Coral Dipping

[ReefGirl87]

Hey everyone,
Just about to get my corals in, and I’ve been seeing a lot of reefers talking about dipping their corals before putting them in the tank... can someone give me the skinny on this process, pros, cons (if any) how to’s, what corals you do this with, what kind of product you have had success with etc. any info is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Uncle99]

I use Revive, 5-10 minutes soak with an air stone on for water movement.
Then two rinses with DT water, and in the Tank she goes.
Over time, the critters that have come off surprised me, maybe they would be safe, but not taking any chances.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Various types of dips have different purposes but are generally in a few categories such as repair/damage, pest removal and algae removal. I use Coral Rx for pests but have also used Reef Dip and both work pretty well. General idea is you set the coral in a container with some tank water and a specific amount of the dip an agitate. Small powerheads, pipettes or stirring can help remove/detach pests which can infect and spread to other corals.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Recommended dipping procedure:

1. Carefully inspect frag/coral for eggs. Use magnifying lens to look close. No dip kills eggs.

2. If the frag/coral is on a plug other than plastic, or on a rock, remove from plug/rock.

3. Dip in whatever dip you like. I like Bayer, 1 ml per 100 mls tank water, for about 15 minutes.

4. This is the important part....rinse in tank water that has been removed from your tank...in a small cup, for 10 minutes or so. Discard this rinse water....throw it away. Repeat this rinse step. Regardless of the dip you use, you don't want to get any dip into your DT.

5. If you wish, re-attach to a new plug or glue directly to rock. Ideally put into a QT / holding tank to view for 2 weeks to make sure there is nothing on the frag.

 

[ReefGirl87]

I use Revive, 5-10 minutes soak with an air stone on for water movement.
Then two rinses with DT water, and in the Tank she goes.
Over time, the critters that have come off surprised me, maybe they would be safe, but not taking any chances.

DT water? And do you dip all corals? Hard and soft?

 

[redfishbluefish]

DT = Display Tank

Yes, all corals, SPS, LPS, and softies get dipped.

 

[ReefGirl87]

DT = Display Tank

Yes, all corals, SPS, LPS, and softies get dipped.

Ok thanks. Another question as far as the frag plugs go.... I thought with frags they needed to be on plugs... is this not the case? If so, what’s the safest way to remove them without damaging? And are there any benefits to keeping them on the plugs? I would much rather have them glued right to the rock instead of seeing all those plugs.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Frag plugs can be a hide away place for pests and some remove them simply because they look ugly. I make do as they can often fit snuggly into the rock work and can encrust the entire plug fairly quickly. Sometimes i will glue them on rubble. Just depends on my mood

 

[redfishbluefish]

The other issue with frag plugs (that are not plastic) is that they absorb the dip....and then slowly release back into your DT. So remove from the plug is the ideal way to minimize dip solution getting into your DT. To remove, typically a sharp knife will break the frag off the plug. Frag glue (superglue...aka cyanoacrylate) has very poor shear strength and therefore break off easily.

 

[ReefGirl87]

The other issue with frag plugs (that are not plastic) is that they absorb the dip....and then slowly release back into your DT. So remove from the plug is the ideal way to minimize dip solution getting into your DT. To remove, typically a sharp knife will break the frag off the plug. Frag glue (superglue...aka cyanoacrylate) has very poor shear strength and therefore break off easily.

Ok good to know. Removing the frag won’t hurt the coral?

 

[JoshO]

Following this as I'll be venturing into corals soon!

 

[William Mumford]

Always dip your coral. This video helped me. I use the Bayer insecticide but I do not recommend because it cannot be poured down the drain. Make sure to have a rinse cup so that no dip gets into the tank.

 

[ReefGirl87]

If I have multiple frags that I am dipping is it necessary to use new dip from the bottle for each one or can I reuse what I dipped the previous frag in?

 

[ReefGirl87]

If I have multiple frags that I am dipping is it necessary to use new dip from the bottle for each one or can I reuse what I dipped the previous frag in?

Never mind that question- I just watched the video above and it recommends new dip water for each coral.

 

[Mr Fishface]

If I have multiple frags that I am dipping is it necessary to use new dip from the bottle for each one or can I reuse what I dipped the previous frag in?

Really depends on the coral. When I would buy large boxes of corals I would dip the same kind together at once. However, I have heard that some corals produce a chemical during dips due to stress that can bother other types of corals. So if I have several different types of corals, I use new water with new dips for each type. But same types, like zoas for instance, get dipped together.

 

[Mr Fishface]

Oh another thing that I would recommend is to put the frag, after dipping and rinsing, into a temp holding tank. Even just for 48 hours. I use revive and have used bayer in the past as well. Some things have STILL made it through my dips. Nothing has been serious but I find they tend to jump ship within 24 hours of the dip after being put back into good saltwater. Things like small starfish and such. They don't usually live very long either after the dips in my experience so I like to use a temp holding tank for a day or two, then put into my actual tank.

I'll also be the first to admit I am not an expert when it comes to dipping corals. So I have been reading this with some interest in learning more as well

 

[Miller535]

Following along.

 

[bruinfoodie]

Hello there, new member but been lurking for a month. Rejoining the hobby after being out 18 years, this is all good info thanks for sharing!

 

[3rdMoon]

Can I do multiple dips back to back? Coral RX, followed by something like Brightwell Medi coral, followed by hydrogen peroxide? Or should I space them out over days?

 

[Dr Jimmy]

I'm also interested in this. My first time in the hobby... I didn't QT or dip anything. This time around, I'm trying to do it right to avoid some pests.