasionally see the odd glass anemone in my display, likely from the spores spreading.

[born]

Does the cheato ever get sucked to the drain pipe and cause annoying problems though in the overflow?

[no_bs]

I do recall when we went to TomR's place, that is what he had in his overflows. He had said the same thing to us. Since then i have tried to maintain them to the sumps. It is prety easy keeping them out of the DT, a few pepermints do the job for me.