Hiow can I get rid of this stuff. Not sure what it is but it is speading

[gwhook]

I got some of this on a frag and it started spreading. I have cut it off, grew back, burned it of, but it is showing up in places where I can't burn it off like in the mibbel of zoas. Hoa can I rid my self of this before it gets too out of control?

 

[Rob.D]

Have you tried Kalkwasser paste?

 

[gwhook]

No. As you may remember from my crash I am not quick to use anything chem. in the tank.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Looks like a Hydra Colony or possibly Colonial Polyps.

 

[Rob.D]

Yea I can't blame you. I'm not sure if the paste will have any effect on calcium levels.

 

[cee]

Looks like hydroids. Tough to eradicate. I'd start with Kalkwasser "paste" as Rob suggest. I'd try multiple treatments in a syringe with all powerheads off and let it sit on the hydroids for at least 10 minutes. Repeat in 2-3 days up to 3 times and see if that takes care of them. If not you're best off removing the offending LR from the tank. Kalkwasser is pretty safe as you should only need 5 mL or less to treat. It will raise the alkalinity but won't raise Ca level much. If you're really concerned you can neutralize it with vinegar but it won't be as effective.

I'm about to do this to kill some blue sympodium before it takes over the joint! A lovely coral but I've seen what it can do.

 

[gwhook]

I have them in 6 or 7 places and I have been plucking them off but they grow back. They tend to like living in my zoa's Will the paste kill the zoa's?

 

[Rob.D]

I have them in 6 or 7 places and I have been plucking them off but they grow back. They tend to like living in my zoa's Will the paste kill the zoa's?

If you apply the paste with the zoas open, yes; if applied after you get the zoas to close they should be fine.

 

[gwhook]

Thanks. They are cute, but I can see if left to their own they could be an issue.

 

[cee]

If the kalkwasser doesn't do it you can try hydrogen peroxide. It won't hurt zoas (they'll promptly close) and may not do anything but it doesn't hurt if you stay at or below 1 mL per 10 gallons of tank volume. It's my little maintenance secret to keep all algae levels down to almost nothing, esp. cyano and dinos (OK, technically not all algaes). I do it about 1X or 2X per week. It raises the ORP without affecting the chemistry in an adverse way.

 

[jcdeng]

pair of plastic tweezers and gloves, work on it for an hour.

 

[Rob.D]

If you want to give Kalkwasser a shot I have some you are welcome to use.

 

[gwhook]

I will try it on a section and see what it does.
Thanks Rob.

 

[Engloid]

I'm betting that vinegar would kill them instantly. I haven't yet seen anything that vinegar won't kill, if injected directly into it. It will even kill a bristle worm if it's just sprayed close enough to it. Cee may be able to give more insight on the chemistry aspects of this, but as I understand it, adding vinegar will change the pH, depending on how much you use and tank volume...but it's

If the kalkwasser doesn't do it you can try hydrogen peroxide. It won't hurt zoas (they'll promptly close) and may not do anything but it doesn't hurt if you stay at or below 1 mL per 10 gallons of tank volume. It's my little maintenance secret to keep all algae levels down to almost nothing, esp. cyano and dinos (OK, technically not all algaes). I do it about 1X or 2X per week. It raises the ORP without affecting the chemistry in an adverse way.

I have a recurring cyano problem in my frag tank. It's the same water supply as my display tank, which has no problem at all. Would you suggest I shut off the water to the frag tank, dose at 1 mL/10 gallons, give it a day, then turn on the water again....or just dose the whole tank and water supply?

 

[cee]

If cyano is in one tank but not the other and they are plumbed together then I'd suspect insufficient flow first. You can dose both tanks at that rate and it won't harm a thing.