Paly (Palytoxin) safe disposal

[mort]

I'm sure some of you will have seen the news yesterday on reefbuilders https://reefbuilders.com/2018/03/13/palytoxin-nearly-killed-my-family-and-pets/ or are just aware how nasty some palys can be. I have had some for about ten years and had the slight metallic taste in my mouth and beginnings of a sore throat a few times and always said to myself that I should do something about them. The thing is I'm just not sure how best to dispose of them as I don't want to pass the problem down the line and given how they caused such a problem for the family long after they had been killed, I think extra caution is required.
Any ideas how to dispose of these nasty little blighters?

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I'm sure some of you will have seen the news yesterday on reefbuilders https://reefbuilders.com/2018/03/13/palytoxin-nearly-killed-my-family-and-pets/ or are just aware how nasty some palys can be. I have had some for about ten years and had the slight metallic taste in my mouth and beginnings of a sore throat a few times and always said to myself that I should do something about them. The thing is I'm just not sure how best to dispose of them as I don't want to pass the problem down the line and given how they caused such a problem for the family long after they had been killed, I think extra caution is required.
Any ideas how to dispose of these nasty little blighters?

I would probably bury them or something along those lines. As far away from water and pets as possible just in case.

 

[Fourstars]

Is there a guide to which Zoa's are most toxic?

 

[Wiz]

Wow. Rough story. i would take his suggestion and do it outside. Maybe a mask. Coincidentally my friend just bought me a bucket of wet rock that he had in his house for 3 days that had button polyps all over it. I just warmed them up and threw them in a tank to get the polyps to open before I bring them to the pet store. 've handled pallys and zoanthids for 10 years. Don't use gloves or anything. I wonder if the problem comes when you start to kill the palys. It seems to me that most of these stories come when the pallys are removed from the water and killed.
Anyway we should all take this as a cue to be a little bit safer in our endeavors. Thanks for the share

 

[mfinn]

I'm sure some of you will have seen the news yesterday on reefbuilders https://reefbuilders.com/2018/03/13/palytoxin-nearly-killed-my-family-and-pets/ or are just aware how nasty some palys can be. I have had some for about ten years and had the slight metallic taste in my mouth and beginnings of a sore throat a few times and always said to myself that I should do something about them. The thing is I'm just not sure how best to dispose of them as I don't want to pass the problem down the line and given how they caused such a problem for the family long after they had been killed, I think extra caution is required.
Any ideas how to dispose of these nasty little blighters?

Bleach will dissolve them.

 

[Ghxst]

Holding

 

[brandon429]

ive wrapped an infested rock in a trashbag and tied it off, then did a sky hook of the setup literally over my alley into the dumpster with no rim. a lucky 30 footer w no video proof of it.

 

[reef lover]

I wonder the same thing. I have a very large rock covered in some of the worst kinds...palythoa toxicica...a great freebee won at a raffle.now it' taken over. I would love to safely eradicate the palys in tank and keep the rock...but I'll get rid of it if I have too...

 

[BoomCorals]

Bleach neutralizes palytoxin.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6431a4.htm

Palytoxin can be neutralized by soaking the coral for 30 minutes in a ≥0.1% household bleach solution (1 part 5%–6% sodium hypochlorite [household bleach] to 10 parts water, prepared fresh) (8). Contaminated items should be soaked in diluted bleach before disposal (3).

 

[mfinn]

I wonder the same thing. I have a very large rock covered in some of the worst kinds...palythoa toxicica...a great freebee won at a raffle.now it' taken over. I would love to safely eradicate the palys in tank and keep the rock...but I'll get rid of it if I have too...

Do a bleach soak.
2-3 cups of bleach in 5 gallons of freshwater for 24-48 hrs.
If any are left do it again.
After all are gone, rinse, do a soak using a dechlorinator ( API Tap Water Conditioner) for 25.
I like to do 2. After the first, dump the water, rinse and do another 24 hr soak.
Air dry for a day.

 

[reef lover]

Do a bleach soak.
2-3 cups of bleach in 5 gallons of freshwater for 24-48 hrs.
If any are left do it again.
After all are gone, rinse, do a soak using a dechlorinator ( API Tap Water Conditioner) for 25.
I like to do 2. After the first, dump the water, rinse and do another 24 hr soak.
Air dry for a day.

Thanks.. I would assume to do this with a lid securing the top and outside of course...and to recure the rock afterwards??

 

[mfinn]

Thanks.. I would assume to do this with a lid securing the top and outside of course...and to recure the rock afterwards??

I've done small batches ( 5 gallon buckets) out in my garage.
But I did a 35 gallon tote outside.
I didn't secure a lid on it. I have no kids at home. The bleach smells bad enough that I'm sure pets wouldn't get near it.

Depending on how much rock is in the system, I would add it back to the tank.
There will be no cycle, ammonia issues as the rock would be cleaned of all organic matter and is pretty much sterile.