A good way to kill aiptasia in a fallow/cycling tank?

raketemensch · Feb 17, 2020

I'm going to be starting up a new tank, and I found a local source of affordable live rock, but it has some aiptasia.

The idea of starting a new tank with aiptasia in it already seems... counterproductive.

Is there a good way to kill the aiptasia with no livestock in the tank?

brandon429 · Feb 17, 2020

they're easy to kill I would have no trouble buying aiptasia rock.

they're tough for the general public to kill, agreed, the public uses the popular method (something you buy)

they cannot survive being chipped off the rock, anchor point and all. I can cure aiptasia in any system with a series of phillips screwdrivers and a small ball pein hammer. 100% effective, joe's juice and other toy methods have hits and misses. buy the rock, chip them out. if you simply remove all pedal tissue, they're gone.

here's how that for-sure method came about: I once had a small aiptasia seated into a projection off the side of my live rock. one aip only. I knew inaction would result in two aiptasia one day.

So, I took my wire cutters and cut off the whole projection, and inch away from the aip. 100% solved. the cut mark from six years ago is all coralline now its gone and coralline is making a new projection. I would add blue jet flame lighter to hard to reach sections. live rock doesnt conduct heat at all, all flame jets only heat the target not the surrounding rock its a wet active radiator of heat.

dont blue jet palythoa, or the entire east coast will die. even if you're on the west coast.

raketemensch · Feb 17, 2020

brandon429 said:
they're easy to kill I would have no trouble buying aiptasia rock.

they're tough for the general public to kill, agreed, the public uses the popular method (something you buy)

they cannot survive being chipped off the rock, anchor point and all. I can cure aiptasia in any system with a series of phillips screwdrivers and a small ball pein hammer. 100% effective, joe's juice and other toy methods have hits and misses. buy the rock, chip them out. if you simply remove all pedal tissue, they're gone.

here's how that for-sure method came about: I once had a small aiptasia seated into a projection off the side of my live rock. one aip only. I knew inaction would result in two aiptasia one day.

So, I took my wire cutters and cut off the whole projection, and inch away from the aip. 100% solved. the cut mark from six years ago is all coralline now its gone and coralline is making a new projection. I would add blue jet flame lighter to hard to reach sections. live rock doesnt conduct heat at all, all flame jets only heat the target not the surrounding rock its a wet active radiator of heat.

dont blue jet palythoa, or the entire east coast will die. even if you're on the west coast.

Huh, interesting -- I was thinking about just going with the torch method, as I've done that to kill vermetids before. What's the reason for not starting with it?

brandon429 · Feb 17, 2020

solely the fear you might hit a palythoa and wipe out everyone

i myself am a mad rock burnsman. i have shot fire at mushroom corals I didnt like, and it didnt work they're immune. the rascals

removing that top mass is best for the aiptasia, less insulating growth to be hit with fire.

melt the top part, leave the foot....get new aips. I like to scrape first, then fire is hitting a thin membrane left.

BeejReef · Feb 18, 2020

How do you rate that LFS in other areas?

Displaying rock with noticeable aptasia would be strike one, in my mind. I understand it's very common, but the fact they're not making the effort to at least make it look good...

Agree w brandon. U can man-handle that rock and do whatever you care to.... chisel, propane torch, superglue. It's the ones you can't see (if there are any) that will crop back up on you in five months once your scape is together.

raketemensch · Feb 19, 2020

BeejReef said:
How do you rate that LFS in other areas?

Displaying rock with noticeable aptasia would be strike one, in my mind. I understand it's very common, but the fact they're not making the effort to at least make it look good...

Agree w brandon. U can man-handle that rock and do whatever you care to.... chisel, propane torch, superglue. It's the ones you can't see (if there are any) that will crop back up on you in five months once your scape is together.

It's a local guy, and I think you're right. I've been trying to get this tank rolling since October, and the struggle has been against copper that came with the used tank and rocks.

If I'm going to start over, I'm going to start over clean.