Aiptasia Ever Good?

[Tangster]

[quote=omard;396560]What keeps them from spreading from refugium to main tank? --- Seems like they would in time.

My refugium is set up apart and separate from the sump.. Another reason they should not be one in side the other..
I have my fuge set up with the feed /supply from main pump and then on the outlet from fuge to sump . I drilled the Bulkhead about 3 inches under the top rim of the 20.High then I added a 1 in 90. then a stub just tall enough to set at finale fuge water level.
That stub is drilled with 1/8 th in. bit to look like a sieve and thats the main drain strainer then the top of that I. inch stud serves as a overflow drain in-case I ever forget to wipe that drilled stub out every week or so. But I have never had them in my main tank. And the flow rate through the refugium is less then 20 GPH so nothing much could really push them through.

[dragonflylures]

It will be interesting to see what happens with your experiment reefer. I like that we're kind of all doing research whether we know it or not sometimes. I also was wondering what the big deal is on aiptasia as I have one -- well last night I thought while I'm digging in the tank I'll just pull it out.
Yeah --- not as easy as it looks because it didn't work. They just slink into nothing and are ungrabbable if thats a word. I have 5 peppermint shrimp coming in so maybe they'll take care of the one, although it doesnt bother me if it's just that one and stays put. Big if there.

[jaidexl]

I've had two aips of different species in my tank, one for a year, it's the kind that looks like a spider sitting in it's hole. The other I believe is referred to as a flower anemone and has little 'discs' down it's tentacles like an octopus, looks pretty cool IMO, and has chosen a spot away from anything else, it's been in the tank for at least 6mo. Neither has reproduced...yet, nor have the grown any bigger than a dime in diameter. I don't purposely keep them around but I'm not jumping up to kill them anytime soon.

[Tangster]

Originally Posted by dragonflylures

It will be interesting to see what happens with your experiment reefer. I like that we're kind of all doing research whether we know it or not sometimes. I also was wondering what the big deal is on aiptasia as I have one -- well last night I thought while I'm digging in the tank I'll just pull it out.
Yeah --- not as easy as it looks because it didn't work. They just slink into nothing and are ungrabbable if thats a word. I have 5 peppermint shrimp coming in so maybe they'll take care of the one, although it doesnt bother me if it's just that one and stays put. Big if there.

Every piece that breaks off will become a new pest! You can cut pull or yank them you have to kill them on the spot.

[geekdafied]

Originally Posted by coral reefer

As Tangster put it nicely...They make wonderful and highly efficient filter feeders! Housed in a refugium or sump is a great way to diversify your biological filtration. I have them in my refugium and even have them in my 30 gallon hex tank with soft corals.

I have even taken this one step further as an experiment! I recently removed my Remora Skimmer from that tank to see what ramifications would be evident without the skimmer being part of the equation.
To my surprise, I really HAVE NOT witnessed any dramatic detrimental consequences as a result of pulling the skimmer. The skimmer has been removed for over three months now!
I have a Niger Trigger, Clown, Six-line Wrasse and an Azure Damsel fish with two peppermint shrimp and a brittle star and snails. I have aiptasia anemones in the tank with various mushrooms. zoos and leathers with anthelia as well!!!!!
I will keep you posted as to possibly negative, or positive implications!

If you have a light bioload, you really dont need a skimmer, and if you do weekly water changes, you really dont need one.


Ive seen where people had aiptasia in there overflows and sumps, the trick is to have a good UV sterilizer to prevent them from getting back into the tank.