How to remove favia?

cdw79 · Mar 23, 2023

I had a frag of lemon lime favia that I placed into what I thought would be a temporary home. Within a week it already spread onto rocks and I ended up just leaving it there. In the 6+ months since it's become a menace and stings anything and everything it can touch, and it's taking up prime acro territory. What would be the best way to kill it? Unfortunately can't remove the rock, and ideally I'd like to a void a 2x2" permanent glob of paste if I can avoid it. Not sure if there's some way I could cover it up long enough for it to die? Or maybe some sort of paste that's reasonably easy to remove after a week or two? So tired of the coral so would really like to get rid of it one way or another

Edit- spot is smaller than I remembered, updated to 2x2

vetteguy53081 · Mar 24, 2023

cdw79 said:
I had a frag of lemon lime favia that I placed into what I thought would be a temporary home. Within a week it already spread onto rocks and I ended up just leaving it there. In the 6+ months since it's become a menace and stings anything and everything it can touch, and it's taking up prime acro territory. What would be the best way to kill it? Unfortunately can't remove the rock, and ideally I'd like to a void a 4x4" permanent glob of paste if I can avoid it. Not sure if there's some way I could cover it up long enough for it to die? Or maybe some sort of paste that's reasonably easy to remove after a week or two? So tired of the coral so would really like to get rid of it one way or another

There is options like sawing or chiseling but before any suggestions, please provide a pic under white lighting

Lost in the Sauce · Mar 24, 2023

A woodworking chisel,held and moved with your thumbs, and used in a paring cut, just below the rock surface can remove encrusted coral. It's going to kill big chunks of it.

The white under rock will be noticable for a few weeks.

Please Do not under any circumstances, Use a hammer and chisel on live rock in the tank. Very fast way to crack the tank..

JGT · Mar 24, 2023

I had exact issues with spicy lemon favia. Took a syringe of kalk and injected it into the edge where I wanted it to die and stop spreading. Worked like a charm.

cdw79 · Mar 24, 2023

I will try to get a pic tomorrow when I have whites on! I was looking at kalk or maybe one of those aiptasia products (forget which) to potentially cover it all up for awhile, but wasn't sure if it would be easily removable / stay put long enough to kill the favia beneath it?

I thought about trying to chisel it off but I used caribsea rock, and the stuff is crazy solid to a point where I wondered if it would even be possible? Like you @Lost in the Sauce I'm a little paranoid of cracking the tank with my clumsiness, the area in question is semi-close to the glass

cdw79 · Mar 24, 2023

JGT said:
I had exact issues with spicy lemon favia. Took a syringe of kalk and injected it into the edge where I wanted it to die and stop spreading. Worked like a charm.

Is kalk (presumably talk paste?) relatively easy to remove? I thought I read somewhere that it can increase alkalinity, any precautions I should take if I went that route? It's roughly 2x2 inches or so

mermaid_life · Mar 24, 2023

Using bone cutters and start cutting it from underneath would work well.

JGT · Mar 24, 2023

cdw79 said:
Is kalk (presumably talk paste?) relatively easy to remove? I thought I read somewhere that it can increase alkalinity, any precautions I should take if I went that route? It's roughly 2x2 inches or so

Yes, the current blows it away like 15 mins later but during that time it does it's job. The amount used won't affect alk. Start by injecting around the perimeter. That will kill it off then slowly work your way towards the enter over a few weeks.

cdw79 · Mar 24, 2023

JGT said:
Yes, the current blows it away like 15 mins later but during that time it does it's job. The amount used won't affect alk. Start by injecting around the perimeter. That will kill it off then slowly work your way towards the enter over a few weeks.

What do you mean when you say inject? Still waiting for the lights to come on to send a pic but the favia is very thin (?) to a point where it's basically just a covering over the rock, as opposed to something like a dragon soul favia that's a bit more hefty. So I'm not sure I follow about how the injecting idea would work? That would be different than just covering it up?

Also wondering if there's any potential value in trying something like this with aiptasia x (or whichever the one is that created a hard encasing over the aiptasia). If it could sustain some level of current once it hardens and could stay for several days, maybe that would accomplish the same kind of thing?

JGT · Mar 24, 2023

You inject it just under the skin and also leave a coating on top. Sorta get it from both sides. Yes, people use this to kill aiptasia as well.

cdw79 · Mar 24, 2023

@vetteguy53081 Finally got some daylight pics- thoughts on next steps? Definitely looking into @JGT 's solution

vetteguy53081 · Mar 24, 2023

cdw79 said:
@vetteguy53081 Finally got some daylight pics- thoughts on next steps? Definitely looking into @JGT 's solution

Nice colonies
Find an LFS that has a band saw (most do) and place in bucket and have them cut for you. They’ll do it free
Last time I had this- I used a hammer and screwdriver

cdw79 · Mar 24, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
Nice colonies
Find an LFS that has a band saw (most do) and place in bucket and have them cut for you. They’ll do it free
Last time I had this- I used a hammer and screwdriver

My problem is I really can't remove this rock, it's pretty stuck where it is :/

vetteguy53081 · Mar 24, 2023

cdw79 said:
My problem is I really can't remove this rock, it's pretty stuck where it is :/

only option would be a small screwdriver and slowly prying up

JGT · Mar 25, 2023

cdw79 said:
My problem is I really can't remove this rock, it's pretty stuck where it is :/

Do the kalk procedure. It works. You won’t be able to remove it mechanically in the tank. I tried. The flesh is so thin, it just rips. You’ll be there forever.

cdw79 · Mar 25, 2023

JGT said:
Do the kalk procedure. It works. You won’t be able to remove it mechanically in the tank. I tried. The flesh is so thin, it just rips. You’ll be there forever.

So just try and cover it? Or do the injection idea mentioned above? Still trying to make sure I understand the latter