CleveYank
20 Years and Over
1st.
THE LEVASOLE FLATWORM RECIPE for PLANARIA.
THIS IS A TOTAL SYSTEM DOSAGE NOT A REMOVE AND DIP METHOD. (Much cheaper than flatworm exit)
Take LEVASOLE pig dewormer and pour the powder into sterile and airtight container or ziplock bag. --->Add 240 ml of water to the LEVASOLE mixing bottle it comes in and add ½ Teaspoon (level) of LEVASOLE powder and shake until clear (20 to 30 seconds).
--->Dose 1ml. or 1.5 ml of the LEVASOLE you mixed per gallon of total system POSSIBLE volume. A maintenance dose of .3 ml may be dosed the 2nd day if desired.
Since there is a great possibility that these have a week to 2 week cycle I would recommend dosing over the course of 2 to 4 weeks in the exact same manner.
Cautionary Note
Have 50% NSW available incase of any problems with the side toxin release of dead flatworms. Have Carbon on hand and ready to run. (Note: just in case there is a massive toxin blast from the flatworms. My flatworm concentrations were probably low enough that it was not a factor. If you have a ton of them monitor tank carefully.) YOUR RESULTS AND MILEAGE MAY VERY AND I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE EXPLICETLY OR IMPLIED FOR ANY OF YOUR LOSSES.
---->I do not know if this ground has been covered but this is what I did.
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THE LONG STORY.
Upon the inability to provide a reasonable habitat for 40 newly acquired SPS frags from the C-Sea swap March of 07 in quarantine, I was forced to rely on inspection and dipping for parasite elimination. This kept the SPS alive and out of those I lost 2. The kicker or freebee was I ended up with redbugs and flatworms. The interceptor took care of the redbugs boom just like that according to those methods and posts and this thread is not part of the discussion at all.
The flatworms took roughly several experiments mostly failed with 9 boxes of flatworm exit. Only to have them reappear. Finally I rid the tank of them. But the expense and hassle was great. I still have a 90 gallon tank with a fantastic sandbed in it that I was saving for last. The reasons of which are not as important as the fact that I was looking at another expensive and possibly fruitless attempt to clear the remaining tank via flatworm exit.
A CORA member reefdiver72 did a whole tank kill off with LEVASOLE pig/sheep dewormer. After reading his post I inquired as to his concentration and found it was close, but could use a little refinement for my taste. I also have a large number of feather dusters on the rocks and SPS and clams and many inhabitants that if I lost I would of course not be too pleased. So getting it right was of great concern.
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The Experiment.
Based upon the preliminary concentration from reefdiver72 I used ¼ T to 240ml of RO/DI water. I dosed this at 20ml of this to a 20 long that had 40.05 pounds of liverock, getting me well over a 2lbs per gallon of liverock ratio. I had some SPS in it with some leathers and rocks that had feather dusters and crabs and snails. I ended dosing this mix to the tank at 20ml every 10 minutes. I did this until I reached 100ml of addition. The result at 100ml at the above concentration was that the flatworms were slowed but not dead. The feather dusters closed for a while but reopened. And the other inhabitants did not skip a beat. This led to the next concentration which was the approximate value provided by reefdiver72.
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The next 2 Experiments.
Concentration. I next mixed ½ T LEVASOLE powder to 240ml of RO/DI water.
Test tank one after intentionally reinfecting it has liverock to a 3 lb/per gallon ratio, SPS, two purple tangs, snails, serpent stars, fauna/pods, chaeto, leathers, soft polyps zoa mushrooms and back again. ****This system has carbon filter stage in it which I DID NOT TAKE OFFLINE. A lot to loose if something went wrong. I dosed 1ml per gallon of total possible system volume if empty. Not actual.
Test tank two is the same as test tank one, less the chaeto refugium, and a carbon filtering stage and has 6 crocea clams, 1 duresa clam and a 6 inch well seasoned sandbed. I dosed this tank 1.5 ml per gallon of total possible system volume if empty.
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Result?
Just like flatworm exit the serpents emerged and flipped over. Some snails were retracting and falling off of rocks. New flavor, bristle worms were appearing and looked like they were in death throws. Feather dusters in the rocks were closing.
FLATWORMS were dying. SPS and clams did not skip a beat in any of the tanks. However, during the initial 20 minutes the clams were opening and closing more rapid than they usually do. This of course stopped.
Day TWO. None of the inhabitants of the tank were dead, dying or showing any stress. Clams looked great, feather dusters in liverock were open, serpents out and sluggish, but moving. Soft polyps just fine and SPS had polyp extension and no apparent issues. I added a maintenance dosage of .3 ml of the LEVASOLE mix to both tanks. No changes in livestock whatsoever and not a sign of any flatworms.
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I paid $19 for LEVASOLE from Tractor Supply and dosed 300 gallons of total system. And still had enough LEVASOLE powder to do at least one more and possible two more dosages. To duplicate these results would have cost me another $140 in flatworm exit and it required numerous doses to get a system clear of them. Even if numerous doses are required the cost benefit makes it easier to accept.
As far as livestock, again everything appears to be doing fine. --->SPS NOTE(Apparently there is an SPS mortality and coloration impact that others have noted a concern about. A concern that I do not share for at 7 days after first dosing and at the time of writing this. And a repeat of the initial dosing; this has not been an issue)
My schedule is to redose the LEVASOLE for a total of 3 to 4 weeks every 7 days in the EXACT MANNER. I will post any changes as they come available.
THE LEVASOLE FLATWORM RECIPE for PLANARIA.
THIS IS A TOTAL SYSTEM DOSAGE NOT A REMOVE AND DIP METHOD. (Much cheaper than flatworm exit)
Take LEVASOLE pig dewormer and pour the powder into sterile and airtight container or ziplock bag. --->Add 240 ml of water to the LEVASOLE mixing bottle it comes in and add ½ Teaspoon (level) of LEVASOLE powder and shake until clear (20 to 30 seconds).
--->Dose 1ml. or 1.5 ml of the LEVASOLE you mixed per gallon of total system POSSIBLE volume. A maintenance dose of .3 ml may be dosed the 2nd day if desired.
Since there is a great possibility that these have a week to 2 week cycle I would recommend dosing over the course of 2 to 4 weeks in the exact same manner.
Cautionary Note
Have 50% NSW available incase of any problems with the side toxin release of dead flatworms. Have Carbon on hand and ready to run. (Note: just in case there is a massive toxin blast from the flatworms. My flatworm concentrations were probably low enough that it was not a factor. If you have a ton of them monitor tank carefully.) YOUR RESULTS AND MILEAGE MAY VERY AND I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE EXPLICETLY OR IMPLIED FOR ANY OF YOUR LOSSES.
---->I do not know if this ground has been covered but this is what I did.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE LONG STORY.
Upon the inability to provide a reasonable habitat for 40 newly acquired SPS frags from the C-Sea swap March of 07 in quarantine, I was forced to rely on inspection and dipping for parasite elimination. This kept the SPS alive and out of those I lost 2. The kicker or freebee was I ended up with redbugs and flatworms. The interceptor took care of the redbugs boom just like that according to those methods and posts and this thread is not part of the discussion at all.
The flatworms took roughly several experiments mostly failed with 9 boxes of flatworm exit. Only to have them reappear. Finally I rid the tank of them. But the expense and hassle was great. I still have a 90 gallon tank with a fantastic sandbed in it that I was saving for last. The reasons of which are not as important as the fact that I was looking at another expensive and possibly fruitless attempt to clear the remaining tank via flatworm exit.
A CORA member reefdiver72 did a whole tank kill off with LEVASOLE pig/sheep dewormer. After reading his post I inquired as to his concentration and found it was close, but could use a little refinement for my taste. I also have a large number of feather dusters on the rocks and SPS and clams and many inhabitants that if I lost I would of course not be too pleased. So getting it right was of great concern.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Experiment.
Based upon the preliminary concentration from reefdiver72 I used ¼ T to 240ml of RO/DI water. I dosed this at 20ml of this to a 20 long that had 40.05 pounds of liverock, getting me well over a 2lbs per gallon of liverock ratio. I had some SPS in it with some leathers and rocks that had feather dusters and crabs and snails. I ended dosing this mix to the tank at 20ml every 10 minutes. I did this until I reached 100ml of addition. The result at 100ml at the above concentration was that the flatworms were slowed but not dead. The feather dusters closed for a while but reopened. And the other inhabitants did not skip a beat. This led to the next concentration which was the approximate value provided by reefdiver72.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next 2 Experiments.
Concentration. I next mixed ½ T LEVASOLE powder to 240ml of RO/DI water.
Test tank one after intentionally reinfecting it has liverock to a 3 lb/per gallon ratio, SPS, two purple tangs, snails, serpent stars, fauna/pods, chaeto, leathers, soft polyps zoa mushrooms and back again. ****This system has carbon filter stage in it which I DID NOT TAKE OFFLINE. A lot to loose if something went wrong. I dosed 1ml per gallon of total possible system volume if empty. Not actual.
Test tank two is the same as test tank one, less the chaeto refugium, and a carbon filtering stage and has 6 crocea clams, 1 duresa clam and a 6 inch well seasoned sandbed. I dosed this tank 1.5 ml per gallon of total possible system volume if empty.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Result?
Just like flatworm exit the serpents emerged and flipped over. Some snails were retracting and falling off of rocks. New flavor, bristle worms were appearing and looked like they were in death throws. Feather dusters in the rocks were closing.
FLATWORMS were dying. SPS and clams did not skip a beat in any of the tanks. However, during the initial 20 minutes the clams were opening and closing more rapid than they usually do. This of course stopped.
Day TWO. None of the inhabitants of the tank were dead, dying or showing any stress. Clams looked great, feather dusters in liverock were open, serpents out and sluggish, but moving. Soft polyps just fine and SPS had polyp extension and no apparent issues. I added a maintenance dosage of .3 ml of the LEVASOLE mix to both tanks. No changes in livestock whatsoever and not a sign of any flatworms.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I paid $19 for LEVASOLE from Tractor Supply and dosed 300 gallons of total system. And still had enough LEVASOLE powder to do at least one more and possible two more dosages. To duplicate these results would have cost me another $140 in flatworm exit and it required numerous doses to get a system clear of them. Even if numerous doses are required the cost benefit makes it easier to accept.
As far as livestock, again everything appears to be doing fine. --->SPS NOTE(Apparently there is an SPS mortality and coloration impact that others have noted a concern about. A concern that I do not share for at 7 days after first dosing and at the time of writing this. And a repeat of the initial dosing; this has not been an issue)
My schedule is to redose the LEVASOLE for a total of 3 to 4 weeks every 7 days in the EXACT MANNER. I will post any changes as they come available.
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