Another Aiptasia question

[user 26995]

I have a few good size A's in my my overflow. I was wondering, if I was to black out the overflow by putting black material around the outside corners of the tank and over the top of the overflow, so that its not getting any light in there, do you think they would go into survival mode and send out their spoars or would they possibly die from lack of light. But then again you find them in some dark places, so maybe that wouldnt work anyway.
I dont think a CBB will fit well in my corner overflow. I think these things are too big for them or nudis to eat anyway.

 

[Krish]

Are they just attached to the overflow walls on the inside? If so, could you maybe grab them out with some long tongs??? Just thinking out loud here. Not sure if the lack of light will cause them to die-off or put them in what you called "survival mode" and cause you more issues. That a toughy!!

 

[user 26995]

Thats an idea, maybe scrape them off with a long handle scraper, but I had to disturb them, cause then they will spit out spores.
I could turn off the return pump and empty the overflow I suppose and clean them out that way. That sounds like it might be the safest way to go about it.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Simply turn off the return and then nuke the overflow by adding kalk, PH up, or any equivilant into the stagnant overflow.They will die within minutes and then turn the pumps back on and they will be rinced into your sump and you can even use a filter sock as desired

 

[mcoomer]

Put a filter sock over the overflow drain, scrape them off, and then dump and clean the filter sock. Leave the sock in place for a few hours to ensure that you don't miss anything.

You could also do the kalk scenario that Mike described above but I'd leave the kalk in the overflow for a hour or so to ensure nothing survives. I'd also run a filter sock over the drain if you use this method, just to be sure.

Mike

 

[DonW]

Remember kalk doesnt mix with SW. Pre mix it in plain water. The precip may make a mess with a bunck of kalk. I would use vinegar. Shut down the overflow siphon off a quart of the sw that will be still there due to the stand pipe. Pour in a qt of vinegar let it sit for 20 minutes then siphon out the overflow and while your at it clean up the food souce that is probably collecting at the bottom of the overflow.

Don

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Thanks Don, meant Kalkwasser not powdered limestone aka kalk

 

[user 26995]

and while your at it clean up the food souce that is probably collecting at the bottom of the overflow.

Don

Good idea. Kill two birds with one stone.
Sounds like the next weekend project...not like I dont already have projects. I'd like to get the sump for another tank built this weekend too. I just took apart one of my lighting units and swapped out the T5 balast cause one went out. Another lighting unit down cause one of the T5s isnt working. Planning on taking it apart one night this week.

 

[coralcrab]

For what it's worth, Aiptasia won't die from loosing their lightsource. We use this technique to encourage them to bleach for Symbiodinium studies in the lab. They do shrink.

 

[user 26995]

For what it's worth, Aiptasia won't die from loosing their lightsource.

That is good bit of info. I know I didn't know that.