Best way to remove encrusted acro colony?

[Peng]

I have multiple acro colonies fighting each other due to ill planning. I'm wondering what would be the best and relatively simple way to remove the colonies without doing too much damage on them. The way I've been doing in the past is to use a bone cutter to remove a colony and then use isopropyl alcohol to kill the encrusted area. Isopropyl alcohol is safe and acts very fast. Once applied coral cells burst. However this procedure requires the rock to be taken out of water, which causes stress to other corals on the rock and rocks below the top layer are simply impossible to take out without causing massive damage.

So I searched online a little and found some suggesting using epoxy putty to cover up the encrusted area. I've never used this method but it does sound like a good one to use because it can be applied underwater.

How do you deal with this problem? What works for you to kill the encrusted area?

 

[Fishfinder]

I just asked this question.... didn't get any answers. I'll be following

 

[Peng]

I just asked this question.... didn't get any answers. I'll be following

what a coincidence lol

 

[JaimeAdams]

the epoxy or super glue gel would work. Talk paste would also surely kill the tissue, but depending on how much we are talking might raise your levels higher than you would like.

 

[ilyad]

I've never really tried, but I've always noticed that without light, SPS lose tissue and die really quickly. Maybe you can get some sort of black plastic or acrylic and shield the light, if the encrusted area is too large to epoxy.

 

[Peng]

when they fight sometimes one acro starts to take on another's color.

 

[JaimeAdams]

when they fight sometimes one acro starts to take on another's color.

Are you saying like zooxanthellae transfer? Because that would be really cool.

 

[kevinl]

I have used Aiptasia X several times and it worked well, never more than one or two full syringe's at one time, pumps off and let it sit for 15 minutes.
I have used the putty as well and it works also, interestingly I get a red colored coralline growth on the putty when I have purple coralline every where else.

 

[NikoO]

Peng, you could give me a few chunks instead of killing them

 

[x2uranium]

Multi tool with a diamond blade

 

[Peng]

Are you saying like zooxanthellae transfer? Because that would be really cool.

Yes. My BC Ruby Tipped Granny, which only had white polyps, started to have neon green polyps now the area next to retina blaster.

 

[305Reefer]

I've never really tried, but I've always noticed that without light, SPS lose tissue and die really quickly. Maybe you can get some sort of black plastic or acrylic and shield the light, if the encrusted area is too large to epoxy.

This sounds like a brilliant idea to me. I got rid of a small patch of stylopora like this except I used a frag plug to shade it out.

 

[Surfzone]

when they fight sometimes one acro starts to take on another's color.

This sounds like inadvertent grafting. I would try to chip it off and see what that area will grow into. I can't remember which year it was but I know you can look up on YouTube on the BRS channel for grafting and fusion. There is a good talk at one of the MACNAs on this subject.

 

[JaimeAdams]

I would totally save it and grow it out as well...

 

[DLuce510]

+1 on epoxy. Ive done this many times. I keep a piece of rubble near by to make impressions so its not too smooth so once the coraline and other algae grow it looks a little more natural.

Before

After

 

[Peng]

+1 on epoxy. Ive done this many times. I keep a piece of rubble near by to make impressions so its not too smooth so once the coraline and other algae grow it looks a little more natural.

Before

After

Thanks I’ll give epoxy a try

 

[declanisadog]

Reef napalm. It kills everything it touches quickly with no harm to the rest of your tank aside from a PH spike. I use it one zoas all the time, and have accidentally dripped some on acros in the past.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/best-aiptasia-treatment-i-have-ever-used.33642/

 

[salty joe]

I have multiple acro colonies fighting each other due to ill planning.

How close together did you place your frags?

 

[Peng]

How close together did you place your frags?

about 3.5 inches apart since 2016. But theyve grown into colonies.

 

[jda]

Kalk will quickly kill any encrusting colony that is left over. You have to turn the flow pumps off, though.