Eradicate Acro Eating Flat Worms using the potassium spray method?

The Opinionated Reefer

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I found this video where an Auzzi reefer called Bill Morgan used potassium chloride in a spray bottle to eradicate AEFW. What he did was drain all the water out of the tank and left a few inches at the bottom for the fish to survive then sprayed all the acros with potassium chloride at 2g per litre of tank water. He then left it 15min and refilled the tank.

Repeat this 3 or 4 times over a few weeks and the AEFW should be gone according to him.

How viable do you think this option is? I am pretty much ready to try anything apart from breaking the tank down and dipping everything for weeks. My acros are all encrusted this is just not an option. Do you think this will truly eradicate the problem or likely just knock them back for a few months before having to repeat? I have been using AEFW-X for 7 weeks now and I am still finding adult worms so I am assuming this stuff just doesn't work and is another product that costs a fortune and is just praying on the hopes of reefers.

Also, I see the Reef Primer is just potassium salts, do you think I could use this in a spray bottle just as if it was standard KCI?



 

elysics

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How do you treat undersides, nooks, and other places where you can't reach with the spray bottle?
 

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How do you treat undersides, nooks, and other places where you can't reach with the spray bottle?
I find that by heavily soaking the corals over multiple weeks you will get into all the places they like to hide .
I've switched to a smaller spray bottle to gain additional flexibility.

 
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The Opinionated Reefer

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I have a feeling this method won't completely eradicate them but will kill off the vast majority allowing you to manage the infestation. Maybe have to go through this process once or twice a year.
 

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But how do you know there are no worms away from the acros, living on the sand in the water that was left? I mean they must be able to travel between acros.
I've personally never found one that's not been on a acro and in my case only on specific one's my baby blue and pink millepora :/
The spray covers just about everything so hopefully any travelers will get a good soaking .
 

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I have a feeling this method won't completely eradicate them but will kill off the vast majority allowing you to manage the infestation. Maybe have to go through this process once or twice a year.
Not a bad approach as part of a maintenance program
 
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Not a bad approach as part of a maintenance program
Yeah, it's our only real option other than nuking the tank with KCI or removing all acros. So the worms only seem to attack certain colonies of yours? That is the same for me but once that colony dies or is gone from the tank they move to others that they never used to bother.
 

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