Acclimating Corals Are we wrong?
- Thread starter cumbeje
- Start date
Reef Frog
New member
For local purchases, I can usually keep the water very close to my tank temp on the way home with a small cooler so the temp acclimation part only takes minutes. I keep my change water from the DT temp by putting a cheap beta bowl heater under the cup while I'm working. If I don't it can cool quickly at 70F household temps. No need to float the bags in the DT.
I then discard a lot of the LFS water first. I then add about 10% of my tank water to the coral in LFS water container, then remove about 10% to 20% by volume at a time and then replace immediately with an equal amount of my tank water. I repeat this rapidly about every minute or three until it equals about 130% of the water I started with.
Then it goes into a container with 100% tank water &'dipping solution for about 5 minutes while I blow into crevices with a turkey baster to dislodge bugs & crud. Never had a bad reaction to dipping and many little creatures do indeed vacate my new corals.
I usually pop off the frag plug if it looks grungy or is on a piece of LR as this is where eggs and algae spores & holdfasts lurk IMO. I like the plastic & smooth ceramic plugs used by ORA & some other producers as they often come in clean. If I don't pop off the coral I will brush the frag or base with peroxide & soft tooth brush to hopefully nuke any pests the dip didn't nuke. I believe this Deals with any eggs, larvae or sturdy bugs. Don't forget the bottom of the plug.
This is more effort than what many of the posters above describe but it's actually pretty fast & easy & I'm often drinking beer & listening to music while doing it so no big deal. I too think the drip method is not the way to go for corals or fish but nay make sense for some inverts like shrimp. I think my method is gentle and equalizes the LFS water's salinity & pH quickly without too much fuss, and at the same time gives me the best chance for eliminating the chance of parasites with the exception of a full blown QT period protocall.
I then discard a lot of the LFS water first. I then add about 10% of my tank water to the coral in LFS water container, then remove about 10% to 20% by volume at a time and then replace immediately with an equal amount of my tank water. I repeat this rapidly about every minute or three until it equals about 130% of the water I started with.
Then it goes into a container with 100% tank water &'dipping solution for about 5 minutes while I blow into crevices with a turkey baster to dislodge bugs & crud. Never had a bad reaction to dipping and many little creatures do indeed vacate my new corals.
I usually pop off the frag plug if it looks grungy or is on a piece of LR as this is where eggs and algae spores & holdfasts lurk IMO. I like the plastic & smooth ceramic plugs used by ORA & some other producers as they often come in clean. If I don't pop off the coral I will brush the frag or base with peroxide & soft tooth brush to hopefully nuke any pests the dip didn't nuke. I believe this Deals with any eggs, larvae or sturdy bugs. Don't forget the bottom of the plug.
This is more effort than what many of the posters above describe but it's actually pretty fast & easy & I'm often drinking beer & listening to music while doing it so no big deal. I too think the drip method is not the way to go for corals or fish but nay make sense for some inverts like shrimp. I think my method is gentle and equalizes the LFS water's salinity & pH quickly without too much fuss, and at the same time gives me the best chance for eliminating the chance of parasites with the exception of a full blown QT period protocall.
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