Blowtorch Aiptasia...

[T Diddy]

Think it'd work? Any possible damage or unforseen consequences? I want to remove a rock with the little buggers and torch em real quick, then put the rock back in the tank...:blown:

 

[seapug]

quite a few people do this. I've heard it works but if it's a lot of Aips, I'd probably toss the rocks in some sort of tub or QT for a few days to let the rotting death dissipate before returning them to the display.

 

[T Diddy]

quite a few people do this. I've heard it works but if it's a lot of Aips, I'd probably toss the rocks in some sort of tub or QT for a few days to let the rotting death dissipate before returning them to the display.

Thanks SeaPug. There are just a few right underneath my cyphastrea. I'll obviously try to be careful, but they've gotta go.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

The only problem I can see is that they retract into the rock. Will you know where they are? Why not just inject them in the tank?

 

[bathompson]

I've injected lemon juice with a lot of success. I had about 20 now I have none. Just did a few every now and then until they were gone.

 

[T Diddy]

The only problem I can see is that they retract into the rock. Will you know where they are? Why not just inject them in the tank?

It's an in-wall set up without front access...seeing and sticking one while looking in from the top will be almost impossible. There have only been two for some time, but the yare happy and healthy and starting to bud.

 

[brandon429]

a burner in consideration

I say take the leap. Its all Ive done for years, I zap with a blue jet flame lighter:

aips
diatom strands
valonia
mushroom buds/pedal tissue
algaes
dictyota
zoanthids

all in my pico reefs, to me its the equivalent of mowing one's lawn with goats (CUC, 1998 called) or using the toro

o~

really though its great and Ive tested it in 1/100th the volume long term across as many pests

a bernzomatic grill lighter is the bomb, flex neck. Once in 2007 I had some algae pop up i noticed it around an acan. Took out frag, side zapped it, algae fell off and melted away thats how effective it is~

 

[kenjung]

If you can remove the rock, Aiptasia X is very effective. I use to do multiple treatment in the tank. I yank out the rock apply Aipstasia X let it sit for half hour the little bugger do not come back. I use the same treatment on Aiptasia and Majano its been very effective.

 

[brandon429]

majano is something not burned thats a heavy biomass, I removed the rock and changed it out when those came along for the ride.

the boiling water injection worked too all fair means to an end.

 

[T Diddy]

Ok so I used this:

...and man did that feel good. Now I'll keep my eye on the two charred spots under my cyphastrea for a few days and hope for the best. One of the newly budded babies already migrated onto a rock that I'm not pulling out, so I guess I'll try to smother it with some kalk paste.

 

[brandon429]

you did not underreact. well done before and after pics would have been the best even with just a cell phone!

 

[brandon429]

I meant surgical small like this

 

[T Diddy]

you did not underreact. well done before and after pics would have been the best even with just a cell phone!

You are right...I had to go back and take some pics...

I used this:

to turn this:

into this:

HTH

 

[brandon429]

great pics in one week they will fall off can I get an update then too

Im linking this thread in future burner discussions I never take time to photo mine but people need pics to be convinced

the major risk was the chemical conversions created in burning we already all know reefs are full of undiscovered chemical systems still... no telling what coral tissue and exudates turn into when burning but on those animals listed above it was easy to zap and wipe off with a paper towel or just leave the blasted organism on there and let the system absorb it.

the tank will take the carbon and pass it around, heck it'll pop up as a zoanthid lol one of these days.

 

[T Diddy]

quick update

quick update

There were two large aiptasia under my cyphastrea. They were quite happy and actually began budding. A couple of the youngins managed to get off of the target rock before I decided to torch em. Within a couple of days, there was no sign of life where the large aiptasia once lived. They were buried pretty deep in some holes within the rock, so I didn't bother trying to remove the charred remains. As a result, my tank was slightly cloudy the following day. I did a 30 gallon water change (~15%) , and replaced my carbon. Next day, crystal clear. It just so happens that my porite/christmas tree worm rock began shedding, but I don't think it is related to the burnoff as all other corals including SPS seem unaffected. I'll have to inject or smother the two little guys that escaped, but torching seems to be a very simple and effective method of killing these pests (provided that the rock can be removed without dismantling the tank or destroying surrounding inhabitannts. More to come later.

 

[rholguin]

Well I came across this thread about 4 days ago. I have a 20g long in my work place pretty heavily infested with these pest. Once I read this thread I went and got the torch and had me aiptasia cookout. I can joyfully say that this methods works great. After doing it I did experiance the cloudiness in the water but was gone after a day. I see no ill effects on any of the corals. Its an amazing and quick way to get rid of this pest. Thanks for starting this thread now I can once again enjoy my tank.

 

[brandon429]

what a great update! Can we get pics of your setup as well, maybe even the after shot?

Also T Diddy I noticed just now a little aiptasia flexing right next to your nice acan shot above, torch his butt too.
Torch anything while it is small and unobtrusive, and algae wrecked tanks w be a thing of the past. Its just a cheat thats all, the natural methods are nice to help prevent re infestation but I learned long ago that clean up crews are bad at cleanups, better at startup prevention
lol
B

 

[Eric45]

I can't believe a blow torch would even bother them. So far I 've tried everything but nuking them in a microwave and they seem to come back even stronger. NONE of the existing products even come close to working ime.

 

[rholguin]

Well Im sorry but I have no pics. I should have but I did not have a camera at hand. I can say that I have not seen anymore.

 

[d0ughb0y]

I have read about using blow torch in another message board and pretty much what happens is not only do the aiptasia survive and comes back later, now they have to look at the ugly torch burn mark.