Success of Laser for Aquarium Maintenance

[Jerry555]

I have heard and seen people posting about using survival lasers to trim corals and eliminate (kill) unwanted pests within the aquatic environment and I was curious to the success of this. In my current tank zoanthids are encroaching other corals and I have read that they can become aggressive and zap nearby corals in order to expand its colony. Is the laser powerful enough to completely kill zoanthids? I know they are a hardy coral and by simply trimming them and cutting them doesn't stop their growth.

Also with the laser how risky is it in terms of safety?

Thanks

 

[RexBrown]

I've seen that too. I'm curious.

 

[jrpark22000]

There are 2 long threads on the topic.

There are many safety concerns, please read the threads fully to understand them all. High power lasers can be dangerous to anyone exposed to the beam.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2101768
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2090418

 

[Jerry555]

Thanks, have you heard of any other ways that may make eliminating pests and maintaining corals easier and more effective? From people I talk to they just use different techniques with scissors, forceps and some screw drivers. This process is pretty tedious and doesn't always work. I am also not a huge fan of putting my hands in the tank in fear of possibly contaminating the environment.

 

[jrpark22000]

Thanks, have you heard of any other ways that may make eliminating pests and maintaining corals easier and more effective? From people I talk to they just use different techniques with scissors, forceps and some screw drivers. This process is pretty tedious and doesn't always work. I am also not a huge fan of putting my hands in the tank in fear of possibly contaminating the environment.

There is no easy answer or magic for pests. A laser is not a magic bullet but with precautions and planning it can help with some pests. Large pests like palys/zoas are less work and hassle to remove manually than with a laser. I have yet to find or read of an easier method to remove such pests; forceps, patience and repetition.

Even with a laser I need to get my hands wet, but you can use gloves. I found the coralife gloves to be built very well, but dexterity is limited due the glove thickness. I wear them for most of my tank tasks.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Hi guys, I have been using a 1w laser for aiptasia and majano and that's about it. It works well for that job. Others have used it for other applications, but I don't think it works all that well. I'm currently waiting on a 1.4w waterproof laser to arrive.

Lasers can be dangerous if not handled properly. I had no issues with fish going near the laser for about 8 weeks and now they seem to have gotten used to it and don't swim away as much as they did before, which I consider to be a concern. I'm hoping that with my hand and laser in the tank, the fish will be more inclined to stay further away. I've had zero problems with the tank, water, animals or anybody's eyes since I got mine. But then I'm quite careful with it. Just as an example, at 3 feet from the laser, if focused well, the 1w laser makes between 400-450 degrees F. However, just a small distance away from the focus point, it won't burn tissue paper.

It would probably work better for killing zoo polyps than cutting them out for removal, but I've never tried it. CalmSeaQuest has done a lot more testing about lasers after I introduced the idea here on RC. Maybe he'll follow up with some helpful info.

 

[jrpark22000]

I've tried as CalmSeaQuest has on polyps. Darker polyps are much easier to laze but still their mass is hard to overcome. It takes multiple sessions and I still get an unacceptably high non-kill rate. With light colored polyps I have yet to be successful in the long term. I use a 1.4W blue non-waterproof.

After much experimentation, it is easier to use forceps IMO. I can spend 10 minutes with forceps or an hour with a laser to achieve similar results. Neither method stops them entirely.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Just as an update. I just got my 1.4w waterproof laser today and I'm very happy with the results as far as killing off majano that the Mueller's Butterfly won't eat in the 180g tank. It's also doing the job on aiptasia in the 70g nem tank that the Butterfly doesn't have access to. I tried getting rid of (killing) waving hand (anthelia) coral and it don't work very well on it at all.

 

[PaulEZ]

Just as an update. I just got my 1.4w waterproof laser today and I'm very happy with the results as far as killing off majano that the Mueller's Butterfly won't eat in the 180g tank. It's also doing the job on aiptasia in the 70g nem tank that the Butterfly doesn't have access to. I tried getting rid of (killing) waving hand (anthelia) coral and it don't work very well on it at all.

Great news! I have a few 1W+ lasers, but have never considered using them for such an application. I'll have to give them a try this weekend...

 

[Jerry555]

What color laser is recommended and what is the ideal wattage in using a laser for aquarium use ?

 

[BeanAnimal]

Jerry... There were (2) threads linked to above. All of the information you seek is there.