Can i use a tiny torch to kill aiptasia?

ChrisQ · 08/17/2013, 11:10 AM

Like the title says.

After reading some of the horror storys of boiling rock,fragging mishaps, etc. i'm thinking i'll do some more research first.

Now i'm not talking about super heating a rock but using a pen torch to "Target fry" them? It should only take a few seconds right?

Can i use a tiny torch to kill aiptasia?

saltpeter · 08/17/2013, 11:14 AM

mix a paste of Kalk and daub the buggers.

ChrisQ · 08/17/2013, 11:25 AM

Don't have any yet.

cloak · 08/17/2013, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisQ

Like the title says.

After reading some of the horror storys of boiling rock,fragging mishaps, etc. i'm thinking i'll do some more research first.

Now i'm not talking about super heating a rock but using a pen torch to "Target fry" them? It should only take a few seconds right?

Can i use a tiny torch to kill aiptasia?

I don't see why not. There have been some accounts where people have used a cigarette lighter for this.

LH77 · 08/17/2013, 11:37 AM

Yes, target frying them for a few seconds works fine. FWIW, I used a grill lighter.

disc1 · 08/17/2013, 12:12 PM

I used a little butane torch to kill off GSP once. It left a weird color on the rock but didn't appear to do much damage to anything that didn't get directly burned.

Gagonzalez · 08/17/2013, 01:12 PM

Yep.....I used a butane torch as well. Works great but it does kill EVERYTHING on the spot and around it so be careful. My coralline was stripped in a 1" spot around the area and has taken about 6 months to start growing back. Just FYI.

Sun357 · 08/17/2013, 10:57 PM

I actually used a can of air upside down and froze some off before. =)

ChrisQ · 08/18/2013, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sun357

I actually used a can of air upside down and froze some off before. =)

Hey thats a good idea!

Did any come back?

dinwiddie90 · 08/18/2013, 07:12 AM

I use kalk paste so you can do it in the water

tcossey · 08/18/2013, 07:26 AM

All of these are great but what about just adding utility fish such as copperband butterfly. Mine eats fan worms, aiptasia, and other nuisance growth on my rock work.

Seakrait · 08/18/2013, 07:51 AM

I use a tiny butane torch. It kills everything within 1/2 an inch of the spot the flame is placed at. Mine is meant for soldering, but it isn't much different than a small wind proof style butane lighter. As an added bonus I have used mine to kill bryopsis and digitate hydroids successfully also. The only time this method is hard is when you have sponges you don't want to kill by removing the rock completely from the water or the thing you want to kill is within a 1/2" of a coral or another creature you care about. This is when I use kalk paste.

nynick · 08/18/2013, 08:00 AM

Kalk paste/cement it in. It kills it dead and prevents it from both spreading and moving. I have been doing this every time I find one on a new frag etc. Works 100% of the time and there is no excuse for not having Kalk if you have a reef tank. Singularly the best additive in the hobby and VERY cheap.

Turn off any strong powerheads before getting a dollop of paste in the water. It blows off a spoon surprisingly easy and your price bubbletip will grab it before it realizes that it isn't food ..... don't ask.

ViktorVaughn · 08/18/2013, 08:30 AM

I had a pretty big sized aiptasia going on one of my live rock pieces and like others have said above the torch method works. I pulled my rock out and just lit up the torch (bernzomatic propane torch) and burned the aiptasia and surronded areas than cleansed the rock before putting back in the tank and have not seen any since. That was around 2-3 weeks ago I believe so it seems to be pretty effective.

Sun357 · 08/18/2013, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisQ

Hey thats a good idea!

Did any come back?

Nope! They froze up and then I just scraped them off.

tgirl6868 · 08/18/2013, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinwiddie90

I use kalk paste so you can do it in the water

What is kalk paste and where do you find it and how do you make the paste?

mikecc67548 · 08/19/2013, 02:30 AM

Does this torch work under water? That would be cool!

whiteshark · 08/19/2013, 06:19 AM

There is one thing that frightens me about using a torch and it's the possibility, albeit slight, of accidentally or unknowingly burning up a Paly or two. Just not worth it for me even though the risk is so minimal.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog...le-at-your-lfs

08/17/2013, 11:10 AM	#1
ChrisQ Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 83	Can i use a tiny torch to kill aiptasia? Like the title says. After reading some of the horror storys of boiling rock,fragging mishaps, etc. i'm thinking i'll do some more research first. Now i'm not talking about super heating a rock but using a pen torch to "Target fry" them? It should only take a few seconds right? Can i use a tiny torch to kill aiptasia?

08/17/2013, 11:14 AM	#2
saltpeter Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Dublin,Ohio Posts: 151	mix a paste of Kalk and daub the buggers. __________________ There's always a bigger fish : Master Qui-Gon Jinn.

08/17/2013, 12:12 PM	#6
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	I used a little butane torch to kill off GSP once. It left a weird color on the rock but didn't appear to do much damage to anything that didn't get directly burned. __________________ David Current Tank: Undergoing reconstruction...

08/17/2013, 10:57 PM	#8
Sun357 Geek Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Rantoul, IL Posts: 137	I actually used a can of air upside down and froze some off before. =) __________________ ~Fred Current Tank Info: 25G Lagoon mixed reef

08/19/2013, 06:19 AM	#18
whiteshark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 3,024	There is one thing that frightens me about using a torch and it's the possibility, albeit slight, of accidentally or unknowingly burning up a Paly or two. Just not worth it for me even though the risk is so minimal. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog...le-at-your-lfs __________________ Deep Blue 60 gallon cube: Setup in progress.

08/17/2013, 11:25 AM	#3
ChrisQ Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 83	Don't have any yet.

08/17/2013, 11:37 AM	#5
LH77 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 14	Yes, target frying them for a few seconds works fine. FWIW, I used a grill lighter.

08/17/2013, 01:12 PM	#7
Gagonzalez Reef Fanatic Join Date: May 2012 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 703	Yep.....I used a butane torch as well. Works great but it does kill EVERYTHING on the spot and around it so be careful. My coralline was stripped in a 1" spot around the area and has taken about 6 months to start growing back. Just FYI.

08/18/2013, 07:12 AM	#10
dinwiddie90 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 71	I use kalk paste so you can do it in the water

08/18/2013, 07:26 AM	#11
tcossey Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: St. Louis Posts: 11	All of these are great but what about just adding utility fish such as copperband butterfly. Mine eats fan worms, aiptasia, and other nuisance growth on my rock work.

08/18/2013, 07:51 AM	#12
Seakrait Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Cherry Hill Posts: 30	I use a tiny butane torch. It kills everything within 1/2 an inch of the spot the flame is placed at. Mine is meant for soldering, but it isn't much different than a small wind proof style butane lighter. As an added bonus I have used mine to kill bryopsis and digitate hydroids successfully also. The only time this method is hard is when you have sponges you don't want to kill by removing the rock completely from the water or the thing you want to kill is within a 1/2" of a coral or another creature you care about. This is when I use kalk paste.

08/18/2013, 08:00 AM	#13
nynick Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,029	Kalk paste/cement it in. It kills it dead and prevents it from both spreading and moving. I have been doing this every time I find one on a new frag etc. Works 100% of the time and there is no excuse for not having Kalk if you have a reef tank. Singularly the best additive in the hobby and VERY cheap. Turn off any strong powerheads before getting a dollop of paste in the water. It blows off a spoon surprisingly easy and your price bubbletip will grab it before it realizes that it isn't food ..... don't ask.

08/18/2013, 08:30 AM	#14
ViktorVaughn Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Aurora, CO Posts: 619	I had a pretty big sized aiptasia going on one of my live rock pieces and like others have said above the torch method works. I pulled my rock out and just lit up the torch (bernzomatic propane torch) and burned the aiptasia and surronded areas than cleansed the rock before putting back in the tank and have not seen any since. That was around 2-3 weeks ago I believe so it seems to be pretty effective.

08/19/2013, 02:30 AM	#17
mikecc67548 Registered Member. Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 472	Does this torch work under water? That would be cool!