Aitpasia Question

[Zoregon]

Hi all. I've read that aitpasia can be killed using kalk paste. My question is will Kent Turbo Calcium work just as well? I've googled it to death and can't find the answer.

I don't have any Kalkwasser and don't really want to do an online order just for one item.

Thanks all!

 

[AlSimmons]

Can you remove the rock that the Aiptasia is on easily? If this is doable you could just burn it off with a small butane torch or a cigarette lighter. This only takes a few seconds to do.

 

[scooter31707]

100% pure lemon juice w/ a syringe. Works great for me.

 

[Zoregon]

Unfortunately there's more than one rock involved. I noticed a couple about a week ago and they multiplied like crazy while I was researching them.

There are 6 that are quite big and gtg asap. I can't reach where they are to inject - tanks too deep, arms too short ..... hubby's arms are longer but he refuses to put them in the tank since I got a bad infection and almost lost a thumb. Pfft.

 

[thegrun]

I'm not sure if you can get turbo calcium to form a decent thick paste, but if you can it would certainly burn the aiptasia.

 

[AlSimmons]

Unfortunately there's more than one rock involved. I noticed a couple about a week ago and they multiplied like crazy while I was researching them.

There are 6 that are quite big and gtg asap. I can't reach where they are to inject - tanks too deep, arms too short ..... hubby's arms are longer but he refuses to put them in the tank since I got a bad infection and almost lost a thumb. Pfft.

Do you have any LFS in your area? You try adding a half a dozen or so Peppermint shrimp and cross your fingers. You've basically got a 50/50 shot with these, but they have been known to work quite well sometimes.

http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/33-reefkeeping-101-

 

[Barro777]

AlSimmons' method of torching the suckers gets my full support. Other than that: (1) Filefish; (2) Berghia Nudis

 

[Gladmaker]

100% pure lemon juice w/ a syringe. Works great for me.

This worked for me. Just give them a squirt directly into the middle and they will shrivel. A few might need a second shot the next day. Use concentrated lemon juice such as RealLemon. Just make sure you don't get it on coral or anemones you want to keep.

 

[Coralfuture]

I used to like covering them with superglue gel and putting new corals on top of them....no more aiptasia hello pretty new corals!!!! If they are on undersides of rock just be careful with what you add to kill them so as to not mess with the parameters of the tank too much. Maybe you can rotate the rocks they are on? Otherwise amazon is pretty reasonable for Kalk as well as Aiptasia X(doesn't work well),Joes Juice(doesn't work well but better thatn Aiptasia X)
I feel I should mention I no longer have aiptasia in my tank been about 9months since I have seen any and I do a lot of starring and looking for headcounts on my CUC and fish. Paranoid about their health and happiness with my wifes heavy feeding.

 

[Tspors58]

This has been my method never had issues sounds rough but is safe. This currrent tank is 12 years never any problems. I know have coperband keeps things clean.
2004 Post:
OK, here is my sure fire way, 100% success rate, never to return again method.

Use a saturated solution of Sodium Hydroxide (Drain Away, Draino, whatever you like to call it) and water. Using a syringe, squirt about 0.5 mL into the mouth of each aiptasia. This will kill even the stubborn foot tissue.

I initially used kalk paste like pies, by found that the success rate wasn't that great. Sodium Hydroxide is much more soluble than Calcium Hydroxide, and is more alkaline, completely nuking the aiptasia.

Again don't dose too much at one time. It is not harmful to your reef, unless you directly squirt it onto corals. Just a warning that Sodium Hydroxide will cause sever chemical burns if handled, you can tell if you have it on your hands 'cause they will feel "soapy" and slippery. If you feel your hands becoming slippery, wash with a LOT of cold water. Preferably wear gloves when handling.

As dangerous as the chemical sounds, it is really quite safe for your reef.

Draino is surprisingly pure sodium hydroxide, and is really no more dangerous to your tank than calcium hydroxide (kalk). Any tank with a reasonable alkalinity (greater than 2.6) should have no problems adding it. The hydroxide ion reacts relativly quickly with dissolved carbon dioxide producing, there are also other mechanisms for the neutralisation of the free hydroxide. Which reaction is most significant is determined by the pH.

2(OH)- + 2CO2 ---> H20 + 2(CO3)2-

The only difference between this and the kalk method is the spectator ion (Ca2+ as opposed to Na+).
Kalk will do the same thing to your hand as sodium hydroxide, at a much much slower rate.

If anything this method is easier on the fish, I had problems with fish eating, or trying to eat the white kalk paste. I for one wouldn't like a mouth full of kalk. The sodium hydroxide method is much safer in that it is completely soluble, such that any solution which doesn't make it into the aiptasia, is quikly netralised by surrounding water by the above reaction, and no solid remains to be eaten by fish.