Laser for zapping aiptasia

[STEVE]

I heard something about a laser people are using to zap aiptasia....anyone using one? I would love to see one and if they work.

[spankna]

I read a post where a guy used a laser to burn aiptasia. He had a laser from http://www.survivallaser.com. If you want a cheaper alternative, hd dvd players have a 405nm laser diode that can pop balloons, light matches, burn paper, etc. There are plenty of hd dvd players out there and lots of diy plans.

Edited April 10, 2012 by spankna

[spankna]

If I remember correctly, the guy still had to remove the rock from the aquarium.

[Marc Weaver]

 

Pretty Cool

[spankna]

I stand corrected. That was awesome.

[STEVE]

Thanks for the video link Marc. Just have to find out where to get one.

[Marc Weaver]

Just be careful, I read somewhere it can cause almost instantaneous permanent blindness if it is shined into your eye, so you have to use the correct wavelength-filtering glasses and make sure no one else is in the room. Fish seem to be unaffected, though. Some people say that's not true, but I use a laser-cutter at work and it has a special beam-filtering acrylic cover which shuts the beam off if it is opened and the warning sticker says "Direct or scattered rays can cause permanent eye injury."

[LanglandJoshua]

check out survival laser.com

 

I read the warnings, they say the same things several times. But I'm pretty sure PERMINANT blindness is worth warning someone about! It can even blind from a reflection, and cause damage from the little bit that reflects back when shined through glass. I still want one, but I dont have a spare $500....

[STEVE]

Thanks all....$500.00 !!! That's alot of peppermint shrimp!

[Origami]

There are at least a couple of members that have one. They work when the Aiptasia are line-of-sight, but not effective if hidden behind a rock or something where you can't get to them. They'll work against other pests, too. But, as mentioned, can be very dangerous to both the user and anybody surrounding him or her, so be both informed and careful.

 

A bristle tail file fish is another natural predator of Aiptasia.

[hbh]

What about Der ABT who has the nudibranches? Perhaps get an egg sac from him?

[dbartco]

if you find me a peppermint, filefish, copperband, or joes that effectively takes care of mojanos, let me know. Lasers might be the answer in some cases.

[CaptainRon]

Anyone that uses one of the highpowered lasers... just do your research and protect yourself and other reef inhabitants. Those things can instantly blind you at those close distances. Even a reflection can do some serious damage. Make sure you get the safety glasses and that no one else is in the room so they can't get hit by reflections. The lasers seem like they work if you can get to the base of the aiptasia from what I've seen.

[DaveS]

Maybe it's just me but this is kinda silly and unnecessarily dangerous. Sure it's cool to have a laser gun like Star Wars but the the cost/benefit isn't worth it.

 

1) you can't get all the pests cause it has to be line of sight.

2) what good can it do that Joe's, Kalk paste, or some other approaches can't?

3) you can seriously hurt yourself- whatever energy that can burn Aptasia to death can do the same to your retina...

 

Again, yes it's a cool thing but so are firearms, blow torches, and dynamite....

[Integral9]

Oh man, that is so bad ass.

 

Next step. Mount it on a friggin shark.

[STEVE]

LOL....It also dangerous to cross the street! Thats why you take the proper saftey measures...and walk in the crosswalk, no it wont stop a car from hitting you, but you are following proper saftey precautions. Is it necessary to go 0 to 200mph in less than 7 seconds...? No but people enjoy it. There again, you take the proper saftey steps. Point taken Dave.

[DaveS]

LOL....It also dangerous to cross the street! Thats why you take the proper saftey measures...and walk in the crosswalk, no it wont stop a car from hitting you, but you are following proper saftey precautions. Is it necessary to go 0 to 200mph in less than 7 seconds...? No but people enjoy it. There again, you take the proper saftey steps. Point taken Dave.

 

Sorry if I sounded like an old fart. If you guys knew my lead foot and my other hobbies you'd know I'm not risk adverse. But having worked R&D with really powerful lasers in the past and having been randomly hit in the eye, this just made me cringe.

 

The reflections are the main thing- most people only think about worry about mirrors and shiny stuff. Even pointing a laser directly (90 deg perpendicular) at clear glass will generate an appreciable reflection. It's very easy to have a random stray reflection cause damage.

 

But hey zap away!!m

Edited April 11, 2012 by DaveS

[Origami]

Like a lot of things that are dangerous but also useful as tools, you need to be knowledgeable, careful and respectful. And, like other things that are similar, you not only need to know how to use it, but also how to protect others from harm should they come across it. At the very least, store one of these things in a high place and separate it from its batteries. If you have to, go further: Store the body of the laser in one place, the battery cap in another, and the batteries in a third place.

 

In some ways, it's easier to retain control over one of these devices than it is, say, to keep a gallon of muriatic acid around the house.

[spankna]

I just watched two videos where a DSLR sensor (1) failed and (2) aquired a permanent pink crosshair after a laser was shined in the lens. Both were at concerts with laser lights shining at the crowd.

[Guest thefishman65]

I use one and take the necessary precautions and have had no trouble. Reef central has a good thread on safety precautions you should read.