Removing Palys

AlexDm · Dec 21, 2017

I want to remove the following palys but some have encrusted onto the rock I can see and, I want to remove/replace them with something else how can I do it. Is it Dangerous to me can the toxins kill everything in the tank?

DSC reef · Dec 21, 2017

Those are nice palys. I'd take the rock out and carefully remove them with a sharp exacto knife. If you cut underneath them carefully you should be able to remove the whole colony. I'd use safety goggles and gloves to be on the safe side, they can squirt as you cut them.

Triggreef · Dec 21, 2017

It's only dangerous if you let it squirt in your face or somehow turn it to gas form and inhale it. The best way would be to remove the rock and use a wet saw to cut them off. I don't have a usable eye saw so i use a pair of bone cutters and cut them off with small chunks of rock. Then you can glue them up frag plugs and sell our give them away. Bone cutter cost about $10. If you try to peel them off the rock you'll most like kill them.

Depending on tank size, may want to run some fresh activated carbon you remove any toxins in the water. I usually change mine as a safety precaution when i do a lot of fragging.

AlexDm · Dec 21, 2017

DSC reef said:
Those are nice palys. I'd take the rock out and carefully remove them with a sharp exacto knife. If you cut underneath them carefully you should be able to remove the whole colony. I'd use safety goggles and gloves to be on the safe side, they can squirt as you cut them.

Triggreef said:
It's only dangerous if you let it squirt in your face or somehow turn it to gas form and inhale it. The best way would be to remove the rock and use a wet saw to cut them off. I don't have a usable eye saw so i use a pair of bone cutters and cut them off with small chunks of rock. Then you can glue them up frag plugs and sell our give them away. Bone cutter cost about $10. If you try to peel them off the rock you'll most like kill them.

Depending on tank size, may want to run some fresh activated carbon you remove any toxins in the water. I usually change mine as a safety precaution when i do a lot of fragging.

Thank you for the answers but, removing the rock is not impossible I rather not remove it, is there a way to do in the display rank itself?

DSC reef · Dec 22, 2017

You can take the same approach, just a bit more difficult. Make sure you have carbon in the sump.

Zero Nitrates · Dec 22, 2017

It’s going to be very difficult to do without removing the rock. Tile nippers work well to cut rock.

Cnidoblast · Dec 22, 2017

Open windows, take the rock out of the tank and put in into a bucket of tank water - put on gloves and goggles and gently cut away closest to the rock with a boxcutter

AlexDm · Dec 22, 2017

Zero Nitrates said:
It’s going to be very difficult to do without removing the rock. Tile nippers work well to cut rock.

Okay I will try thank you

AlexDm · Dec 22, 2017

DSC reef said:
You can take the same approach, just a bit more difficult. Make sure you have carbon in the sump.

Like like chemiPure?

Cnidoblast · Dec 22, 2017

I would not cut in your main system - palytoxin is lethal to inverts at sub-microgram levels

DSC reef · Dec 22, 2017

AlexDm said:
Like like chemiPure?

Yes. Extra carbon will help remove any toxins in the water. Always a risk though.

Flippers4pups · Dec 22, 2017

Dilution is the solution in tank. Water volume helps and removing one or two at a time, spaced over weeks can work. Safety is Paramount. GAC and water changes after removal is highly recommend.

I'm currently removing some in my system using kalk paste. I have done this numerous times in the past with no effect on me or my live stock, but only a couple at a time in conjunction with fresh GAC and a water change after.

The best solution is to remove from the system and dispose accordingly, safety first.

Crreef · Dec 24, 2017

I would use a razor blade and disconnect the polyps connecting the colony and the main rock. Make sure to wear safety goggles and gloves. After you remove the rock I would also do a water change to get as much toxin out of the water possible. Good luck.