labnjab
04-02-2010, 05:04 PM
I've posted this before in my build thread but I thought it should have its own thread. A friend on my local reef club told me how to make it.
Here's what you need
kalkwasser
100% lye, rooto or red devil brand drain cleaner are 2 that I know are safe
100 ML RO/DI or distilled water
Use extreme caution when mixing. I just made a batch and it gets extremely hot, up to 180degrees or more so make it in a metal bowl. The lye can burn your skin as well so wear eye protection and gloves.
Basically you dissolve 1 heaping teaspoon of the lye into the water. Then dissolve 100 ML kalkwasser into the same water. Mix thoroughly and let cool, then carefully pour into a sealed container.
Heres how to use it
Turn off all flow in the tank. Cover or move coral and stock you want to keep. Then either inject into the aptasia or majano's mouth, or cover the nusciance coral with it . Let sit for half an hour to an hour with no flow. Siphon the area you treated and turn the flow back on.
This is 100% reef safe as long as you kill a small amount at a time. The smaller the tank the less you should use at a time I've used it several times and there is no impact on water parameters. The ph didn't even change at all. I usualy do it at the same time I do a water change. The aptasia will usually die instantly and the coral will disappear in a day or 2. This works better then kalkwasser because it not only covers the pest, it also melts it.
Let me know how it works out for you and just remember to be very careful. Here's the original post from my reef club http://nhreefclub.org/index.php?topic=2509.0
Here's what you need
kalkwasser
100% lye, rooto or red devil brand drain cleaner are 2 that I know are safe
100 ML RO/DI or distilled water
Use extreme caution when mixing. I just made a batch and it gets extremely hot, up to 180degrees or more so make it in a metal bowl. The lye can burn your skin as well so wear eye protection and gloves.
Basically you dissolve 1 heaping teaspoon of the lye into the water. Then dissolve 100 ML kalkwasser into the same water. Mix thoroughly and let cool, then carefully pour into a sealed container.
Heres how to use it
Turn off all flow in the tank. Cover or move coral and stock you want to keep. Then either inject into the aptasia or majano's mouth, or cover the nusciance coral with it . Let sit for half an hour to an hour with no flow. Siphon the area you treated and turn the flow back on.
This is 100% reef safe as long as you kill a small amount at a time. The smaller the tank the less you should use at a time I've used it several times and there is no impact on water parameters. The ph didn't even change at all. I usualy do it at the same time I do a water change. The aptasia will usually die instantly and the coral will disappear in a day or 2. This works better then kalkwasser because it not only covers the pest, it also melts it.
Let me know how it works out for you and just remember to be very careful. Here's the original post from my reef club http://nhreefclub.org/index.php?topic=2509.0