How to QT LR with Hair Algae & Anemonia Majano

charleskeller · #1 12/10/2007, 10:05 PM

I just inherited some live rock from my brothers tank he tore down and it has hair algae and a few anemonia majano. To deal with the algae I have scrubbed it most of the way off. As for the majanos I picked off most (without ripping them to shreds to create more) but I still need to treat with Kalkwasser to finish them off.

I have this rock in a 20L and plan to plumb it into my main system as a propogation tank.

Could these nuisances spread into the display tank if I plumb it in now? If so how long should I wait to hook it into the system?

FOSELONE · #2 12/10/2007, 10:09 PM

id let them dry out...im sure theyd end up in your display...

charleskeller · #3 12/10/2007, 10:42 PM

I forgot to mention. There is a toadstool witha majano on the same rock. I'll have to treat it with the Kalkwasser and hope for the best I guess.

AquaReeferMan · #4 12/10/2007, 10:43 PM

Put the rock in a bucket with a powerhead and a lid. Keep it in darkness. Both of those are photosynthetic. A month or so in the dark should kill them off completely.

AquaReeferMan · #5 12/10/2007, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by charleskeller
I forgot to mention. There is a toadstool witha majano on the same rock. I'll have to treat it with the Kalkwasser and hope for the best I guess.

Well nevermind then. The toadstool needs light.

bertoni · #6 12/10/2007, 11:34 PM

I'd kill the majano with vinegar or kalk paste, and work from there. I haven't had much trouble getting rid of hair algae, so I'd probably just rip off what was easy to reach and not worry about the rest. Other people have had more trouble, though. You could try a kalk paste for the hair algae, too.

The kalk paste treatment will spike the tank's pH, calcium, and alkalinity, so you might want to treat the rock outside the tank, rinse it with some tank water, and then put it back into the system. Then top off with some fresh saltwater.

WarrenAmy&Maddy · #7 12/11/2007, 10:09 AM

whatever you decide to do
might want be sure you read up/understand about majanos... they are a pest that is very difficult to get rid of and have read of veteran reefers who have had to dismantle their tanks bec these pests took over...

actually here is a link w/ pics
this is the third page of the thread but there are better pics on the second page it you're interested in seeing them

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=3

aquareeferman may have given you good advice
its the first have heard about doing that re darkness
for a month...

had majanos that thought got rid of once...
then they cleverly blended in w/ my zoanthids for mos before realizing they were majanos... removed about 40# LR and bleached it then sun dried to insure the majanos were gone and to try and eliminate the spread to the rest of the LR in system (since put back in)... may be extreme but considering there is over 200# LR in system - it wasnt worth it to me to chance and the (((demoralizing))) thought of these pests tanking over/infesting the rest of the tank (time and money out door!) - just simply not something i was interested in dealing with.

good luck w/ whatever you decide to do!

regards

HDFATB · #8 12/11/2007, 11:03 AM

If you don't mind how do you make and treat with Kalk paste.

charleskeller · #9 12/11/2007, 06:32 PM

Kalk paste - I've yet to get to that part of the research...somebody else what to answer that one?

After seeing some of the horror pics WarrenAmy&Maddy linked to I'm thinking a good bleaching/drying is the best way to go. I'm only going to use these rocks to propogate xenia and star polyps most likely. I'd hate to risk my main tank.

As far as the toadstool i may try to chip it off the main rock and separate it from the majano.

WarrenAmy&Maddy · #10 12/11/2007, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by charleskeller
Kalk paste - I've yet to get to that part of the research...somebody else what to answer that one?

After seeing some of the horror pics WarrenAmy&Maddy linked to I'm thinking a good bleaching/drying is the best way to go. I'm only going to use these rocks to propogate xenia and star polyps most likely. I'd hate to risk my main tank.

As far as the toadstool i may try to chip it off the main rock and separate it from the majano.

sorry to rain on your parade re pics
i also threw out several colonies of zoanthids bec the majanos had gotten into them

after you bleach it
might stick it in some buckets water and use dechlorinator to get rid of the bleach mixed in w/ the liverock... some have said leaving it out in the sun gets rid of the bleach but i wouldnt trust that and still soak it in water w/ dechlorinator for few days - or atleast that was what i did... actually let them sit in the dark in the freshwater for about a month before finally putting it back in the system...

good luck w/ this and i hope you get them all removed!

regards

charleskeller · #11 12/11/2007, 07:33 PM

I forgot to mention. There is a toadstool witha majano on the same rock. I'll have to treat it with the Kalkwasser and hope for the best I guess.

charleskeller · #12 12/11/2007, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by charleskeller
I forgot to mention. There is a toadstool witha majano on the same rock. I'll have to treat it with the Kalkwasser and hope for the best I guess.

Not sure how that was reposted and dated for tomorrow???

Thanks for everybody's input but I think the safest bet it the bleach. If you can't beat it, kill it all.

The rock in soaking in bleach now...I'll rinse it out tomorrow and soak it again in water using declor. Will probably repeat the delcor again and let it sit to dry out.

I chipped the toad off of its main rock and am hoping for the best with the small piece of rock its attached to.

I'll be off to the hardware store this weekend to work on plumbing in the empty 20L to start my frags tank. I think I like building the tanks more than anything!