What's the best way to acclimate lots of corals from different vendors?

[OfficeReefer]

Hello, R2R.

I just got back from RAP with 20 or so corals of different types. I have some LPS, like elegance and bubble but also blastos, zoas, montis and an NPS with a softie and rainbow BTA.

These are all from different vendors, with varied parameters and salinities. Should I dump them all in the same bucket and slowly acclimate to my parameters?

Thoughts?

 

[Dburr1014]

I do temp float, dip in a coral cleaner, inspect with a magnifying glass, in the tank.
Or in your qt, if you do that.

 

[Lemons]

IMO i woulda set up a QT tank before headin out lol!

But now that its done and done, I would check each bag to check S.G

Then just kinda group em in closest salinity

So like maybe 2-3 groups

*edit* and goes without saying DIP EM!

 

[OfficeReefer]

I do have a QT and is a Red Sea Max Nano that I've been running for a few weeks.

I guess I can check salinity in each bag and slowly add in bags upright. Seems slow but I guess could work. This is the first time I needed to do so many and I'm going to separate to dip some but others I will QT only, like the NPS and BTA.

 

[Dburr1014]

IMO, the slower, the more stressful.
I have never checked sg on any coral... Ever.
They should all be close or they would be dead. It's not like a fish in hypo.

Either way, good luck to you.

 

[Lemons]

Ive been to a few frag swaps and range was 1.022-1.027 lol so thats why i always give a quick refractometer check

 

[MnFish1]

Hello, R2R.

I just got back from RAP with 20 or so corals of different types. I have some LPS, like elegance and bubble but also blastos, zoas, montis and an NPS with a softie and rainbow BTA.

These are all from different vendors, with varied parameters and salinities. Should I dump them all in the same bucket and slowly acclimate to my parameters?

Thoughts?

The good news is that if the coral is healthy/growing - it should not be hard to acclimate. For example most vendors will have a salinity of about 1.025. In all honesty - many vendors recommend different methods of acclimation - and I would try to follow those recommendations (i.e. pretend you only bought one coral).

But - my guess is you want a simpler answer - and that would be acclimate them separately - using a drip method to your tank and add each one individually. I would not dump all of them into a bucket (the way you suggested) - that way you're actually doing 2 acclimations per coral as compared to 1

 

[MnFish1]

IMO, the slower, the more stressful.
I have never checked sg on any coral... Ever.
They should all be close or they would be dead. It's not like a fish in hypo.

Either way, good luck to you.

I agree - the concern to me would be more alkalinity related - which can cause significant issues. to the OP - I would also lower your light intensity (hopefully your light has a coral acclimation setting) and slowly bring it up

 

[2020 Worst Year]

never heard of acclimating coral before

pretty sure its more stressful for the coral drip acclimating them

 

[OfficeReefer]

The good news is that if the coral is healthy/growing - it should not be hard to acclimate. For example most vendors will have a salinity of about 1.025. In all honesty - many vendors recommend different methods of acclimation - and I would try to follow those recommendations (i.e. pretend you only bought one coral).

But - my guess is you want a simpler answer - and that would be acclimate them separately - using a drip method to your tank and add each one individually. I would not dump all of them into a bucket (the way you suggested) - that way you're actually doing 2 acclimations per coral as compared to 1

Thanks, all. I took the separate approach but only by vendor, since I knew all their water was likely similar. I went through about five or six cups, dripping them all and then empty to half and repeat.

Most of everything is looking decent this morning.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

shipped coral? Cut the bags and strait to the frag rack, no floating, no dipping, nothing. Strait to clean water with flow. I will hover over them like a hawk for the next few hours to days looking for anything different, anything that moves, anything that could be harmful but I do not acclimate to water. Lighting is different. The side of the tank is indirect light and low par, then once they pass that inspection, they go to the bottom of the tank for their journey to their forever home.

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

I put all new coral arrivals thru my torture . I dip it in this , that , and the other. Never lost one

 

[OfficeReefer]

shipped coral? Cut the bags and strait to the frag rack, no floating, no dipping, nothing. Strait to clean water with flow. I will hover over them like a hawk for the next few hours to days looking for anything different, anything that moves, anything that could be harmful but I do not acclimate to water. Lighting is different. The side of the tank is indirect light and low par, then once they pass that inspection, they go to the bottom of the tank for their journey to their forever home.

Nope. All from RAP this weekend.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Nope. All from RAP this weekend.

Again, a close inspection and strait in the tank for me.