Using Kalkwasser Paste To Stunt/Stop Growth

[Ty Hamatake]

Does anyone have any experience with this? I looked around on the Web a little and couldn't find much information (I may have been looking in the wrong places). I have a cap that is currently encroaching on some of my other frags and I would like him to not be doing that anymore.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Not 100% sure what you mean. I use it to stop palys and such, are you trying to stop a stony coral?

 

[Ty Hamatake]

Not 100% sure what you mean. I use it to stop palys and such, are you trying to stop a stony coral?

Yes, my montipora cap is starting to encrust past where I thought it would and is starting to encroach on some other frags. Is this technique only used for softies? I seem to remember reading somewhere (can't remember what site or the details... obviously ) that some used it stop stonies as well.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yes, my montipora cap is starting to encrust past where I thought it would and is starting to encroach on some other frags. Is this technique only used for softies? I seem to remember reading somewhere (can't remember what site or the details... obviously ) that some used it stop stonies as well.

you can yea. lay it on and it burns them. Ive resorted to scraping though. both so far seem temporary.

 

[Ty Hamatake]

you can yea. lay it on and it burns them. Ive resorted to scraping though. both so far seem temporary.

Yeah, I was a dummy and didn't think this thing would encrust as much as it has, and it's still going strong. How long do you let it sit? Am I wrong in assuming that you suck the paste out after a while?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yeah, I was a dummy and didn't think this thing would encrust as much as it has, and it's still going strong. How long do you let it sit? Am I wrong in assuming that you suck the paste out after a while?

Mine were accidental frags that I guess liked where they landed.
Yea pumps off, put it on, cross fingers. turkey baster to remove.

Honestly putty may be a better answer and smother them. kalk/app x is messy.

 

[ludnix]

I used to use epoxy putty on some red/orange monti cap that would cover my rock in a month. I would peel the epoxy off after a week but the kalk paste is probably a faster solution and won't require you to leave epoxy in the tank for so long.

 

[Ty Hamatake]

Mine were accidental frags that I guess liked where they landed.
Yea pumps off, put it on, cross fingers. turkey baster to remove.

Honestly putty may be a better answer and smother them. kalk/app x is messy.

Lol "cross fingers". What kind of putty? Like make your own kalk putty or...?

 

[Ty Hamatake]

I used to use epoxy putty on some red/orange monti cap that would cover my rock in a month. I would peel the epoxy off after a week but the kalk paste is probably a faster solution and won't require you to leave epoxy in the tank for so long.

Did it stop their growth in that direction long term, or was it still a short term fix? I'm willing to put in more work if it means longer results!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Lol "cross fingers". What kind of putty? Like make your own kalk putty or...?

coral putty. frag mounts.

 

[ludnix]

Did it stop their growth in that direction long term, or was it still a short term fix? I'm willing to put in more work if it means longer results!

Not at all, if you want to stop it long term put an elegance coral in its path or others that have a stronger sting than the montipora. I would not advise putting montiporas next to slow growing acros unless you want to trim it often. Montiporas typically grow so much faster there's no permanent solution to slow them down. Congratulations on your growth though! It's good problem to have in this hobby.

 

[Ty Hamatake]

Not at all, if you want to stop it long term put an elegance coral in its path or others that have a stronger sting than the montipora. I would not advise putting montiporas next to slow growing acros unless you want to trim it often. Montiporas typically grow so much faster there's no permanent solution to slow them down. Congratulations on your growth though! It's good problem to have in this hobby.

Ha ha right!? It's like "first world problems... reefing edition"! Thanks for the info, I'll have to try it out.

coral putty. frag mounts.

Thank you!

 

[Sabellafella]

Does anyone have any experience with this? I looked around on the Web a little and couldn't find much information (I may have been looking in the wrong places). I have a cap that is currently encroaching on some of my other frags and I would like him to not be doing that anymore.

I do =) works great, only if i cant frag the coral i will. Sps only

 

[Sabellafella]

Did it stop their growth in that direction long term, or was it still a short term fix? I'm willing to put in more work if it means longer results!

Short term fix, but from what ive seen, i guess once the coral doesnt feel "safe" enuff to grow in that area due to a monthly hit on kalk paste, then itll usually stop growing in that area

 

[ludnix]

I only found myself needing to smother this particular montipora:

It had a sister piece on the opposite side of the rock, they eventually encrusted over and completely covered the rock and shelved out on both sides. I appreciated the shelves but didn't want the top of the rock covered where I could put some acros. I would cover the top with epoxy putty (expensive solution if you buy the stuff from the fish shop), after a week I could peel it off and the skeleton would be exposed but it always grew back, sometimes individual polyps would survive and encrust as well.

Here was the other side, I can't find any photos of when it had fully encrusted this was back in 2010 or so:

 

[BCSreef]

I have had the same problem with a number of Montis and some fast growing Acros. I usually cut them back. However, the encrusting ones can't be easily cut. I do as Salty does and smother them. I use one of the reusable, melt-able plastic adhesives that have just started to appear. You heat in hot water to soften, then mold over the aggressor and pull it off after about a week. Nice thing is you can reuse what you pulled off by simply reheating. It is really meant to attach frags to rockwork. This is the one I use:

Bob

 

[Ty Hamatake]

Short term fix, but from what ive seen, i guess once the coral doesnt feel "safe" enuff to grow in that area due to a monthly hit on kalk paste, then itll usually stop growing in that area

I may be able to frag one side, but the other is entrusting up a vertical face ever closer to one of my nicer frags. How long do you usually let yours sit for?

 

[Sabellafella]

I may be able to frag one side, but the other is entrusting up a vertical face ever closer to one of my nicer frags. How long do you usually let yours sit for?

Havnt done it recently, a while ago ive had but no need as of yet on my current tanks. but what you mean- how long does the kalk paste sit for?. From the looks of your photo, you might be able to just frag that piece/pieces, possibly toss a rock there as well to keep it from encrusting onto that specific area. Kalk paste is usually a last ditch effort, because it litterally burns any tissue that comes in contact with it.

 

[Ty Hamatake]

Havnt done it recently, a while ago ive had but no need as of yet on my current tanks. but what you mean- how long does the kalk paste sit for?. From the looks of your photo, you might be able to just frag that piece/pieces, possibly toss a rock there as well to keep it from encrusting onto that specific area. Kalk paste is usually a last ditch effort, because it litterally burns any tissue that comes in contact with it.

Alright cool, I'll try scraping it first then. I was worried about the collateral damage as it fell on everything underneath it.

 

[BCSreef]

Alright cool, I'll try scraping it first then. I was worried about the collateral damage as it fell on everything underneath it.

Another thing that works is a stainless steel "toothbrush". There are a number of sizes on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NM3PSE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A few brush strokes will scrape live tissue off. Unless the coral has real deep grooves or pores.