my upgrade journal/journey

[UncommonSense]

the biggie will be vermitid snails.

Scrape off the entire tube with a tool to pulverize the creature within! If you cannot access the bottom of any tubes, break it off flush to whatever it’s growing out of… Then, put a dab of super glue over the opening; entombing the snail!

 

[tbrown]

Vermetids - Bumblebee Snails are good for fighting them

Aiptasia - Berghia are your best bet because they don't eat anything else, unlike Peppermint shrimp. Molly Miller are cool but hit or miss on wether they'll eat Aiptasia. Mine may have eaten some but I also have a Peppermint shrimp in there and used to have Berghia so potentially still have 1 or 2 roaming around in there.

Bubble Algae - Pithos or Emerald crabs.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

yeah, thats the plan! hoping to leave most of the aips behind in the old tank !

 

[Fish Styx]

anyone got some good tips on cutting down transferring pests? the biggie will be vermitid snails. most of the aiptasia and bubble algae are in the overflows of the old tank

For the Vermatids, break off the tubes as close to the rock as possible and fill them with CA glue. I've had great success with bumble bee snails and actually have a breeding population in my system.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

i keep them as well and just placed an order with reef by steele for more!

 

[smitten with ocean life]

sand all washed and sitting in buckets of saltwater!

 

[smitten with ocean life]

i do not want the palys moved into the new tank. when i do the transfer, is it ok to just rip them off the rock?

 

[smitten with ocean life]

i do not want the palys moved into the new tank. when i do the transfer, is it ok to just rip them off the rock?

 

[tbrown]

Be careful with Palys. They can let off Palytoxin depending on the variety.

 

[tbrown]

@JoJosReef and @Stang67 both got hit with some of i remember correctly.

 

[tbrown]

I may have taken a small dose a couple of weeks back.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

i was thinking if i took the rock outside and yanked them off out there id be ok?

 

[tbrown]

i was thinking if i took the rock outside and yanked them off out there id be ok?

Don't inhale any mist or fumes from them, don't get the juices in your eyes, nose, or mouth (probably cuts as well?).

Use proper PPE (face shield, gloves etc.)

 

[UncommonSense]

i was thinking if i took the rock outside and yanked them off out there id be ok?

I saw some horrifying images and read some horrifying stories in a thread here on palys not too long ago…

edit: found the thread!

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/another-story-of-palytoxin-poisoning-recent-experience.910816/
— I’m not sure it’s worth risking just yanking them off the rock (not to mention that there will likely be residual tissue left behind to regrow)… perhaps just break the rock wherever they’re attached and save what has no Palys on it?

 

[JoJosReef]

i was thinking if i took the rock outside and yanked them off out there id be ok?

How big is the rock and how many palys are we talking? Also what type of palys?

Regardless of the above, it would be wise to proceed with caution. My ER copay probably would have offset the value of any rock I wanted to save. In my case, wasn't a rock though. I was scraping a wall of angry palys. Without PPE.

That said, I have one more paly terminating project to do and this one IS on a rock, my TBS rocks. My approach will be to use a large metal straw (boba straw) fit into siphon tubing I use for water changes/tank transfers. I will start a siphon into a closed bucket and use the end of the straw to scrape palys off the rock whilst sucking them into the bucket. Full PPE gear and running massive amounts of carbon. I cannot recommend it. Recommendation is to toss the rock and start fresh. But if you're going to try to clean palys off a rock, take as many precautions as possible, and cover your hands/arms, eyes and mouth/nose.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

yikes. i may have to rethink this.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

REALLY hoping to do the transfer this week. its ok to use my old tank water, right? trying to figure out the most seamless way to do this. and not sure how to have that much water ready! ive got a couple of brute cans but that wont be enough. might have to buy more.:( wow i wish this were behind me! lol

 

[tbrown]

REALLY hoping to do the transfer this week. its ok to use my old tank water, right? trying to figure out the most seamless way to do this. and not sure how to have that much water ready! ive got a couple of brute cans but that wont be enough. might have to buy more.:( wow i wish this were behind me! lol

Yes

 

[tharbin]

REALLY hoping to do the transfer this week. its ok to use my old tank water, right? trying to figure out the most seamless way to do this. and not sure how to have that much water ready! ive got a couple of brute cans but that wont be enough. might have to buy more.:( wow i wish this were behind me! lol

I almost always use the old water for a transfer. I usually do not take the last inch or so above the sand however.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

thats what i was thinking too