Remove chalice from glass

[chopper320]

Does anyone have any advice for removing chalices that have attached themselves to glass.

I have a couple of chalices that have grown up the front of my glass and I can’t get them to break free. I even got a heavy duty paint scraper and dug at it pretty hard and made almost no progress. I fear if I do it any harder, I’ll break the glass.

 

[KrisReef]

I've never had them stick and not let go, but often they fragment in the process. I lift from the edge away from the glass and hope for the best. I also have acrylic tanks, so they may be bound up tighter against the silicon oxide surface?

Either way, I break them off, trade in the frags and scrape off the "glass" to remove them, or else they will grow out and up and cover the view panes. Some folks like this, especially on the back of a tank.

 

[chopper320]

Yeah I don’t have a problem with them breaking into small bits. I’ve had just little shards that I glued to a frag plug grow out pretty quickly.

My problem with this is that I literally can’t even get it to break. It’s like the skeleton has grown super thick where I keep breaking it away.

I wouldn’t mind if it were the back glass but this is right in the front ‍

 

[KrisReef]

Yeah I don’t have a problem with them breaking into small bits. I’ve had just little shards that I glued to a frag plug grow out pretty quickly.

My problem with this is that I literally can’t even get it to break. It’s like the skeleton has grown super thick where I keep breaking it away.

I wouldn’t mind if it were the back glass but this is right in the front ‍

I'd put on my long gloves, get an old credit card or plastic putty knife and place the blade flat on the glass above the coral and press hard against the glass and down until it lets go. Start on one edge of the growth and move across the glass until its all off.

(If I lived near by I'd bring my gloves and grab a frag from ya!)

 

[vetteguy53081]

Does anyone have any advice for removing chalices that have attached themselves to glass.

I have a couple of chalices that have grown up the front of my glass and I can’t get them to break free. I even got a heavy duty paint scraper and dug at it pretty hard and made almost no progress. I fear if I do it any harder, I’ll break the glass.

I have had to do similar and used a Plastic putty knife and went Slowly and carefully but be aware these are thin and may break in certain spots

 

[chopper320]

I’m not sure why I’m having such a difficult time but I’ve tried prying and jabbing at it and I can’t get it to break free. I can’t get anything under it to pry.

I would like to avoid this but I’m wondering if I killed the part on the glass with a kalk paste or something, if it would detach easier.

 

[KrisReef]

I’m not sure why I’m having such a difficult time but I’ve tried prying and jabbing at it and I can’t get it to break free. I can’t get anything under it to pry.

I would like to avoid this but I’m wondering if I killed the part on the glass with a kalk paste or something, if it would detach easier.

Have you removed the sand from under the coral? Having it unsupported underneath should allow it to slide off the glass. Use a powerhead to erode the sand out, and then place a board/stick on top and press down. A slight tap with a hammer on the end of the stick should be all that is needed to release the coral.

 

[chopper320]

Have you removed the sand from under the coral? Having it unsupported underneath should allow it to slide off the glass. Use a powerhead to erode the sand out, and then place a board/stick on top and press down. A slight tap with a hammer on the end of the stick should be all that is needed to release the coral.

It’s barebottom so there’s no sand underneath it. I may try to pop it lightly with a hammer on the end and see if that works.

 

[MrGisonni]

Wow. You're in a jam there. Be really careful

 

[KrisReef]

Wow. You're in a jam there. Be really careful

Or buy a new tank and move everything else over before you bust out the bottom!

I didn't realize it was a bare bottom situation. Wooden block and light taps, I have had colonies let go with a nudge from the edge off BB tanks.

 

[kevgib67]

I’m hanging around to hear what solution you choose and how it works out for you, good luck.

 

[chopper320]

Or buy a new tank and move everything else over before you bust out the bottom!

I didn't realize it was a bare bottom situation. Wooden block and light taps, I have had colonies let go with a nudge from the edge off BB tanks.

Sounds like a perfect excuse for a new tank! Lol

 

[MrGisonni]

I like the idea of a powerhead aiming right at the edge. Let the water pressure erode underneath a bit then hopefully you can get a plastic putty knife under and slowly work it free

 

[KrisReef]

Results were favorable?

 

[Midrats]

If it won't budge just bury it with some special grade.

 

[chopper320]

Well I got a bigger scraper with a sharper blade and worked at it for about an hour tonight and made no progress. I put quite a bit of pressure and tried to hammer down on it gently but only a couple of small pieces broke free.

 

[MrGisonni]

wow what a mission.

 

[chopper320]

wow what a mission.

It’s a lesson learned. I used to be able to scrape it off of the glass but I think that after doing it so many times, the skeleton has become thicker where it keeps regrowing.