Cutting LR with coral on it

[dough]

So I have a piece of LR that is the size of a grape fruit. It's covered in green and yellow sponges, coraline algae, a spot of palys that I don't want in the tank, a beautiful maxi mini and a few zoa polyps that I do want. Luckily the zoas I want aren't close to the others I don't want.

I really want to cut off the palys I don't want in the tank and cut down the rock in attempts to place the maxi mini and the zoas in a new spot. Of course I also want to save as much of the sponges.

All I have is a dremel and the diamond tipped wheels. Or is there another suggestion or thoughts on how to proceed?

 

[Doberman13]

Use your dremel and try your best to score the rock where you want to cut it. Then follow that line with a 1/8" drill bit and drill some holes every inch or so along the line. Then take a flathead screwdriver and hammer and try to chisel that piece off.

 

[Doberman13]

Wear some gloves and eye protection just in case of palytoxin

 

[jcook54]

@Doberman13 pretty much summed it up. It's going to take a bit of work but it can be done. Rock will break along the weakest line and by using the dremel & drilling holes, you can control where it breaks (to a degree). Do it outside with proper eye protection an take your time. An alternative would be try try and chisel the palys off but doing that depends on how everything's set up on it. I've busted out the band saw once or twice only to put it away once I started looking at the rock itself and decided a chisel & hammer was adequate to accomplish my goal.

 

[Doberman13]

I just realized you said it has sponges on it you would like to keep. From what I have read sponges do not react well to being taken out of the water. I don't have any experience with sponges(except for pineapple sponges) but you may want to scrape them off under water and then try to reattach them once the rock is broken up.

 

[dough]

Thanks for the reminder, been down the road with the palytoxin several times, even the dog got a taste one time. Just got over battling being stung by a bristle worm that had my finger swollen for a few days. Regarding sponges, I'll have to work fast. Don't want to damage the maxi mini either.

 

[ActiveAngel]

Even if just exposed to a singular bubble underwater, this can kill an entire sponge colony. So if you like them, definitely don’t remove them from water. Even if you “work fast”, it probably won’t end well for them. It’s not true for all sponges, but for a lot of them.

Speaking of, I’d love to see these sponges. Can you take photos? Or find similar stock images online?

My recommendation is also to scrape them off the rock first, before doing any cutting. Then, putting them back on it after everything is done. It sucks, but it keeps them alive.

 

[dough]

Even if just exposed to a singular bubble underwater, this can kill an entire sponge colony. So if you like them, definitely don’t remove them from water. Even if you “work fast”, it probably won’t end well for them. It’s not true for all sponges, but for a lot of them.

Speaking of, I’d love to see these sponges. Can you take photos? Or find similar stock images online?

My recommendation is also to scrape them off the rock first, before doing any cutting. Then, putting them back on it after everything is done. It sucks, but it keeps them alive.

Here is a pix of the yellow sponge

 

[ZapataInc]

Here is a pix of the yellow sponge

That is cool

 

[bzb]

Here is a pix of the yellow sponge

That is awesome! That is going to be an interesting cut, considering you really don't want to take that thing out of water. Following to see how this one turns out.

Brainstorming an option:

1. Get the rock out of the tank, submerged in a tupperware large enough for it.
2. Transfer to a large brute bin and move the rock, keeping it under water.
3. Use a long masonry bit. Bonus, the water will keep it cool. Make sure you use a GFCI plug if you're using a plug-in drill.
4. After you destroy the rock, let the dust settle, then take the pieces you want back into a small container, keeping it under water.
5. Do your best to transfer back to DT without dumping in a bunch of detritus.

Knowing my luck with "best laid plans" though, I'd probably put a single hole into the rock and it'd crumble apart destroying the sponge.

 

[CJD18]

Sell or trade, sump it

 

[ichthyoid]

FWIW-
I have often wondered about the effects on sponges exposed to air.
Here is a scientific paper which indicates that there is some indication that the effects of air exposure are species specific.
I suspect that their morphology (internal vessicle structures) is perhaps critical for some, also.
In any event, this one paper (see link below) punches a hole in the 'air is deadly to sponges' as a general theory.
Perhaps to some, but certainly not all.

https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/7844/iz_Ruetzler_1995.pdf

 

[CJD18]

FWIW-
I have often wondered about the effects on sponges exposed to air.
Here is a scientific paper which indicates that there is some indication that the effects of air exposure are species specific.
I suspect that their morphology (internal vessicle structures) is perhaps critical for some, also.
In any event, this one paper (see link below) punches a hole in the 'air is deadly to sponges' as a general theory.
Perhaps to some, but certainly not all.

https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/7844/iz_Ruetzler_1995.pdf

I have seen them exposed to air on tidal rocks and mongroves.

 

[ActiveAngel]

It’s not true for all sponges, but for a lot of them.

I confirm this from my experience; I’ve had lots of sponges due from air, but still several that it didn’t bother at all. And most people in this hobby know how resilient pineapple sponges are.

 

[dough]

https://www.mydigitalpublication.co...1&pre=&ver=html5#{"page":0,"issue_id":124421}

Another interesting read on sponges.

 

[ichthyoid]

I don't think any of us would be callous in handling of sponges, by intentionally exposing them to potential harm.
It is of some benefit to understand their limitations. Especially, for example, when transferring into or out of tanks.
Keeping them continuously submersed during transfer, is a best practice for sponges.
Although an argument can be made against that as a potential disease vector, for example.
The paper mentions their fragility and reasons for it-

"Sponges are generally not considered resistant to environmental extremes such as exposure to air during low tide because they are unable to move or close their aquiferous system. have no protective shells or cuticular structures, and generally have only one reproductive period per year (only few species are reported as r-strategists)."