Killing invasive Paly

[JPags]

I made the mistake of putting a limy paly on my Rocks, at first it was not growing that fast, I have had it for over a 2 years now. For some reason it really likes my new tank. it has started to grow pretty fast.

The biggest problem is this stuff is not easy to get off the rocks, it winds itself into all the little crevices of the rocks, and I do not want to pull my rocks out to get it off.

I saw someone talking about using Vinegar to kill them off, Since I know that I have used Vinegar in my Kalk mix before, I figured I would give it a try.

I have been using a syringe to inject small amounts of vinegar right into the Paly mouth each day and it seems to be working. I am careful not to use too much vinegar per day, and have skipped a few days here and there.

I just wanted to ask if anyone has ever used this method and are there any issues I should be looking for when using vinegar to do this?

John

 

[biggyclops]

if it helps pickling lime AKA KALK works well too!

 

[willray]

Make the the kalk paste/mix with vinegar???? Think I'll try that next time.....after my syringe full is used up.

 

[snowmaker]

Careful mixing caustics and acid...

I have used this a few times and works like a charm. I keep mixed extra in an aiptasiaX bottle and it seems to keep fine.

A very similar mixture is described by eric borneman:

100ml distilled water, 1 teaspoon Red Devil lye (sodium hydroxide), and 2 teaspoons calcium hydroxide (kalkwasser). Mix well and use a PD-Tip or dispensing syringe. Turn off water flow and let sit for one hour before turning flow back on.
Note: This mixture is also effective in killing just about anything you put it on, including out of control xenia, polyps and even some hair algae types.

Randy Holmes-Farley also weighed in

This is a method that some folks have used, but bear in mind that sodium hydroxide will boost alkalinity and pH rapidly. Do it in small doses, and possibly dose calcium to the tank if you use a lot of sodium hydroxide so that you do not skew the balance between calcium and alkalinity.

APTASIA REMEDY - Borneman

Red Devil lye (Draino???) is the brand name. Drain cleaner and 100% sodium hydroxide. But...here's the good part. Dissociates completely in water into Na and OH-. Nothing changes but pH, and the pH since it coagulates with the calcium hydroxide remains a very local pH effect and you'd have to add a lot to a really small tank to see a pH effect because of its behavor in the presence of other cations in seawater.

Here's the recipe. Get a capped bottle - like a spice jar...around 100ml or less. Add a heaping tablespoon of lye and dissolve in distilled water, and then a heaping tablespoon of kalkwasser. Use a transfer pipette or a transfer syringe or a syringe with a large bore needle to just slowly drip a little on the anemone. It will turn into mush along with anything else organic it contacts. Turn off all water cirulation as it will take about an hour to ensure everything is dissolved.. Also, by this point, the residual mixture is no longer nearly as caustic since it has equilibrated with seawater..the anemone dissolution and its contact with seawater has already made it safe once you turn the flow back on. It contacts the anemones easily just like Joe's juice, the difference of course being that it actually works well.

Two warnings: lye is extremely caustic and be careful when making the solution...lye boils if added to water...always add water to lye slowly and stir with a non metal object and watch your hands and eyes until dissolved. The container will get hot. Then the kalkwasser. Stir the mixture well before each use...you can do this by simply syringing in and out of the container before sucking up a batch. Second warning - even in solution this stuff will burn you - so wear gloves or be careful.

BY: ERIC BORNEMAN


http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=803637

The most I have used in one killing session was 6ml in a 40b (no sump, and maybe 30 - 35 gallon actual water volume). I have always vacuumed out as much as I can after the hour, and replaced with new water. Nothing else in the tank appeared to be affected.

 

[JPags]

Thanks guys.

I knew about the kalk paste but there are a lot of precautions around it and making sure you don't spike your PH. It also seemed like a bit more work. The vinegar alone with a syringe seems to be doing the trick and is simple enough that I just do it right after feeding my fish. I just wanted to make sure I was not missing something. I have been keeping the dose low considering I have a 92, with a fuge and sump (Around 130 gals total water).

As for mixing Vinigar with Kalk, I was refering to an acrticle by Randy that I read that said to mix kalk with vinigar before putting it into RO/DI water and then dosing into your tank, it get a chemical reaction started with the kalk and give you a bit more CA during the kalk dosing (I think I stated that in correct laymens terms).

Thanks for all the great info guys.

John

 

[JohnK]

I may be totally missing the point here, but I would think that the super high PH of kalk paste is what makes it kill stuff? If that is the case, then I would think that mixing it with vinegar would be counterproductive as that would at least want to drive the PH down?

IIRC the reason that people dose kalk and vinegar together is so that they can add more kalk without driving the PH through the roof.

 

[biggyclops]

I may be totally missing the point here, but I would think that the super high PH of kalk paste is what makes it kill stuff? If that is the case, then I would think that mixing it with vinegar would be counterproductive as that would at least want to drive the PH down?

IIRC the reason that people dose kalk and vinegar together is so that they can add more kalk without driving the PH through the roof.

meant to clarify... pickling lime/kalk with a little water

 

[JPags]

I may be totally missing the point here, but I would think that the super high PH of kalk paste is what makes it kill stuff? If that is the case, then I would think that mixing it with vinegar would be counterproductive as that would at least want to drive the PH down?

IIRC the reason that people dose kalk and vinegar together is so that they can add more kalk without driving the PH through the roof.

Yes, I was talking about using Vinegar with Kalk for dosing not for killing the Palys. I am using straight vinegar to kiil the paly's.

John

 

[JohnK]

Nevermind.

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

I am having the same problem with brown palys, but I am reluctant to try vinegar because my tank is only 29 gallons. Usually I just move stuff to my bigger tank, but this time it's on my base rock. Can I just pick the polyps off with my tweezers or does that release toxins into my tank?

 

[s_kelley]

If you guys are using red devil lye be careful thats a serious chemical to be adding to your tanks. Be sure to do your research!

 

[JPags]

I am having the same problem with brown palys, but I am reluctant to try vinegar because my tank is only 29 gallons. Usually I just move stuff to my bigger tank, but this time it's on my base rock. Can I just pick the polyps off with my tweezers or does that release toxins into my tank?

I tried that and noticed that if any little piece was left or got broken off I would spread the Paly to different places in my tank. This seems like the best methid that I have found.

I am not using Lye because of that reason, I wanted to use something that was safe for my tank in small doses and I have used Vinegar for other things without any ill affect. My other option would have been the kalk solution if this did not work.

I have been tempted to take some of the saturated kalk water for my reactor and try that once or twice, since I am dosing it anyway I just need to make sure I do not use a lot at once.

John

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

I hate to just kill them, but they are like weeds taking over my tank. You're probably right about spreading them if I rip them off the rock. I know that when I tried to cut my xenia off at the base, it came back prettier than ever. lol Too bad I don't have such luck with the other things in my tank. I guess I'll try vinegar. I'm guessing it's just plain white cider vinegar?

 

[JohnK]

I tried that and noticed that if any little piece was left or got broken off I would spread the Paly to different places in my tank. This seems like the best methid that I have found.

I am not using Lye because of that reason, I wanted to use something that was safe for my tank in small doses and I have used Vinegar for other things without any ill affect. My other option would have been the kalk solution if this did not work.

I have been tempted to take some of the saturated kalk water for my reactor and try that once or twice, since I am dosing it anyway I just need to make sure I do not use a lot at once.

John

If you use kalk for killing, make a paste insted of saturated kalk water. To make the paste, mix a teaspoon of kalk powder with about an equal amount of water and mix it together so you get a thick goo.

To use the paste, turn the flow off in the tank and apply the goo with a smallish syringe (old 1 ml syringes from salifert test kits are perfect, or use a joe's juice applicator) so that it smothers whatever you want to kill. Leave it for 5 min or so, then suck up the mess with a turkey baster, and last turn the flow back on. This is much more potent that vinegar could ever hope to be

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

Thanks. I might try that instead of vinegar too. I already have a jar of the Kent kalwasser mix. I also have Joe's Juice, but I've thinned it out so much I'm not sure how potent it is. Regardless of how much I tighten the bottle, it gets crusty around the lid. Too bad there isn't a better way to control their growth. I feel bad like when my son feeds crickets to his gecko. lol