Anyone know how to get rid of this stuff?

[eww]

4-5 months ago we got a rock with some really cool (we thought at the time) Purple Clove Polyps. They have since multiplied and are taking over everything including the face of the overflow and LR. Is there any way to get rid of this stuff or are we stuck with it until we switch over to the new tank?

Here is an example of what it looks like in case I have ID'ed it incorrectly.

 

[Brie]

That's what most places call "blue sansibia".. [Example] It definitely can get invasive, just like xenia and anthellia... As for how to get rid of it, pretty much the only way I can think of would be to use kalkwasser paste and kill it back like you would aptasia(or nuisance xenia, mushrooms, etc) . Just do small areas are a time, and be very careful to NOT get any(kalk paste) on any coral you want to keep.

 

[mfinn]

Hey, I have some stuff just like it in one of my tanks, and it is currently closing in on the zoanthids that I bought the rock for.

Looks like a job for kalk paste.
I'm going to mix up some kalk paste, turn off all the powerheads in the tank. Lay a thick layer (1/8th") over the area I want to kill.
Let it set for 10-15 minutes, then syphon the mix off before turning the flow back on.
I'll repeat if needed.

 

[eww]

Hmmm OK I will try some kalk paste as well and report back. We have it everywhere so it has become really invasive in our tank. It's gotta go

 

[eww]

Hey, I have some stuff just like it in one of my tanks, and it is currently closing in on the zoanthids that I bought the rock for.

Looks like a job for kalk paste.
I'm going to mix up some kalk paste, turn off all the powerheads in the tank. Lay a thick layer (1/8th") over the area I want to kill.
Let it set for 10-15 minutes, then syphon the mix off before turning the flow back on.
I'll repeat if needed.

Hey Martin, Are you turning off all your flow including the return pumps or just the power heads?

 

[mfinn]

all flow, so as to not spread the kalk paste to any coral/fish you want to keep.
I've used kalk paste many, many times, so it is safe as long as you are careful.

 

[BCT182]

Man if you google ATL blue clove polyp you'll see some horror stories. I saw a tank where it had completely taken over. Every single square inch of rock was covered in it..... And I thought it was awesome! I have some on a frag plug that has stayed in one place (as in I haven't moved the frag plug). Its now on 2 or 3 rocks at opposite ends of the aquarium. It's not encroaching on any of my corals, but I figure what the hell, what looks more natural than corals competing for real estate. I am leaving mine in to see what happens. I bet kalk paste would kill it for sure though. Good luck!

 

[saltwaterfishes]

I helped a friend trying to get rid of those blue cloves with kalkwasser, it works but have to do it many times to get rid of them. They grow back very fast! Small frags I covered it with glue.

 

[BCT182]

Small frags I covered it with glue.

Good idea! Lets see them grow through that!

 

[eww]

Man if you google ATL blue clove polyp you'll see some horror stories. I saw a tank where it had completely taken over. Every single square inch of rock was covered in it..... And I thought it was awesome! I have some on a frag plug that has stayed in one place (as in I haven't moved the frag plug). Its now on 2 or 3 rocks at opposite ends of the aquarium. It's not encroaching on any of my corals, but I figure what the hell, what looks more natural than corals competing for real estate. I am leaving mine in to see what happens. I bet kalk paste would kill it for sure though. Good luck!

Be careful Brett. Once it starts spreading it goes everywhere. We had it on the original rock only for the first couple of months but now it's everywhere. Like you said it never came in contact with anything but the one rock but it started popping up randomly all over the place. Now there is not one rock in the tank that doesn't have some growing on it as well as on the overflow and the back wall. It is coming up between the polyps of our zoos and starting to choke some of them out. I'm not saying this will for sure happen to you. All I'm saying is watch it and make your decision as early as you can if you want to get rid of it. We have a pretty big task ahead of us to get rid of all of ours.

 

[the6goat6man6]

i have something like that also, are they "blue"? the ones i have are like, mint green.

 

[eww]

These are more light purple or lavendar than blue but I think they are called blue. I put a pic on the OP at the top of this thread of our actual tank.

 

[jrgilles]

Do they symbiotic algae?

If so, go buy some huge clam shells or something from the grocery store, and glue them over the area. That will block their light and they will die. Give it a few weeks, then pop the shell off and move it to a new area.

Or, put a rock on top of it to block the light or turn the rock over.

Not sure it will help, I do that sometimes for some GSP in my tank to inhibit their growth

 

[eww]

Do they symbiotic algae?

HUH?!? Talk in dummy terms here please Rob.

 

[thatguy559]

hey eric can you bring some with you on sat when you guys head up for the meeting?

 

[eww]

Sure thing Justin. Are you wanting it for your tank?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

HUH?!? Talk in dummy terms here please Rob.

Think he was asking if it requires light as in "is it Photosynthetic" meaning does the coral carry zooxanthellae algae in it's tissue?

Answer is it does, but as a filter feeder, can get by with minimal light. My frag is a slow grower due to minimal extra available food.

 

[thatguy559]

yeah i want to use it in my refugium

 

[eww]

Think he was asking if it requires light as in "is it Photosynthetic" meaning does the coral carry zooxanthellae algae in it's tissue?

Answer is it does, but as a filter feeder, can get by with minimal light. My frag is a slow grower due to minimal extra available food.

Thanks for the explanation Mike. I thought that maybe he wuz talkin bout that...

Sounds like maybe we are still overfeeding the tank since ours has exploded all over the tank. We cut back to one feeding a day but I think we still just put to much in. The GHA has significantly reduced and is getting better every day but we have also been siphoning off the rocks once a week or so for the last several weeks.

 

[eww]

yeah i want to use it in my refugium

I will get some gathered up for you.