How do I kill off Anthelia?

[jcgso]

Ok, here's my problem. I have a 5 year old 120 gallon reef tank which is mainly an SPS tank. There are SPS frags and colonies on every piece of live rock. Not long after I strated the tank, a friend gave me some Anthelia. At the time I was very happy to get some free coral. Well, now the Anthelia covers every piece of live rock. It looks kind of cool waving in the flow all around the SPS, but it's everywhere and taking up lots of valuable real estate. At this point, I really can't take out the rock without ruining the aquascaping and damaging lot of SPS. I'd like to know if there is a way of selectively killing off the Anthelia, without taking out the rock and without hurting the SPS, fish and inverts. Oh yeah, I have tried peeling it off, chipping it off, all to no avail.

 

[Sculp1n]

I've herd of people using Kalk past and putting it directly on GSP's to control growth and keep them out of unwanted areas but they will just grow right back so it takes constant maintenance. I'm sure the same rule would apply to your Anthelia.

Also do you have a pic of your tank? It sounds beautiful.


Sculp1n

 

[jcgso]

Thanks, sculp1n. I think I'll try the kalk paste on a small area this weekend.
I don't have a current pic, but will take one and post this weekend.

 

[llebcire]

I used to think Xenia and Anthelia were kewl as well...

Here's what I did with the Anthelia:

Removed as much as I could be hand, unfortunately you know you can't just pull it off I would end up scraping it off with my thumbnail and throwing it in a bag for the trash - this stuff stinks when it's upset!!

When I got as much as I could, I would create a thick kalk paste, kill the flow in the tank, and coat the areas with paste using a cheap plastic syringe (can get ones without needles @ any drug store). I would let it sit about half an hour then start the pumps/ph's/etc.

This is an ongoing process for a while but you'll make progress. The areas will appear to be clean for a couple of days, then you'll see it coming back - just keep it up! Don't wait too long between "treatments" or it'll gain on you.

It may take a couple of months to get rid of it completely.

 

[DiscoReefRover]

Dont put it in the tank ...I have been trying to kill off Kenya tree off my rocks for two years ....no success go figures kill something you love with out a warning ....... do everything in your power to kill a weed and it thrives!!!!

 

[ludnix]

Could we get a picture? It sounds pretty neat.

 

[jcgso]

Here are a couple of pics. Not the greatest quality, but it'll give you a pretty good idea of what the tank looks like.

 

[jcgso]

Didn't have time to finish posting this morning. As you can see the anthelia (2 types) is everywhere. I don't have to kill off every liitle bit, since it does look good swaying from the flow. At least if I can get rid of most close to the SPS pieces, i'd be a happier camper.

 

[luther1200]

Nice tank

 

[redfishsc]

Well, before you posted those pics, I was gonna suggest how I kill aptaisia. Then I saw the pics and thought "well never mind!"


I don't know if this would be any help for you with that large of an invasion, but here it is anyhow.

Basically what I do is take a large animal medicine syringe (petsmart or even a vet), tap the end of it with rigid aquarium tubing, and use this mechanism to pump BOILING HOT ro/di water onto the victim. STAY AWAY from the glass.


In a 120 you could put a lot of hot RO water in the tank before you worry about the temp rising much.


Personally I'd try to scrape off as much as possible (and then call me to dispose of the frags ) and then use something like the boiling water, or kalk paste, to hopefully kill the remaining tissue.