Biologic
Active Member
Hey All,
Haven't seen review on this, but I wanted to share my thoughts on this product with use of SPS, specifically Montipora and Acropora genus. My goal is to remove mainly Acropora eating flat worms (AEFW) and montipora eating nudibranchs. Over all it works well, HOWEVER with a few caveats -- this stuff can be harsh on SPS with "thin skin" or weak sick corals. Per the instructions I am using it at a rate of 2.5 mL per 5000 mL. This stuff is super concentrated. Now for most reefers, this is an impractical amount of water for dipping frags. So a practical dose is 2.5 mL / 5000 mL = 0.0005 mL/ 1.0 mL. A note for @Aquaforest 1.0 mL syringe would be a good tool to include in the box. However, in the box comes with a 5 mL measuring cup.
Procedure for sps frags - I am using disposable zip up sandwich bags to dip corals. It is softer on the coral skeleton. I use a plastic container to prop up the bag while measuring out 250 mL of water. The dose is 0.0005 mL rate * 250 mL = 0.125 mL AF Dip. I close up the sandwich bag, shake up the solution, open the bag, place the affected coral into the bag, zip up the sandwich bag. Set timer for 5 minutes. After the time, hold the bag by the zipper part of the bag. Shake the bag enough to agitate the water, not violently, just enough for the frag to move around in the bag. Dispose treatment solution and sandwich bag. Wash the frag off in some in untreated tank water.
Performance - It kills nearly everything living on the frag and frag plug if present. AEFW, nudibranchs, copepods, bristle worms, and brittle stars. Specifically for AEFW, you can watch how they curl just float off. Nudibranchs, shrivel and float lifeless. If present, eggs from pests will still need to be inspected and picked off.
Caveat - Here's the caveat, and this is specially my experience, thinner skin SPS does not like this stuff. Corals like Acropora "Strawberry Shortcake" and "Pink Lemonade" show obvious stress to the product at the rate described above. Perhaps maybe a half dose for thinner skin, pale, sick corals? For what it's worth, if the coral is seriously afflicted with AEFW, they are probably pretty sick and looks pale already. You know it's a bad sign when the water has a brown wispy stuff coming from around the coral and it looses all color. Thicker skin sps like stags and generally heathy corals do very well. The flatworms don't have a chance with this stuff.
Montipora with nudibranchs - again, thinner skin sps seem to be stressed by the product at the rate described above, however, montiporas in general do not seem that stressed. The only two I saw lose any significant color was Montipora palawanensis "Beach Bum" and Montipora capricornis "Leng Sy", which I expect some color lost. No big deal. I haven't lost any Montipora's with the product. I will still continue to use this for all montiporas.
Over all it works great -- I will absolutely use this as a general dip for pretty much any coral, with the exception for thinner skin, very pale, or sick Acroporas. I like it better than Bayer, because I find Bayer to be very toxic, even after "washing" the corals, several times. I've killed all my shrimp and pods like that. Plus, it's a hazard to me. I might use Bayer for sick corals. AF Protect Dip works well for just about anything.
Haven't seen review on this, but I wanted to share my thoughts on this product with use of SPS, specifically Montipora and Acropora genus. My goal is to remove mainly Acropora eating flat worms (AEFW) and montipora eating nudibranchs. Over all it works well, HOWEVER with a few caveats -- this stuff can be harsh on SPS with "thin skin" or weak sick corals. Per the instructions I am using it at a rate of 2.5 mL per 5000 mL. This stuff is super concentrated. Now for most reefers, this is an impractical amount of water for dipping frags. So a practical dose is 2.5 mL / 5000 mL = 0.0005 mL/ 1.0 mL. A note for @Aquaforest 1.0 mL syringe would be a good tool to include in the box. However, in the box comes with a 5 mL measuring cup.
Procedure for sps frags - I am using disposable zip up sandwich bags to dip corals. It is softer on the coral skeleton. I use a plastic container to prop up the bag while measuring out 250 mL of water. The dose is 0.0005 mL rate * 250 mL = 0.125 mL AF Dip. I close up the sandwich bag, shake up the solution, open the bag, place the affected coral into the bag, zip up the sandwich bag. Set timer for 5 minutes. After the time, hold the bag by the zipper part of the bag. Shake the bag enough to agitate the water, not violently, just enough for the frag to move around in the bag. Dispose treatment solution and sandwich bag. Wash the frag off in some in untreated tank water.
Performance - It kills nearly everything living on the frag and frag plug if present. AEFW, nudibranchs, copepods, bristle worms, and brittle stars. Specifically for AEFW, you can watch how they curl just float off. Nudibranchs, shrivel and float lifeless. If present, eggs from pests will still need to be inspected and picked off.
Caveat - Here's the caveat, and this is specially my experience, thinner skin SPS does not like this stuff. Corals like Acropora "Strawberry Shortcake" and "Pink Lemonade" show obvious stress to the product at the rate described above. Perhaps maybe a half dose for thinner skin, pale, sick corals? For what it's worth, if the coral is seriously afflicted with AEFW, they are probably pretty sick and looks pale already. You know it's a bad sign when the water has a brown wispy stuff coming from around the coral and it looses all color. Thicker skin sps like stags and generally heathy corals do very well. The flatworms don't have a chance with this stuff.
Montipora with nudibranchs - again, thinner skin sps seem to be stressed by the product at the rate described above, however, montiporas in general do not seem that stressed. The only two I saw lose any significant color was Montipora palawanensis "Beach Bum" and Montipora capricornis "Leng Sy", which I expect some color lost. No big deal. I haven't lost any Montipora's with the product. I will still continue to use this for all montiporas.
Over all it works great -- I will absolutely use this as a general dip for pretty much any coral, with the exception for thinner skin, very pale, or sick Acroporas. I like it better than Bayer, because I find Bayer to be very toxic, even after "washing" the corals, several times. I've killed all my shrimp and pods like that. Plus, it's a hazard to me. I might use Bayer for sick corals. AF Protect Dip works well for just about anything.
