What gets "DIPPED" before it goes into the tank and in what?

[JCOLE]

Doesn't matter where it comes from, I always dip everything. I bought from a local hobbyist who had very healthy Acro's and found around 10 Flatworms after dipping. I purchased a colony from a very knowledgeable respected LFS in my area and found over 50 Flatworms after dipping. These corals never touched my tank. I always dip because of this reason. You never know and that is a risk I am not willing to take.

I use Seachem Reef Dip which is an Iodine based dip and I also add CoralRx to the dip as well. After the dip, I use a hard toothbrush to the bottoms of the frag plugs and surrounding areas to remove anything left behind and algae.

 

[Bars]

Never dipped (new) corals and never will. Maybe I'm lucky or my wrasses and CUC keep my tank pest free, because I've never had any worrying pests. I actually introduced a few mushrooms that were full of flatworms without dipping. That was 3 months ago and I have never spotted them again.

The only times (once or twice maybe) I dipped was because of a struggling coral and people telling me I should dip it. Didn't find any pests by the way

 

[LRT]

Doesn't matter where it comes from, I always dip everything. I bought from a local hobbyist who had very healthy Acro's and found around 10 Flatworms after dipping. I purchased a colony from a very knowledgeable respected LFS in my area and found over 50 Flatworms after dipping. These corals never touched my tank. I always dip because of this reason. You never know and that is a risk I am not willing to take.

I use Seachem Reef Dip which is an Iodine based dip and I also add CoralRx to the dip as well. After the dip, I use a hard toothbrush to the bottoms of the frag plugs and surrounding areas to remove anything left behind and algae.

Crazy man you just never know.
I forgot to mention I set up fast 10 gallon QT with new arrivals to put through my process.
I have also taken some really nice expensive pieces and just tossed them after finding bugs after I removed mostly everything they come on.
Definitely not worth the overall risk to entire system.

 

[mdb_talon]

I dip all zoas. Rarely dip anything else... however nothing goes in my DT or frag tanks without at least a month in a QT tank. In the past I have battled AEFW and monti nudis in DT and do everything I can to ensure that does not happen again.

Dipping is moderately helpful, but in my opinion is not sufficient to really keep out the most destructive pests.

 

[FrontRangeReefer]

1. What types of livestock or additions to your tank gets "dipped" before they make it into your reef aquarium?

I typically take a cautious approach and all corals get dipped prior to addition to my tank. I keep a mixed reef that is LPS dominant with a few hardy SPS species. If the additions are small frags, I will usually segregate them on a coral rack for a short period of time prior to permanent mounting to observe for any “unwanted additions”, like tiny aiptasia or bryopsis growth.

2. What type of DIP or medication are you using to kill off unwanted pests?

Most of my corals come from a trusted LFS with pristine tanks. For those, I am primarily using Coral RX per their directions. For the few online frag orders I receive (come from an unknown source), I dip with Coral RX followed by Lugol’s solution. For dirty frag plugs, I will use a toothbrush to remove detritus and/or algae.

Being that I am a newer reefer with a younger tank, I always take a cautious (borderline paranoid) approach with any new additions. IMHO, this protocol has saved me from several common pest infestations to include flatworms that I have visibly seen in dip solution after dipping.

 

[Sharkbait19]

I've never dipped my corals, but every day see signs that I should start the practice. I probably will pick up that habit in the next few months. There's just too many pests to worry about....

 

[fachatga]

Always dip but once there was a baby brittle star on my coral and I could not get it of so I did not dip the coral

I killed 2 of them last time too. But also killed a few bad pests with them.

 

[vabben]

Every new coral gets dipped in Coral RX. If it's looking rough, I'll also dip in Iodine.

If the new coral is on a plug and not fully encrusted onto the plug, I will remove the plug and it on a new plug or rock.

 

[Yates273]

I used Coral Rx and now since I ran out I’m using the Bayer dip method.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Are we dipping real "life rock"? A fresh water dip ? chemicals? Stony corals are life rock. Corals depend of their coral holobiont. Are we ready to kill part of the holobiont? Or are we going to quarantine it, check it every day with a magnifying glass and remove any pests. Are we going to keep it in quarantine during a period long enough for the eggs to hatch , or are we just give it a quick dip?

 

[Sunny in Miami]

We all love new corals and critters but we don't love the pests that sometimes comes with them! These pests can not only take over a tank pretty quick but can also kill off certain inhabitants of our tank! Now we can't have that can we? So we have to take precaution and be careful but how careful are you being? One of the ways we can be careful not to introduce these pests to our aquarium is to use a type of coral dip or medication to kill off any unwanted pests. Let's talk about it today!

1. What types of livestock or additions to your tank gets "dipped" before they make it into your reef aquarium?

2. What type of DIP or medication are you using to kill off unwanted pests?

image via @Wy Renegade

I never dip for fear of killing the coral or hurting it. Due to this I paid the price and have had the worst flat worm invasion. I also discovered a large brittlestar on my rock , a hitchhiker on new piece of rock I purchased. Last week I bought some Coral Rx packs as a last resort to dip a small torch coral frag that wasn't opening and I killed it.. I mixed in saltwater as per instruction but I believe I left it 6 minutes instead of the 5 it advises

 

[reefrun]

I don't dip high end pieces that are shipped, since they are already stressed. I dip everything else in Bayer, I haven't had anything get through a Bayer dip yet.

I always QT for at least 2 weeks before putting in my display tank

 

[drblakjak55]

I use coralRx one cap in one quart sea water. After acclimating I take it out, look carefully under good light, toothbrush it than shake it in the extra strength coralrx for thirty seconds, rinse in rodi ten seconds than onto the frag rack in QT to watch for at least three weeks. QT everything from inverts to fish to corals. Get healthy, used to your food, not picked on. The clowns in the QT are the canaries in the mines. I’ve never medicated. Sick get better if not overwhelmed

 

[salty_chimp]

Bayer or die!!!!!

 

[ultraArcite]

1. What types of livestock or additions to your tank gets "dipped" before they make it into your reef aquarium?

I haven't dipped anything yet, however, I plan to dip all coral that goes into my tank.

2. What type of DIP or medication are you using to kill off unwanted pests?

I ordered Seachem Reef Dip for the first dip before their quarantine. Then after quarantine, I'll use Two Little Fishies Revive and a quick rinse before they go into Mon Cala.

Is this a good system, or should I do something different?

 

[ultraArcite]

I can vouch for that - I've killed two acros that way.

Do you know why they say that?

 

[bigjgmac]

To cover their butt, I would think.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

We all love new corals and critters but we don't love the pests that sometimes comes with them! These pests can not only take over a tank pretty quick but can also kill off certain inhabitants of our tank! Now we can't have that can we? So we have to take precaution and be careful but how careful are you being? One of the ways we can be careful not to introduce these pests to our aquarium is to use a type of coral dip or medication to kill off any unwanted pests. Let's talk about it today!

1. What types of livestock or additions to your tank gets "dipped" before they make it into your reef aquarium?

2. What type of DIP or medication are you using to kill off unwanted pests?

image via @Wy Renegade

I don’t feel that dips are 100% effective, so even if I dip, I still quarantine all new invertebrates for at least 30 days in a small coral system with no fish in it.
Jay

 

[md2882]

1. Every fish gets full quarantine. And every coral gets dipped in KZ Pro
2. Dipped some of my zoa’s in H2O2 yesterday to get rid of some algae. Worked amazingly algae is gone and the zoa’s are starting to open today.

 

[midgetracer]

I dip every coral with revive before it enters my tank no matter where it comes from in the past the same tank that I have now 15 years ago I used to just add stuff in and had all kinds of bad critters after a ten-year pause in reefing even though having the same San bed and live rock I see a dramatic change in the tank from then to now I am a firm believer in dipping !!!!