Tips and tricks for inspecting and cleaning new frag arrivals?

[fulltang]

I'm heavily researching vendors for my first small frag orders, honing in on ones who have a high level qt process and aquacultured stock (leaning towards cherry corals ATM), and I was wondering how you all process and clean new arrivals? Mainly looking at LPS right now.

I'm planning on dipping and re-plugging of course, but I'm also planning on getting a jewelers loupe for inspection. What sort of brush would I use on an LPS frag to remove vermentid eggs for example?

Any other tools or tricks for cleaning are welcome!

 

[Hoodstream]

I can’t recommend a brush unfortunately. But my process has always been, float the bag for 15-20 mins. Take the bag water and put it in a larger measuring cup and pour Reef Dip in by Seachem. I always double dose too. Let sit for 15 minutes pull out and salt water rinse and blow off anything with baster or pluck with tweezer. Plop into tank and let them do their thing usually release mucas and look stressed but bounce back within 8-12 hours. Always worked for me. Haven’t had an issue yet.

 

[bud217]

Curious for this as well. I've always dipped and cleaned the plug, but feel like there's got to be better, more sure ways.

 

[fulltang]

Curious for this as well. I've always dipped and cleaned the plug, but feel like there's got to be better, more sure ways.

Agreed. I've read references of people using a jewelers loupe to identify vermetid and then rushing frags of, but never having handled a coral before I'm not sure how delicate they are. One reference was using a silicone brush, maybe something like this?

 

[Sod Buster]

Scalpel or exacto knife for scraping. Battle brush and toothbrush to wisk away any pests that don't fall off after a Bayer dip. Q tips w/ peroxide to touch any algae roots. Glue over stuff you can't i.d..Wait till you smell acropora the 1st time, you'll never forget that smell. Lots of great step by procedures for pest dipping under the search button. One of the best is many years old from a person that imports from the wild. Lots of interesting things come on those corals. Maybe the guy who started and perfected the Bayer dip recipe? He was kind enough to share it w/ the reef community w/out any royalties. I can't find it to link right now. I have it printed in a notebook somewhere. Like I said, going back 6 years or more.