Cleaning HA from corals

Ratpack · 10-17-2008, 02:56 PM

I have been fighting HA for a couple months now and have decided that since I have a larger tank I have been waiting to set up, the time is right. I think that wil be easier than to keep battling this stuff. So, my question stems from HA that is on my corals. SPS and LPS I think will be OK as I can just use a soft bristle toothbrush and scrub it off, but what about things like zoas and star polyps where the HA has grown in between? When I move it to the new tank, will it possibly just die off since the nutrient level will be a lot lower? I am trying to keep it at bay on them using a turkey baster. New tank will have new rock and be BB, so no sand to leach nutrients back into the water column.

JT101 · 10-17-2008, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ratpack

I have been fighting HA for a couple months now and have decided that since I have a larger tank I have been waiting to set up, the time is right. I think that wil be easier than to keep battling this stuff. So, my question stems from HA that is on my corals. SPS and LPS I think will be OK as I can just use a soft bristle toothbrush and scrub it off, but what about things like zoas and star polyps where the HA has grown in between? When I move it to the new tank, will it possibly just die off since the nutrient level will be a lot lower? I am trying to keep it at bay on them using a turkey baster. New tank will have new rock and be BB, so no sand to leach nutrients back into the water column.

Be VERY careful with scrubbing the LPS!! I don't know if you have any brain corals, but if you use a brush on these and just get a tiny nick in the flesh, skeleton will be exposed and then you'll open up the pathway to algae, infection and disease.

sambrinar · 10-17-2008, 06:26 PM

It will just die off, you wont need to scrub it, you should identify the cause of the HA so it doesn't return in the new tank

Ratpack · 10-19-2008, 09:04 AM

My LPS are a trumpet and frogspawn. THe algae is at the base on the hard skeleton so I should be fine there, I won't scrub anywhere near the fleshy part.

I think the cause of the algae is in my sand and rocks and is a result of high bio load and overfeeding from time to time (slaps self).

lcstorc · 10-19-2008, 09:43 AM

Slightly odd, but should work.
Can you set up the new tank while leaving the old one running? If you can then leave the softer corals in the old tank and do a complete blackout of the tank. That should take care of the Ha while not harming the soft corals. Then you can move them and you should be good.

Ratpack · 10-20-2008, 08:49 AM

Thanks Lynn,
The new tank will be set up with the old one running because I am using new rock so it will have to cycle.

Frankie · 10-20-2008, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sambrinar

It will just die off, you wont need to scrub it, you should identify the cause of the HA so it doesn't return in the new tank

This is the best advice you have gotten yet. You need to find the cause and eliminate. A black out will only be a temporary fix and the ha will come back if you don't stop the cause~

10-17-2008, 02:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ratpack Cabbage Leather Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Lexington, SC Posts: 358 View Gallery Karma Komment	Cleaning HA from corals I have been fighting HA for a couple months now and have decided that since I have a larger tank I have been waiting to set up, the time is right. I think that wil be easier than to keep battling this stuff. So, my question stems from HA that is on my corals. SPS and LPS I think will be OK as I can just use a soft bristle toothbrush and scrub it off, but what about things like zoas and star polyps where the HA has grown in between? When I move it to the new tank, will it possibly just die off since the nutrient level will be a lot lower? I am trying to keep it at bay on them using a turkey baster. New tank will have new rock and be BB, so no sand to leach nutrients back into the water column. __________________ Tim My first build thread: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-75g-reef.html

10-17-2008, 06:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
sambrinar recovering overfeeder Join Date: May 2008 Location: Arizona Posts: 6,412 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Cleaning HA from corals It will just die off, you wont need to scrub it, you should identify the cause of the HA so it doesn't return in the new tank __________________ Brenda Those who dance are considered insane by those who cannot hear the music ~ George Carlin Original member of http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...eef-holic.html My addiction 75 gal glass http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ce-sanity.html

10-19-2008, 09:04 AM	#4 (permalink)
Ratpack Cabbage Leather Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Lexington, SC Posts: 358 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Cleaning HA from corals My LPS are a trumpet and frogspawn. THe algae is at the base on the hard skeleton so I should be fine there, I won't scrub anywhere near the fleshy part. I think the cause of the algae is in my sand and rocks and is a result of high bio load and overfeeding from time to time (slaps self). __________________ Tim My first build thread: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-75g-reef.html

10-19-2008, 09:43 AM	#5 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 26,433 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Cleaning HA from corals Slightly odd, but should work. Can you set up the new tank while leaving the old one running? If you can then leave the softer corals in the old tank and do a complete blackout of the tank. That should take care of the Ha while not harming the soft corals. Then you can move them and you should be good. __________________ Peace LYNN Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Lynn's frag tank experiment A reef tank is like a race car. The faster you go the harder you crash.

10-20-2008, 08:49 AM	#6 (permalink)
Ratpack Cabbage Leather Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Lexington, SC Posts: 358 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Cleaning HA from corals Thanks Lynn, The new tank will be set up with the old one running because I am using new rock so it will have to cycle. __________________ Tim My first build thread: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-75g-reef.html

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)