Kill Blue Pavona

[JaaxReef]

So I have frags of this coral in my frag tank, but it is growing too fast in my main display. Do you think I could take the rocks out and dip it in citric acid for 2-3 minutes carefully, then rinse it in salt water before putting the rock back in the tank and that would kill it? Or should I try to just scrape it all off with a scalpel (a lot of work)?

 

[blaxsun]

"I felt a great disturbance, as if millions of polyps suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced."

 

[Chrisv.]

So I have frags of this coral in my frag tank, but it is growing too fast in my main display. Do you think I could take the rocks out and dip it in citric acid for 2-3 minutes carefully, then rinse it in salt water before putting the rock back in the tank and that would kill it? Or should I try to just scrape it all off with a scalpel (a lot of work)?

I would probably dip them for a few min in saturated kalk and then rinse twice (with vigor!) In tank water.

 

[JaaxReef]

I would probably dip them for a few min in saturated kalk and then rinse twice (with vigor!) In tank water.

Wait… high PH with Kalk, or acidic PH with Acid? What will be more likely to work?
Planning this murder tomorrow… but, it isn’t murder if I have 3 fully encrusted frags, right?

 

[Chrisv.]

Wait… high PH with Kalk, or acidic PH with Acid? What will be more likely to work?
Planning this murder tomorrow… but, it isn’t murder if I have 3 fully encrusted frags, right?

I would go high pH but honestly both will probably work. You have three, maybe an experiment is in order!

And no it's not murder, at this stage the frags are still a choice.

 

[Chrisv.]

If you're killing a fair bit of it and it's a smallish tank, don't forget to run a bit of carbon.

 

[Kevm317]

why not use a vinegar mix, it will kill off all the calcified skeleton and should make it a bit easier to remove.

 

[Chrisv.]

why not use a vinegar mix, it will kill off all the calcified skeleton and should make it a bit easier to remove.

three suggestions, three frags! Sounds like a plan!

 

[JaaxReef]

three suggestions, three frags! Sounds like a plan!

Well, I only want to kill the large colony. The frags are already in my frag tank.

 

[OrionN]

I would just syringe hot water on it then srub it off with a rough tooth brush. This would do the job without have to worry about the chemical effect of the treatment.
Even microwave tank water and treat it with this. The necrosis tissue that does not get slough off with the brushing will be minimal and of no consequence to the bioload of the tank.

 

[JaaxReef]

I would just syringe hot water on it then srub it off with a rough tooth brush. This would do the job without have to worry about the chemical effect of the treatment.
Even microwave tank water and treat it with this. The necrosis tissue that does not get slough off with the brushing will be minimal and of no consequence to the bioload of the tank.

Can I do that in tank? Or would that be just a nasty mess…

 

[OrionN]

I have never done it. Killing Pavona is fine. Make sure you don't have any of the polyps that going to get kill. Some polyps can produce some very toxic substance that have killed reefers or put them in hospital when they try to kill them, or clean up reef tank.

I would take the rock out in a wide flat container, submerged so other coral not get injure. Out in open space will give you a lot more control. Once finish put the rock back into the tank. I would not do it in tank, or above the tank. More control without worry about hitting the light, fan ect....

 

[JaaxReef]

I have never done it. Killing Pavona is fine. Make sure you don't have any of the polyps that going to get kill. Some polyps can produce some very toxic substance that have killed reefers or put them in hospital when they try to kill them, or clean up reef tank.

I would take the rock out in a wide flat container, submerged so other coral not get injure. Out in open space will give you a lot more control. Once finish put the rock back into the tank. I would not do it in tank, or above the tank. More control without worry about hitting the light, fan ect....

Yeah, no palytoxin worries on that rock. I’ll take it out and use the large lid from my saltwater mixing container to dip it or syringe hot RO/DI on it. I only want to do this one time. So hopefully this works the first time. I have some other really nice pieces encrusted on the same rock that I don’t want to break or kill in the process…

 

[JaaxReef]

Mission success! I painted Kalk paste on and carefully rinsed that side of the rock in Kalk, scrubbed with a brush, then rinsed thoroughly in freshly mixed saltwater before returning to the tank and putting the aquascape back together! No sign of life left and the other corals on the rock seem to be fine!

 

[acabgd]

Nice work. I have to do the same with my pavona, but on a a rock I can't move and I'm really wondering how to do it.