kalk paste

Arthur

Arthur

Member
Few months back I bought some live rocks from a fellow reefer. I didn't check them closely and some of them had Aiptasia unfortunately. I don't have a lot but maybe 10-12 in my 40 gal. breeder. I bought Berghia Nudhibranches but i don't think they did much. Maybe it is too soon still ( its been a week). I know Peppermint are hit and miss. I heard that if you mix Kalkwasser Paste and put it over Aiptasia it will die. Do you guys know how to make and apply it? Thanks.
 
Like you, I had mixed results with Berghia, but with the right peppermints, my issue has been resolved. During our battle, We also boiled rodi water and squirted the aptasia, which worked very well. Following kalkwasser idea...
 
I take a teaspoon of kalk and mix it with a small amount of fresh water, maybe a quarter cup. I mix it up, and then let it settle for a few minutes. This works best with powerheads and pumps off. I use a syringe with a large diameter needle. You could also use one of the plastic tipped syringes in the Salifert Kits. Using the syringe, draw up as much thick liquid talk from the bottom of the mixed kalk. It will be a little thick, but not really a paste. Gently dispense the kalk over the aiptasia, being careful not to have any of the kalk touch your corals. If some is floating towards your corals, mix the water so as to disperse it in the water. Let it sit on the aiptasia for a few minutes. The aiptasia will shrink and shrivel. I like to remove the kalk to avoid it touching other corals, so I use an airline and suck out the kalk and dissolved aiptasia into a bucket to toss. Turn the pumps back on, and you should be good to go. I hope that is thorough enough.
 
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[MENTION=45]Arthur[/MENTION]
Maybe we got the live rock from the same guy...arlinghton heights?
He swore there wasnt any pests. Hes a good guy, maybe he didn't conaider aiptasia pests.
Anyways. I also have about 5 small ones in my 125gal now. They dont bug me as much now because they are small. But i was planing to inject them with lemon first.....

There was something someone wrote somewhere has anyone evwr tried or heard of.

Placing your substrate/sand over it to cover it. The next day it will leave the rock to get over the substrate at that point just shyphon it out with the small amounts of substrate even a turkey basker worked.

Thoughts?
 
Thank's guys for all suggestions. Really appreciate your help. I will try those different solutions. I'll let you know the results. Thank's again. :)
 
The kalk paste works very well when you use a syringe to inject it right in the mouth of the aiptasia. It will actually swell up full of kalk. Next day it will be gone with no trace.
 
Chetna said:
Do I need to inject the kalk past into the aiptasia or just on to there mouth.
Click to expand...

In the mouth is almost guaranteed successful. Getting some on it may be good enough but it may take a few goes. Typically I turn off power heads in the tank while I have done this in the past.
 
I had 4 or 5 aiptasia sneak in on a rock, I used calcium part (very low pH) killed the heads I could see then a few came back from the bottom. Figured try some peppermint shrimp (5) all aiptasia disappeared in about a week. Two months later I have one peppermint left, the other four made meals for the coral banded and arrow crabs. So... All in all $20 for aiptasia removal and crab/shrimp food. Still have one $5 peppermint, so I'd do it again if I see aiptasia.


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