Dipping SPS

Wd40

New member
What do you guys use to dip SPS before you put them in your tank?
Also how long do you leave them out of the water before putting them in? (I heard about this, dont know if its beneficial)
 
interceptor for 2 hrs and then Revive for 4 minutes. I let them slime for about 5 minutes.
 
I also use Revive for about 5 minutes, if I am concerned I will give them another hit with Tropic Marin Coral Pro Cure.

I don't typically take them out the water other than moving from bag to acclimation container to QT tank.
 
Not sure - I haven't bought any frags online. I would imagine it would be fine though. You may experience some loss, but it would be the frags that are typically in bad shape anyways.
 
Preventative Dips

You've read about the benefits of quarantining your corals but you haven't made the commitment because of space or time considerations. The next best thing is to use preventative dips to protect your precious investment (financial and emotional) in your reef tank.

I use a 5 ½ gallon tank to dip all new arrivals that will go into my display. I mix up some new salt water when I know I'm going to receive new corals. I take about 3 gallons of water out of the display and fill the 5 ½ gallon tank, then replace this water volume with fresh SW in the display. I have a heater and a low flow powerhead for this temporary quarantine tank.

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First I temperature acclimate the new corals. Once they are acclimated to the temperature the next step is to treat with Salifert Flatworm Exit. This product treats any incoming corals for planaria flatworms. It's relatively easy to treat your entire tank for these pests, however if you treat your corals before placing them in your tank you will avoid infecting the entire display. Flatworm Exit is not harsh on your corals so you can leave it in the water for as long as you treat your corals.

The next step for acropora corals is to treat for red bugs with Interceptor. Interceptor is beef flavored heartworm medicine for dogs. It kills microscopic red bugs from your acropora corals. Red bugs irritate acros and you will not see good polyp extension if you have them. I found the best way to know if you have them or not is to take lots of macro photos of your corals. Then enlarge the image for better inspection. Interceptor is a prescription drug that must be prescribed by a veterinarian. Find someone who has a large dog to get this product for you. It is important to crush up the pill. I use a razor blade or a pestle to cut/crush it into a fine powder. I like to let acroporas sit in an Interceptor dip for 6-12 hours. I like to observe the treatment periodically so I try to do it on a day I am home, or will be in and out all day. Don't worry if you go longer with this step as Interceptor is mild on your corals. This is another treatment option that is easy enough to utilize for your entire tank, however the idea of the dip is to prevent red bugs from infesting your display.

Step three for acropora is to dip for Acro Eating Flatworms (AEFW.) Many products will kill off the flatworms but they will not kill the eggs that may linger on a coral. That's why a visual inspection is a good idea. Pick up a magnifying glass to get a good close look. To treat for AEFW I use Fluke tabs. These are sold over the counter and can be found on most online e-tailers. I crush up two tablets and let the coral soak for ½ an hour.

At this point you may want to use a product like Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure (TM PCC) or coral ReVive. I have used TM PCC and it is very harsh on corals so I decide to use, or not use this step depending on how healthy the coral looks. I dip them for no more than 5 minutes and often double the recommended dosage. I use TM PCC on all montipora corals that I put in my display.

When you finish your preventative dips it is a good idea to give your corals a good rinse with water taken out of your tank in a separate container. Use a turkey baster to blow off anything that may be on your coral and give it a good rinse.

If you search the web you will find lots of information on these products and how to work with them. I wrote this post to share what I do from the point of view of an average hobbyist who has been keeping a reef for five years and learned a thing or two along the way. Good luck with your reef and I hope you are able to keep it pest free so you can enjoy the growth of your corals.
 
You should be able to get interceptor, if anything go to a vet and explain the situation, you could bring a paper you printed from the web explaining the use. They should give you a prescription.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15455592#post15455592 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Wd40
so u throw all that med in the same water?
what if i cant get interceptor?

That can be a challenge, unless you have a dog, or know someone with a dog willing to help you out. Then it's relatively easy to acquire and you don't need very much of it unless you are setting up a very large new tank, or are running a small business.

I do the Flatworm Exit, then the Interceptor, then the Fluketabs all in the same water. Rinse well and then use TM PCC if called for. Honestly though unless you suspect a problem with the tank they came out of you don't need TM PCC for acros after the previous steps. Save the TM PCC for montis. Many hobbyists on here just use ReVive, but I've never used it myself. Once I find something that works I usually stick with it.
 
I just take an old salt bcuket and put enough water in it to cover the new frags, then I use the recomended dossage of TLF Coral revive, I take a placstic spoon,knife, whatever and stir up the water. Then I put in the corals and continue stirring for 3-5min then I'll takle the corals out and inspect them up close to make sure i didn't miss any pests, sometimes I'll take a tooth brush and lightly scrub the coral as this will remove red bugs, eggs, FW, etc. then swish it in the revive dip again. Most of the time I just do a dip in revive them straight in the tank. I have never run into red bugs, AEFW, monti eating nudis, etc. And for those that can't get interseptor, revive will kill red bugs, a few of my buddies have used it with great success.
 
Revive will not kill red bugs. I'm not sure where this huge mistruth has come from.

One thing and one thing only will kill red bugs 100%. Interceptor.

If you can't get any interceptor, then you'd better be prepared to live with red bugs. You may not have them now. But if you get one frag with red bugs, you will have them or already have them and you just haven't see them yet.

Just to reitterate, interceptor kills red bugs and nothing else, period.
 
Who was the inteligent/brave sole who developed this new use for Interceptor? Where did this begin?

Also, thanks chessmanmark for the write up. Good job!
 
Dustin in the dfwmas started the interceptor. You can still read the original thread on here and over there on their forum.
 
I just told the vet what I was using it for. Print some documentation and let them read it over. Some vets arent' willing to prescribe it, so you may have to try a few (took me six vets).
 
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