Paly's are Taking Over ...Need Creative Solution!

[pesto]

I have a major shelf rock with three large coral colonies (Pink Stylo, Green Slimmer & Acro Nana) and a Tyree Pink Sand Dollar being overrun by Paly's. I have tried pulling them off following the instructions from other BRS members and they come back with a vengeance. I fear that I may need to take drastic action to prevent them from spreading onto adjacent rock work. The shelf rock can be removed from the tank with coordinated effort. Can anyone provide a creative solution? Should I attempt to remove the rock and break it into pieces? I must do something or I fear this will spread and take over the tank. Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[Bobbofin]

Thermo Nuclear Device! But seriously, pull them off, pack with kalk the same way we do with majanos and aspitia. I had some green zoas that were invasive. I pulled them off and and encrusted the roots in marine epoxy.

 

[pesto]

How do I apply the kalk?

 

[pallobi]

imo, use a old testing syringe and fill it with kalk paste... thats what i have done and seen done anyhow..GL!

 

[stingythingy45]

Let the kalk paste sit on the palys with the PHs off for at least 10 minutes.
Then start the pumps and blow off the excess with a turkey baster.
I do this with palys,rhodactis mushrooms,and yellow colonial polyps on occasion.

 

[pesto]

So, I dont need to pull them off before applying Kalk?

 

[number1gsxxr]

http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?101689-Killing-invasive-Paly 4th post down. I found this to be more effective than just kalk alone.

 

[bill120mph]

Use the same stuff as aptaisia I think its called Active x

 

[Bob P.]

Tom,
How'd you make out? Had that problem on my old tank.

 

[pesto]

Today I applied Aiptasia X directly into their mouths. They are unhappy right now and looking poorly. I read that it may work and I had some handy so, decided to give it a try. I guess we will see in the next couple of days. These things are bad, bad, bad ...need them OUT!!!

 

[pesto]

Update: The Aiptasia X did kill a small amount of the Brown Paly's but, they seem to be growing again. Need to move on to another solution. The Kalk paste seems to be the overwhelming favorite. Think that is the direction to go now.

 

[stingythingy45]

"The Kalk paste seems to be the overwhelming favorite."

So why did you use aiptasia X?

 

[pesto]

I had it and it was worth a try ...

 

[pesto]

After three days the Paly's are really hurting after using the Aiptasia X. The heads are melting away and the layer over the rock is coming off. This seems to be a good way to go. I am going to now try the Kalk paste on the rest. I will post results once I compare the two methods.

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

I have the same problem with brown palys so I'm anxious to see what works best. Kalk did not work for me, but I only did it twice. Right now I'm using tweezers to pull off a dozen with each water change. Someone once pulled off too many and poisoned their tank, so be careful if you try the tweezer method.

 

[pesto]

I applied the kalk paste to the remaining play's that were alive and thriving. They now look very poorly, the heads of many are shirvled up and falling off. Between the Aiptasia X and kalk paste ...I think I am winning the war! What happens to the paly mat that the heads come from that is attached to the rock? Will it melt away or will I need to pull it off? Another update in a couple of days.

 

[SteveDola]

just keep an eye out. they sometimes come back from even kalk paste. I usually take bone cutters and cut them square off the rock and then scrape any reminents.

 

[pesto]

After using both Aiptasia X and Kalk paste ...I believe either is an acceptable solution. The Paly's are 95% dead and I will dose again in a couple of days to finish them off. The one issue with the kalk paste is some fell on nearby coral and they had a bad reaction. It didn't kill them but, some flesh was removed. I think they will be OK but, when using the kalk paste make sure it does not fall on anything in your tank you want to keep.