Use of Lasers in Controlling Pest Algae and Corals

[Whiterabbitrage]

Not if you can fry it completely down. The trouble is getting to the ones behind the rocks or the ones that hide their stalks. You must fry the base completely, every single cell must be killed, or the Aptasia will grow back. Also be sure to wear your eye protection. These things are weapons and can burn or blind you.

[Av8bluewater]

I'm an airline pilot and have had 5 laser strikes. One of my First officers was lasered a few years ago and has permanent eye damage. And that was probably from the weaker astronomy laser but could have been one of these more powerful types. Either way it was miles away. I've been hit in the eye a couple of times with no damage. So be careful folks.. I know it's been said over and over I just wanted to share.



Now...
I've been looking for a solution to vermetids. It doesn't sound like this will be the solution but maybe it could help me keep my population down. I would also use it for clove polyps, bubble and cotton candy.
I have a 215 gallon so it's impossible to get to some spots. I wonder if it would work against some cotton candy algae in cracks as well. One of my biggest concerns is my Naso Tang. He's very curious and always around so I would have to block off part of the tank/have some sort of shield for him. For the most part I crush the verms with tweezers and some long bent pliers that look like a surgeons tool. Most are just too hard to get too.
I know I'll never be able to get them all but at least I may be able to keep the visible areas in check. A side problem these things are creating is the turbo snails can't graze areas and cotton candy is growing in between.
Thanks for all the research.
A couple questions.
My tank is 30" front to back. Am I going to be able to get stuff in the middle and toward the back?
Any success killing cotton candy?
Can you put one of these in some sort of underwater housing? Like a camera housing.
Also.. just want to mention I wouldn't use my good camera to take videos or pics of the laser in action. Could get some sensor damage.

[Shobloth]

Originally Posted by seafish

Is there any cap for the wicked laser that can adjust the beam? I shot across to the tempature sensor on the back of my tank, approx. 24" to see what I could raise it to. With the full charge and full power, I raised it from 77' to 86-88'. It seems thats not enough increase to make an impact. Is my Arctic Laser a bad purchase?

If the sensor is metal it would reflect the light. You need something dark and the temp will rapidly rise

[Shobloth]

Originally Posted by Av8bluewater

I'm an airline pilot and have had 5 laser strikes. One of my First officers was lasered a few years ago and has permanent eye damage. And that was probably from the weaker astronomy laser but could have been one of these more powerful types. Either way it was miles away. I've been hit in the eye a couple of times with no damage. So be careful folks.. I know it's been said over and over I just wanted to share.



Now...
I've been looking for a solution to vermetids. It doesn't sound like this will be the solution but maybe it could help me keep my population down. I would also use it for clove polyps, bubble and cotton candy.
I have a 215 gallon so it's impossible to get to some spots. I wonder if it would work against some cotton candy algae in cracks as well. One of my biggest concerns is my Naso Tang. He's very curious and always around so I would have to block off part of the tank/have some sort of shield for him. For the most part I crush the verms with tweezers and some long bent pliers that look like a surgeons tool. Most are just too hard to get too.
I know I'll never be able to get them all but at least I may be able to keep the visible areas in check. A side problem these things are creating is the turbo snails can't graze areas and cotton candy is growing in between.
Thanks for all the research.
A couple questions.
My tank is 30" front to back. Am I going to be able to get stuff in the middle and toward the back?
Any success killing cotton candy?
Can you put one of these in some sort of underwater housing? Like a camera housing.
Also.. just want to mention I wouldn't use my good camera to take videos or pics of the laser in action. Could get some sensor damage.

There are waterproof lasers 2w + for divers... Kinda seems like a bad idea for divers and marine life but also very fun and awesome

Also, if your target is dark you'll be able to get it if you have a powerful enough laser. Make sure to get the proper glasses for your laser

[Whiterabbitrage]

Av8bluewater, am sorry to hear about the laser hits to you and your friend. That type of reckless behavior is sickening. It should not happen.

As for your Vermitids, a laser won't help. Best thing I have found, that's quick and easy and keeps the numbers in check, is to squish the tubes by hand. There are also wrasses that eat them. Sometimes. But you have to be lucky. I got a yellow Coris to eat mine and he hasn't touched them. But squishing their tubes works.
As for bubble algae, laser did not work at all. Best thing for that is, using a fine syringe, inject each bubble with hydrogen peroxide. Works great.
As for clove polyps and cotton candy, they are too spread out, too bushy, so the laser is not a good choice for them either. I tried my laser many times on xenia and it takes foreverrrrrr. Not worth it and ineffective. Kalkwasser paste still your best bet.

Hope this helps? Would hate to see you waste your money like I did, getting a laser and then finding out it doesn't help. But if you still want to try, then let me say, yes, it will reach the back of your tank, and if you have to stick your laser in the water for some reason, use a plastic bag. I know it sounds crazy, but as long as the bag is clear, ( no color or opaqueness ) and is waterproof, it works.

[Av8bluewater]

Yeah, I've been using kalk past. It works best I think. I did order a laser but I'm not expecting to get rid of these things. I have a vermetid kit like you said squishing them. I know it's one of those things where I will just have to control them. A part of my strategy is trying to get various encrusting corals to cover rocks. I plan to use the laser by hitting single polyps of cloves here and there and some verms that aren't easily reachable but visible.
I use for verms a regular pair of tweezers and a big forcep type bent tip scissor pliers.
I had vermetids in my last tank and really thought I made an effort to QT /dip for these things and they still slipped through. In a big tank it's nearly impossible to get them all once they're in there.

[Whiterabbitrage]

Yeah, kalk paste is a pain. It always seems to go where I don't want it! I am using your plan of growing encrusting coral to cover the Vermitids, and it's going ok. Some just build longer tubes, but since they are encrusted, it looks sort of cool.
You got a laser? Cool! Where did you get it? You didn't order from Wicked Laser I hope. They are a rip off. I hope you enjoy Lasing. The first week or two is addicting. You will be Lasing everything in sight! Personally, I prefer to wait until after the fish go to sleep. That way it's a little safer. Be aware of where the laser is reflecting, as you use it. Don't want to blind any fish sleeping in bolt holes.
Good luck. Looking forward to hearing your experiences and opinion!

[Whiterabbitrage]

Seafish, I also purchased a Wicked Laser, only to learn there is no way to adjust the beam. The company would not help, and no one else sold anything that would fit. I asked around some laser sites where people are super into lasers and building their own, and no one was able to build a lens for it so it could be adjusted and used. Sorry. I did post here about what a rip off that purchase was. I was very angry, as you probably are. You could keep asking around the laser sites. Maybe someone there can help? If you find someone, please let me know!

[Av8bluewater]

I have a 5ML syringe (can't remember where I got it ) that has a pointy tip. The opening is probably 1-2mm. It works great for kalk. As long as I don't touch the kalk with my finger it usually sticks. I turn off all pumps for a while. There are a few places like upside downs, pointy ledges where I have to use my finger to try to get it to stay on and sometimes it still won't stay. Also I find using a whole lot more than necessary in some places helps it stay put. Of course you have to get the right consistency too.. about like toothpaste works. I use a mirror too because there's always some lurking behind that you can't see.

[Clmarti78]

I got my 2watt 2,000 mw from big laser.com it was $300 and I got it for astonimy purposes. But you can get them fully assembled but ship times are long. Check lucky laser as well. Any ways went to this site to research on how to get ride of these things so here I got laser glasses on and batteries charged. I will post in a few with results.

[Clmarti78]

From what I have read these guys make some of the best lasers on the market. http://www.laserto.com/ Not the cheapest but from all the forums and research I did we I was buying them they seemed to have the best quality and try to the power advertised. My laser did work but it took a bit and had to turn the lights out in the tank for it to kill what it was pointing at and had to keep the beem in one place for a good amount of time.

[scottneeld88]

Dose anyone know of any websites that are based in the U.S ?

[Ron Reefman]

I'd sell you mine. They are only a temporary fix. If you can get the laser light into the hole where the anemone foot is attached, you can kill it for good. I find this happens about 20% of the time. The other 80% of the time you can't burn the entire anemone out of the hole and in 3-5 days they grow back.

If you want to spend $200 to $300 on a laser, be my guest. I use my as a signal device on my boat, works as good as a flare at night. But for killing aptasia, it's just not worth it. I've had both a 2w and a 2.8w and I wish I had the money back!

BTW, do a search to go back and see who started this whole trend with lasers (before the start of this thread). Hint, his RC screen name initials are 'RR'.

[trueblackpercula]

I think it's amazing but does this laser affect or compromises the glass or silicone ?

[scottneeld88]

Thanks i just went ahead and got 60 nudibranch $695.40 hope they do the job this time round since all my peppermints are gown. I think the monsters might of started eating them they only lasted for a month and vanished ? The peppermints were tank raised and supost to been the best. So im hopping the nutibanches will get the ones in the hole and the laser will get the rest.

[trueblackpercula]

I purchased them too only to see my mystery wrasse eat them all in 5 minutes. Lol

[scottneeld88]

That's not good hope mine live long enough to take care of the aiptasia in the rock work and coral.

[Ron Reefman]

Originally Posted by trueblackpercula

I think it's amazing but does this laser affect or compromises the glass or silicone ?

It has no affect on glass, acrylic or silicone as long as you don't focus on them. It's a fun toy, but only 30% to 50% effective IMHO. And I've had 2 of them.

[Hwobarg]

Stepped it up to a 3 watt unit. Works much better. NOT a toy....

[Ron Reefman]

Originally Posted by Hwobarg

Stepped it up to a 3 watt unit. Works much better. NOT a toy....

Glad you consider it a 'toy' and not a 'tool'. If you have a real aiptasia infestation it won't kill enough to make a serious difference. And damaging the same aiptasia over and over and over gets old pretty quick.

BTW, the power is less important than the ability to get the laser beam into the hole and destroy the ENTIRE aiptasia. It will be about 50% effective in the long run and probably end up sitting on a shelf at some point along with a Majano Wand.

[Av8bluewater]

Originally Posted by Ron Reefman

Glad you consider it a 'toy' and not a 'tool'. If you have a real aiptasia infestation it won't kill enough to make a serious difference. And damaging the same aiptasia over and over and over gets old pretty quick.

BTW, the power is less important than the ability to get the laser beam into the hole and destroy the ENTIRE aiptasia. It will be about 50% effective in the long run and probably end up sitting on a shelf at some point along with a Majano Wand.

Mine sits on a shelf. I bought it to fight blue cloves. The main problem is spending the time/getting places you can't see and the batteries. It's an impossible task.

[karimwassef]

Anyone try this on monti eating nudis? They're white but they're small and thin so I hope this can burn them.

My wrasses hunt by day and they things only come out by night.

[karimwassef]

I was looking at this blue laser
http://www.laserpointerpro.com/5000m...er-p-2940.html

[Whiterabbitrage]

Originally Posted by karimwassef

Anyone try this on monti eating nudis? They're white but they're small and thin so I hope this can burn them.

My wrasses hunt by day and they things only come out by night.

I killed bristle worms with mine so it will probably work for nudis.
Be careful though, seriously. The laser can reflect off of the glass inside the tank and kill or blind sleeping fish without you realizing it's even happening. Always be aware of what is behind what you are aiming at and always try to aim straight into the tank, not in at an angle. This will help keep the laser light from bouncing too much.

[Ontheway]

You have a gun with bullets tend to skim in an uncontrolled way. Do you really want to use it? Then use it under controlled conditions, kill whatever you want in a seperate place, preferably in a non-reflective container. You people are testing and using such a dangerous weapon in urban areas (the aquarium). Do not want to read another story about how it killed or wounded other innocent animals, or even worse... For me, this is a gun. Not a tool. A gun without even minimal safety features, like stopping working at positive angles (pointed upwards) etc..
Just my two cents..