Aiptasia and NaOH

yetti · #1 08/31/2006, 12:38 PM

Has anyone used NaOH to kill off aiptasia? If so, did it work as well as I've heard?

Also, anyone know the best place to find NaOH.

bertoni · #2 08/31/2006, 06:16 PM

I've used that. It will work. Watch the alkalinity and the pH in the tank. I used Red Devil brand lye.

ReeferAl · #3 09/02/2006, 03:48 PM

Same here. I heard that Red Devil has quit making lye, but I can't vouch for the reliability of the rumor as I haven't looked for more recently. I also heard that some places are starting to make you sign for lye because "it is used in meth labs". Again, I don't know if that is true or not.

When I use lye I try not to zap more than a few at any one time. I made a device for blasting the aiptasia with lye:

It is particularly handy when they are on a surface rather than in a hole. I keep it in place for 10-15 sec after squirting the lye and the suction cup keeps the lye from dissipating. In a hole the lye stays put pretty well anyway. A variation I have tried recently is mixing some lye solution with kalk to make a paste. My thinking is that it will have the characteristics of kalk paste in that it stays stuck to the rock somewhat instead of easily blowing away, but has a higher pH due to the lye.

Remember- lye is very caustic and you must be VERY careful not to let it contact skin or coral tissue.

Allen

Fishie Nut · #4 09/04/2006, 12:55 AM

Here's Eric Borneman's recipe for NaOH mixed with kalk:

APTASIA REMEDY

Red Devil lye (Draino???) is the brand name. Drain cleaner and 100% sodium hydroxide. But...here's the good part. Dissociates completely in water into Na and OH-. Nothing changes but pH, and the pH since it coagulates with the calcium hydroxide remains a very local pH effect and you'd have to add a lot to a really small tank to see a pH effect because of its behavor in the presence of other cations in seawater.

Here's the recipe. Get a capped bottle - like a spice jar...around 100ml or less. Add a heaping tablespoon of lye and dissolve in distilled water, and then a heaping tablespoon of kalkwasser. Use a transfer pipette or a transfer syringe or a syringe with a large bore needle to just slowly drip a little on the anemone. It will turn into mush along with anything else organic it contacts. Turn off all water cirulation as it will take about an hour to ensure everything is dissolved.. Also, by this point, the residual mixture is no longer nearly as caustic since it has equilibrated with seawater..the anemone dissolution and its contact with seawater has already made it safe once you turn the flow back on. It contacts the anemones easily just like Joe's juice, the difference of course being that it actually works well.

Two warnings: lye is extremely caustic and be careful when making the solution...lye boils if added to water...always add water to lye slowly and stir with a non metal object and watch your hands and eyes until dissolved. The container will get hot. Then the kalkwasser. Stir the mixture well before each use...you can do this by simply syringing in and out of the container before sucking up a batch. Second warning - even in solution this stuff will burn you - so wear gloves or be careful.
BY: ERIC BORNEMAN

Red Devil Lye is not marketed any longer. If you Google lye or NaOH or Sodium Hydroxide, you'll get suppliers that will sell it.

I've not tried it yet. I've been using Joe's Juice and after two or three treatments, it seems to be working.

xclan · #5 09/04/2006, 08:48 AM

Another chemical I use on a regular Basis. Naoh is used in laboratories for testing mineral and chemical solutions.

bertoni · #6 09/04/2006, 02:41 PM

The comment about raising only pH is incorrect, I believe. Just like calcium hydroxide, lye should raise alkalinity.

ReeferAl · #7 09/04/2006, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fishie Nut
Here's Eric Borneman's recipe for NaOH mixed with kalk:

What do you know, I thought it was a new idea! Great minds think alike.

A caution about drain cleaners. Some are just lye, but others contain bits of metal that fizz and dissolve when the cleaner is added to water. Only use a "drain cleaner" that states that it is 100% sodium hydroxide (lye). A small amount will last a long time so even if you ended up having to buy reagent grade sodium hydroxide the cost to kill alot of aiptasia still shouldn't be that bad.

Allen

Randy Holmes-Farley · #8 09/04/2006, 04:59 PM

I don't agree with Eric's assertions about what is happening chemically when you add NaOH to seawater, but it is a fine way to kill aiptasia as long as you do not add so much as to substantially boost the pH or alkalinity. And don't get it on yourself, especially in your eyes.

Hobster · #9 09/05/2006, 09:03 AM

FWIW,

Draino (small can of lye) is still at my local Wal Mart and Hardware stores, so it is still avaliable,

rick s · #10 10/26/2006, 09:49 AM

Randy,

After I mix this up, can I store it for awhile or do I have to mix a fresh batch everytime I want to kill aiptasia?

If so, is there a time frame where it should be thrown out?

Thanks,

Randy Holmes-Farley · #11 10/26/2006, 09:52 AM

Sodium hydroxide in water? Keep it closed and it will last forever.

rick s · #12 10/26/2006, 10:47 AM

Sorry. The lye mixed with kalk receipe. Same answer?

Randy Holmes-Farley · #13 10/26/2006, 12:10 PM

Carbon dioxide entering it is more of a problem, so keeping air out is more important.