Hypersalinity to dip LR in to get rid of pests?

[kat74]

I'm going to be setting up another reef tank, a 14 gallon Biocube. I have been pretty lucky so far *knock on wood* in not getting any nasty hitchhikers from LR that I've purchased. My biggest fear is getting a mantis shrimp or some other nasty crab.
Anyway, I will be getting about 20lbs or so of cured LR from the established tank of a fellow local reef club member. I plan to do the "hypersalinity" method to hopefully rid myself of any unwanted pests. This is what it says I should do regarding this method:
Submerse the new rock into a bucket filled with saltwater with a specific gravity of 1.035 to 1.040 for one minute. Any invertebrates including mantis shrimp, bristle worms, and crabs will quickly evacuate from the rock and into the bucket of water. Remove the live rock from the bucket and sort through the invertebrates in the bucket. Determine those you want to add to your system and discard unwanted pests.
Does anyone have any experience regarding this and does doing this harm any beneficial or nitrifying bacteria on or in the LR?

 

[mr_x]

i don't know for sure about the bacteria, but couldn't you do the same thing with fresh water?
i've heard of freshwater dipping corals and fish before introducing them to your system, and they do fine, but i haven't heard of "hypersalinity" achieving similar results.
can't you just ask the guy you are getting the rock from if there is anything in the rock you should be worried about?

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by KAT74
http:///forum/post/2543529
I'm going to be setting up another reef tank, a 14 gallon Biocube. I have been pretty lucky so far *knock on wood* in not getting any nasty hitchhikers from LR that I've purchased. My biggest fear is getting a mantis shrimp or some other nasty crab.

Anyway, I will be getting about 20lbs or so of cured LR from the established tank of a fellow local reef club member. I plan to do the "hypersalinity" method to hopefully rid myself of any unwanted pests. This is what it says I should do regarding this method:
Submerse the new rock into a bucket filled with saltwater with a specific gravity of 1.035 to 1.040 for one minute. Any invertebrates including mantis shrimp, bristle worms, and crabs will quickly evacuate from the rock and into the bucket of water. Remove the live rock from the bucket and sort through the invertebrates in the bucket. Determine those you want to add to your system and discard unwanted pests.
Does anyone have any experience regarding this and does doing this harm any beneficial or nitrifying bacteria on or in the LR?

Nope no experience but It will kill just about anything on the rock bacteria included. Same as a fresh water dip will do, especially at very high salinity level, 1.040 or above.

 

[mr_x]

Originally Posted by PerfectDark
http:///forum/post/2543616
Nope no experience but It will kill just about anything on the rock bacteria included. Same as a fresh water dip will do, especially at very high salinity level, 1.040 or above.

but a freshwater dip will not kill corals or fish. are you saying it will kill bacteria?

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by Mr_X
http:///forum/post/2543629
but a freshwater dip will not kill corals or fish. are you saying it will kill bacteria?
A fresh water dip will not kill fish if done correctly. It will not kill corals right away, however they are more intolerant to it and I wouldnt recomend it. And yes a fresh water dip will kill bacteria as will a hypersalinity dip would. Extreme ends of salinity will have similar effects.

 

[djevack]

I would think that might also kill some of the beneficial bacterial. Ive never done it but i think just sitting the live rock out of water on a rack ( could use egg crate) and spraying saltwater over it every so often will do the same thing, the pest leave the rock in seach or water, while the beneficial bacterial is unharmed; in the short run
So i wouldnt do any type of a dip.

 

[kat74]

I know that I read it from somewhere on here that it works... just can't find it again. So, I am reading that the hypersalinity dips will kill more good than bad... and then I went on Fenner's site and saw him say this in regard to catching a mantis:
If baiting, trapping has not worked... I would go the route of dismantling the system systematically, dipping each piece of rock (pH adjusted freshwater will be fine or hypersalinity seawater...) and locate, eradicate this nuisance once and for all. Have you read the Stomatopod section, FAQs on WetWebMedia.com? Bob Fenner>
soooo..... maybe I just don't need to try this at all then and pray that there are no nasties in the rock.

I'll ask, but you know how that is.... he's trying to sell the rock!

 

[djevack]

Originally Posted by KAT74
http:///forum/post/2543691
I know that I read it from somewhere on here that it works... just can't find it again. So, I am reading that the hypersalinity dips will kill more good than bad... and then I went on Fenner's site and saw him say this in regard to catching a mantis:
If baiting, trapping has not worked... I would go the route of dismantling the system systematically, dipping each piece of rock (pH adjusted freshwater will be fine or hypersalinity seawater...) and locate, eradicate this nuisance once and for all. Have you read the Stomatopod section, FAQs on WetWebMedia.com? Bob Fenner>
soooo..... maybe I just don't need to try this at all then and pray that there are no nasties in the rock.

I'll ask, but you know how that is.... he's trying to sell the rock!

If your that worried I would look into the "spray/dry" method, LR can be out of water for days if keep from sunlight and keep damp. It shouldnt be very hard or risky to do. You could also get a coral banded shrimp, they are good for eating pest

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by KAT74
http:///forum/post/2543691
I know that I read it from somewhere on here that it works... just can't find it again. So, I am reading that the hypersalinity dips will kill more good than bad... and then I went on Fenner's site and saw him say this in regard to catching a mantis:
If baiting, trapping has not worked... I would go the route of dismantling the system systematically, dipping each piece of rock (pH adjusted freshwater will be fine or hypersalinity seawater...) and locate, eradicate this nuisance once and for all. Have you read the Stomatopod section, FAQs on WetWebMedia.com? Bob Fenner>
soooo..... maybe I just don't need to try this at all then and pray that there are no nasties in the rock.

I'll ask, but you know how that is.... he's trying to sell the rock!

Ohhh it will work, the point I was making is if you dip every piece of your cured LR, it will no longer be cured.. as most everything on it and in it will die.

 

[kat74]

Originally Posted by PerfectDark
http:///forum/post/2543753
Ohhh it will work, the point I was making is if you dip every piece of your cured LR, it will no longer be cured.. as most everything on it and in it will die.
ahhhh.... okay. Maybe I will try the "spray/dry" method then.