how long for LR to safely become dead?

[Kristy]

Hello to all,

We have pulled a couple of pieces of LR from our tank over the past few months that had large aptasias growing on them. Pulled them out and just set them on the sunny window sill. One piece has been out for just over three months, the other for almost a month. The newer piece that we pulled was covered in coraline algae and still maintains some of its purple after all this time.

To re-introduce these rocks in our system, do we need to cook them to prevent die off or has enough time elapsed that they are safe? I would assume that they are completely dead by now, but with the one still being purple, does that indicate otherwise?

[LoneStar]

The coraline algea is dead, even though it still looks purple. I don't think you have to go through a 'cooking' process. What you can do is the next time you do a water change, use that water to scrub the rock down. That will remove any dead matter from the rock.

One trick I stole from Brian is using a butane torch to kill off the aptasia. Works great!

[Kristy]

One trick I stole from Brian is using a butane torch to kill off the aptasia. Works great!

And so satisfying too!

Pulling the rock out is definitely not our preferred method of removal. Once was just convenience as we were walking out the door to a vacation and did not want the aptasias to spread any more while we were gone. The second time we pulled a rock out during a water change to remove the aptasia manually, then just forgot about it overnight!

[aquasport24]

I placed about 15 peppermint shrimps in the tank and 2 days later they all gone . I used to pour hot water with a teaspoon, and that's works too. You can get alot of those peppermints from the BIGBIRD's trip..good luck

[RICKY81]

what do aptasias look like, and what do they do??

[don-n-sa]

what do aptasias look like, and what do they do??

Watch the old movie "The Blob"...pretty scary stuff.:nailbiting:

[swjim]

what do aptasias look like, and what do they do??

They're nuisance anemones that can reproduce quickly and sting your corals, here is a good overview: http://www.reefs.org/library/aquarium_net/faqs/aiptasia.html

[ErikH]

set it out for a week in some nice dry heat under direct sunlight.... :)

[Ping]

Even dry rock should be cooked. The biogeneous settlements in the pores of the rock must be processed.

[des]

I've heard that touching them with an Elegance coral will kill them.

[CoryDude]

The coraline algea is dead, even though it still looks purple. I don't think you have to go through a 'cooking' process. What you can do is the next time you do a water change, use that water to scrub the rock down. That will remove any dead matter from the rock.


Second that opinion.

[Kristy]

I think I will go the conservative route (just read a great article on hair algae on Reef Central that confirmed it's better safe than sorry in this hobby!) and I'll go ahead and cook the rocks in question before they go back in the tank. I just imagine the tiniest spaces in the LR all full of dead things that I would prefer not to introduce into my reef.

Never done this before. Any advice? Thanks for everyone's input!

[Ping]

I use a garbage can with a large rio pump for circulation, do daily water changes in my tank, and use the tank water to do water changes in the rock curing garbage can.

It is even better if a skimmer is connected to a curing system.