Hydroids-HELP!

Mike Olson · #1 01-20-2009, 08:24 PM

I am trying to find out if there is anyway to kill off hydroids off of live rock and still maintain 'live rock'! I dont want to have cook or dry out 200 lbs. of nice rock. Hopefully there is someone out there who has a better solution!
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/dat...vember_007.jpg

Lance · #2 01-20-2009, 11:14 PM

[quote=Mike Olson;379081]I am trying to find out if there is anyway to kill off hydroids

"PREPARATION H"
I'm sorry! Couldn't help myself.

Delphinus · #3 01-20-2009, 11:46 PM

Couple potential solutions here. Unfortunately there is no real silver bullet.

1. Scrape them off manually.
2. Cover them with epoxy.
3. Blowtorch (no, seriously. It's something I was considering myself)
4. Pressure washer.
5. Used to have them all over the place, One day I noticed I had hardly any in my 75g, but still had them in other tanks. After researching it a little, found that Centropyge angels can sometimes pick at them. I have a potter's angel. That said, I've never noticed her picking at hydroids specifically, but I thought it interesting to note that all of a sudden I didn't have as many in the tank she's in. Could be coincidence, but still noteworthy.

Good luck. In the grand scheme of things there are worse things to get but they're still quite annoying to look at especially when they spread all over the place.

Canadian · #4 01-21-2009, 02:43 AM

This advice kind of differs depending upon which type of hydroid you have but . . .

I panicked when I had them about a year ago and kalked them, changed flow, etc. all to no avail. Then I read somewhere on RC (I think it was on RC) to just let them be and eventually they'll die off. The information I read basically said that at some point in your reef's development it will have conditions perfectly suited to keep them alive and they will thrive briefly. But if you were to try to keep them alive at another point in time you would fail miserably. So I just let them be and they died off within a month never to appear again.

What kind of hydroids do you have? Do you have any pics?

i have crabs · #5 01-21-2009, 05:08 AM

i have a few small patches that haven't caused any problems but when i was joe's juicing some aptasia i gave them a squirt and it wiped out a big strip right through the middle of the patch

whatcaneyedo · #6 01-21-2009, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Couple potential solutions here. Unfortunately there is no real silver bullet.

1. Scrape them off manually.
2. Cover them with epoxy.
3. Blowtorch (no, seriously. It's something I was considering myself)
4. Pressure washer.
5. Used to have them all over the place, One day I noticed I had hardly any in my 75g, but still had them in other tanks. After researching it a little, found that Centropyge angels can sometimes pick at them. I have a potter's angel. That said, I've never noticed her picking at hydroids specifically, but I thought it interesting to note that all of a sudden I didn't have as many in the tank she's in. Could be coincidence, but still noteworthy.

Good luck. In the grand scheme of things there are worse things to get but they're still quite annoying to look at especially when they spread all over the place.

You've stumped me, what is worse than hydroids? I've had flat worms, red bugs, aptasia, bubble algae, hair algae, cyano, big ugly crabs, ick, and probably a few other things plus invasive softies like anthelia and GSP but I cant think of anything worse than hydroids. Blow torch them is my advice.

Delphinus · #7 01-21-2009, 05:33 AM

Oh I agree, they're up there but I still think they are not the "worst" thing that can happen to a tank. They won't cause you a tank full of dead fish inside of an hour just because you annoyed them, for example. (Hmmmm, maybe I should add "as far as I know, anyhow" ... just in case!!)

Whatigot · #8 01-21-2009, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i have crabs

i have a few small patches that haven't caused any problems but when i was joe's juicing some aptasia i gave them a squirt and it wiped out a big strip right through the middle of the patch

They'll be back.
I have had some success with taking the piece of rock out and running HOT water (boiled R/O, but I don;t see why tapwater wouldn't work as well) over the affected area.

Every time I kalk, the hydroids come back like raffis cat.
Been 2 weeks since I tried the boiling water method and they have not returned as of yet.

freddy · #9 01-21-2009, 07:08 PM

I had a major hydoid popullation,used an old tooth brush just kept brushing them off the rock every time they appeared,soon it was less and less,havn't had any for over 3 months.Worked for me,could work for you.

Mike Olson · #10 01-21-2009, 07:19 PM

Thanks for all the ideas. i have tried to brush them away on a regular basis and they kept coming back...I removed the rock and scrubbed with a stainless brush-they came back! Right now I have all my rock in my sump with no light...they appear to have receded-just not sure they are gone! I put a link on my original message that shows them-not a great pic, but I will try to find a better one.