Dremel in the reef

AQUAMAN22 · Nov 29, 2022

Ok quick question.
I am battling mushrooms that are growing out of control. I have a dremel with the flex shaft and was wondering if there would be any issues using it in my reef? There is technically no electricity to the flex shaft. I’m more concerned about any oils or materials in the cut off wheels contaminating my tank. I see that they have diamond blade attachments or should I just use the sandpaper type grinding wheel. Let me know your thoughts

wculver · Nov 29, 2022

I have used the grinding wheel for the really heavy LPS I cannot use a bone cutter on and otherwise want a clean cut. That said, I don't use the extension in the water because of the oils and contamination. Just wouldn't do that because it'd be impossible to take back if things went poorly.

AQUAMAN22 · Nov 29, 2022

Agree I don’t want to contaminate my tank I barely like putting my hands in there lol. I’ve been scraping them off with a flat screwdriver and sucking them out seems to be working just taking forever

vtecintegra · Nov 29, 2022

Flex shaft drive wire will have oil or grease on it to lubricate it. I wouldn't put it in the tank.

V A R I A N T · Nov 29, 2022

Can you epoxy over them or use F-Aiptasia to beat them back?

stoney7713 · Nov 29, 2022

V A R I A N T said:
Can you epoxy over them or use F-Aiptasia to beat them back?

This is the answer I would give, if you can't remove the rock. You could always put a super aggressive coral next to them and let it zap away.

JohnMzreef · Nov 29, 2022

saturated lye solution, syringe and needle.

exnisstech · Nov 29, 2022

Kalk paste

Paul B · Nov 29, 2022

A Deamel won't hurt your tank at all but a Dremel is a Homeowner quality tool and not made very well so that shaft is flex steel and not stainless. It may not be the best thing for the tool. If you use it
(and I would) you will have to run it in fresh water for a while after to get the salt out . I have the same tool and have used it in my tank. The fish enjoy it.

Or of course use one of the other suggestions.

thatmanMIKEson · Nov 29, 2022

exnisstech said:
Kalk past

Or kalk present...

fish farmer · Nov 29, 2022

Try stainless steel straws on a siphon tube. You can scrape them off sometimes.

If the mushrooms are successfully budding and winding up in other parts of the aquarium it may be a loosing battle other than removing and replacing rocks.

Vinegar seems to remove small ones for me...but then you have to catch them before they roll away. I've killed them with f-aiptasia and sucked out the goo days later. I tried putting small hammer frags nearby, they eventually crawl under them and kill off the heads.

Piscans · Nov 29, 2022

why not sell the rocks with the mushrooms then replace them with new live rock?

Dburr1014 · Nov 29, 2022

Paul B said:
A Deamel won't hurt your tank at all but a Dremel is a Homeowner quality tool and not made very well so that shaft is flex steel and not stainless. It may not be the best thing for the tool. If you use it
(and I would) you will have to run it in fresh water for a while after to get the salt out . I have the same tool and have used it in my tank. The fish enjoy it.

Or of course use one of the other suggestions.

We think a like.

Grease can be cleaned off and use another salt friendly version. Dow vacuum grease would work. I would use the diamond cutter. The other I think has rubber in it and/or some type of bonding agent. Definitely clean off all parts after.

Or use another option mentioned.

Paul B · Nov 29, 2022

Grease won't hurt anything and won't come off the Dremel. Besides if it did, it floats. A dremel probably has a quarter of a drop of grease in it and grease isn't toxic. Maybe it cures ich.

Piscans · Nov 29, 2022

Paul B said:
Grease won't hurt anything and won't come off the Dremel. Besides if it did, it floats. A dremel probably has a quarter of a drop of grease in it and grease isn't toxic. Maybe it cures ich.

if they are really scared of grease, they could use fish oil

Dburr1014 · Nov 29, 2022

Paul B said:
Grease won't hurt anything and won't come off the Dremel. Besides if it did, it floats. A dremel probably has a quarter of a drop of grease in it and grease isn't toxic. Maybe it cures ich.

Well yes. Grease is oil suspended in a thick solution.
I would be leery of what type of oil that was used in there grease.

dadnjesse · Nov 29, 2022

I don't think you dremel shaft would be much good after being exposed to salt water. But if you do I would rinse it in RO/DI water not tap with all the minerals in it.