AppaZappa - AZ100

The Reef Community has been waiting for a product like this as long as the hobby has existed, I bought this to Target aptasia specifically after trying copper banded butterfly peppermint shrimp new dubrock pagaras injecting them with lemon juice you name it and the problem persisted but once I started using the appa Zappa it is so easy to control this pest. And since I started using the appa Zappa my peppermint shrimp have taken an interest in eating them as they would more confidently approach damaged anemones withe in turn made them realize this was another available food source there's only one thing I know for sure every reef tank owner should have one thank you to the creators of this vital product and if you don't have that Tasia issue you will

The short version: I should’ve returned the AppaZappa immediately when I saw it included (literally) a 12v 2A DC “Netgear” non-grounded power supply sealed with silicon, sewing needles (also literally) dipped in some unknown black substance, and parts that could mostly be sourced from any good sized electronics hobby store. However, based on the multiple 5 star reviews and the fact that I too enjoy tinkering with electronics, I wanted to give a small business a chance. The first time I used the AppaZappa I noticed shrimp all the way across the tank seemed to “jump” when I pressed the power button. I brought this to the sellers’ attention and it was dismissed. Jump ahead a few days and I’d just used the AppaZappa - AZ100 for the 3rd time for between 15 and 20 minutes. While using the AppaZappa, at least 3 fish died. The water was getting cloudy and gray so I stopped to do a quick assessment and noticed a purple tang, a yellow tang, and a rare Naoko's Fairy Wrasse on the substrate gasping. The fish all died. The morning after I’m also missing a cleaner shrimp, a gold coral banded shrimp, and a red scooter dragonette. I’m not new to reefkeeking. No coral losses. I monitor the tank with an Apex system, hanna digital meters, and a Milwaukee SG meter. I’ve been keeping reefs for over 15 years. I tested the water in the 24 hours previous to the loss. Alk = 10.98, pH=8.38, SG=1.025, CA=459, MG=1425, PO4=1.36 – no discernible nitrates or ammonia. I was treating the tank with FluxRX for bryopsis.The long version: I just used the AppaZappa - AZ100 for the 3rd time and ended up having at least 3 fish die WHILE IT WAS IN USE. I’m not a novice reef keeper. My tank is a 125 gallon mixed reef with a little bit of everything. SPS, LPS, zoanthids, gorgonians, leathers. I’ve being trading frags for food with my LFS for close to 10 years and keeping reef tanks for over 15 years.I’ve spent the last 6 months battling a melanarus wrasse who decided to eat every single shrimp in the tank along with a couple blue spotted jawfish and some other random inverts. My aiptasia eating filefish seemed to learn from the melanarus and also started eating inverts. The filefish was easy to catch but the melanurs was quite a challenge. The melanarus was finally evicted a few weeks ago. Now I have a plague of aiptasia to address while also trying to deal with the “shelter in place” orders in Colorado, homeschooling 2 “tweens”, and staying saying sane by keeping my reef aquarium ecosystem happy.Local fish stores are open, but I have asthma and a compromised immune system. Rather than getting aiptasia killers locally, I contacted my trusted online fish store (LiveAquaria Diver’s Den) and immediately ordered a dozen ORA peppermint shrimp, a bonded pair of Biota filefish, a beautiful and Naoko's Fairy Wrasse, a red scooter blenny, and ordered the AppaZappa - AZ100 off Amazon.The first time I used the AppaZappa - AZ100 I noticed multiple cleaner shrimp and a coral banded shrimp all the way across the tank would almost “jump” when I pressed the power button. Also, after half an hour of use, the needles looked burnt and literally ¼ their original size. The following morning, I found 1 of my 3 cleaner shrimp dead. Odd, but probably a fluke. Right? I contacted the seller of the AppaZappa to inquire and he said he’d never seen this reaction or result before. I also inquired about how quickly the “needles” degraded and I was offered free replacements.Each time I used the AppaZappa - AZ100 I noticed what almost looked like “smoke” plumes in the water. Yesterday (4/10/20), I was using it for between 15 and 30 minutes when I noticed my Naoko's Fairy Wrasse, my purple tang, and my yellow tang on the substrate gasping. I immediately stopped, quickly did a 50% water change, added fresh carbon, and cranked up the skimmer.Same as the previous times I used it, when I pressed the button some critters in the tank jumped. I swear I also felt a bit of an electrical tingle. The needles would only last 15 to 30 minutes before they literally disintegrated.I hold no professional electrical/electricity relate certifications. I’m a RC hobby enthusiast, a “maker” dealing frequently with DC electronics, I’m a gear head, and I do have an FCC amateur HAM radio license that requires understanding the fundamentals of electricity. I don’t feel qualified to speculate as to what went wrong, but I’m reasonably confident my losses were a direct result of using the AppaZappa - AZ100.The bottom line is either I got a defective unit and/or the design is flawed. I’m out $350 worth of beautiful healthy fish. I’m so frustrated, disappointed, and sad I don’t even know what to say. I worked so hard to get yellow tang and a purple tang to coexist happily. They were beautiful and healthy. No HLLE, they didn't fight, they didn't pick on other critters.Edit 4/22/20 - I provided the seller with images of all the dead fish and invoices. The seller has declined to compensate me saying there was "some other problem" that caused my 3 fish to die within 15 minutes in my otherwise healthy tank while using his product. Amazon says they can't help me beyond the refund.

There is something very satisfying about zapping and killing our most hated salt water aquarium pests, aiptasia anemone..The product works well, kills them immediately and I have not noticed a spike in babies after treatment, like I did with aiptasia-x..I had a minor issue with the needle tips breaking, but I was thrilled with the quick response from the vendor who immediately mailed replacements tips..

Out of desperation and failure of chemical treatment to manage Aiptasia over many months and considering the hours I have spent trying to get ahead of this problem, the $120 didn't seem such a large price to pay for the AppaZappa, if it worked.It arrived shortly after my order was placed, a quick read of the instructions and review of the video on youtube and I was ready to go. All of my electrical service connections to my aquarium are ground faulted. Still, I tested the device for a short as I immersed the probe.It worked exactly as advertised. Within a half hour my 165 gallon reef aquarium had no visible Aiptasia remaining. The next day I repositioned my rock and hit the ones concealed. I gave each of them a ten second burst.My fish shot close to the probe a few time but were not affected.Over the past two weeks I have monitored to see if I had caused there to be an explosion of new "guests" resulting from a break off of basal cells. No such happenings. After the "treatment", they looked totally inert.The ones attached to rock were easy to access. The probe allowed access into the small holes to get to them. The ones in the sand bed disappeared quickly but I stirred the probe in the general area. Never saw them again but occasionally a dead mass would stick to the probe when I pulled it out of the sand.My one mistake was dropping the plug into the water. (my outlets sit above the aquarium). I let it dry for a day and thought it would be ok. However, I pretty well smoked it. I just ordered my second unit.I often go to restaurants and see aquariums there, loaded with Aiptasia. I now know what to recommend!If the unit had been fully water tight I would have awarded five stars. I'm hopeful we'll see a "next generation" watertight unit.

These majano anemone were taking over my tank. I had approximately ~30 or so and a few aptasia's laying around. One hour after I received the AppaZappa, I lit into these pests and it was like a scene in John Wick when he finally caught his target. I roasted each one for about 60 seconds. This device really works, I'm extremely satisfied.

This product works GREAT! It disintegrates aiptasia on contact. Recommended pressing the button BEFORE touching the aiptasia as if you probe first, it gives the aiptasia time to retreat.