Help w/ Corals

[Reefers4U]

My coral order came in from the ReefRaft sale. So far everything looks good.

The acclimation procedures were as follows:

there were 11 bags - 6 were tested for pH levels/Temp levels and plotted to compute slope/conditional relationship. It was determined that the variation of levels among the corals was negligible and that all the water among the bags could be combined. Total time of shipping was < 12 hours; this probably explains the lack of variation among pH levels assuming the same water was used to pack all corals.

I don't have the chart on this computer, will post when I get home.

From there, the corals were combined into three small containers, placed in one bigger container of about 20 gals.

Each smaller container drip acclimated to display tank water over 10 hours. Tank water was also filled around the small containers so that once the levels were high enough, all the water would unite. Once the water united, the corals were taken out of the smaller containers and placed on PVC stands in the 20 gal.

And here they currently sit under observation.

Everything is responding to light as expected. No sign of bugs, flatworms or other undesirables. A few small snails and brittle stars have emerged.

Obviously I would like to get these corals into the display so that the environmental conditions can be monitored more closely and they can start photosynthesis.

My challenges are as follows:

1) I think it wise to have another independent water quality check. Just cal, Alk, 'trates maybe mag and PO4.

2) I'd like to remove the corals from the plugs and put them on the rocks. I have no experience with this. Advice is welcomed and needed! If someone has the time and kindness and wants to make a day of "planting corals" I'd buy lunch/beers/whatever.

Any suggestions from you good, smart people would be very much appreciated. :beer:

Thanks for reading :wavehand:

 

[Reefers4U]

forgot to post a pic

 

[Lacy]

It looks like a lot of them have not been on the plugs very long. Pop them off with some snips (only used for aquarium). Put super glue on the bottom of the coral and put it in the place you want it. Super glue will cure under water. I have some coral rubble that you can glue the frags to and then glue to the rocks. Most of the rubble is sort of flat. It looks more natural than the plugs. If you want I can come over and bring the rubble. If you want someone else to help you, you can still have some rubble.
I also have test stuff.

 

[Stylo328]

Other than zoas, I pop all frags off of the plugs and glue directly to the rocks. As Lacy said the superglue will cure underwater. I like to use the Loctite or the one at Home Depot in the yellow tube with the green cap. Make sure it's the gel variety. Put a large dab on the frag and then wiggle in the spot you want the frag. Hold for a few seconds, and presto.

 

[Jurg]

How do you like the corals?

 

[AquamanE]

Very thorough acclimation process, much more than i do. But i noticed an important factor lacking, and that is dipping for bugs. Consider this please.

Also, as others have mentioned gluing is pretty straightforward. Choose places in your tank you want them taking into consideration, flow and light for each. I agree with Lacy, if not encrusted place on rubble, that makes it easier to move later on if you have too. If they are encrusted, or ned to place in an awkward place, i prefer a crazy glue, epoxy, crazy glue sandwich.

 

[Reefers4U]

@Lacy & Stylo: thanks guys! That sounds pretty simple. I've actually got some extra rubble that I ordered from BRS for my sump. It sounds pretty easy. I purchased the "Coralafix" product from two little fishes - I'm assuming this is sufficient?

Do you guys use gloves or anything? I guess the glue won't hurt the coral if it gets on the tissue?


@Jurg - I'll weigh in once I get the corals in place under my LEDs. Right now, I'm wondering if the photos on the website had a little help from photoshop.

@Aquaman: THANKS! I almost forgot, I was going to do a methylene blue dip, but apparently I'm out of it. How do you conduct your dips?

thanks rad dudes!

 

[AquamanE]

never heard of methylene blue for corals. TLF Revive, ad CoralRX are good.

Some folks here are using Bayers insect killer. I tried a few days ago, so cant commit to its long term effectiveness.

TLF glue is good, but i prefer a little more thickness. Ive tried IC Gel wih excellent results, but not everyone carries it. Was recently informed of Loctite from HD but havent tried it yet.

 

[rovster]

I think you are over complicating things. I never acclimate corals, other than light acclimate. Dip and either put in quarantine or straight to display.

 

[AquamanE]

yes glue will harm the coral tissue, oly place it on the frag site. Yes your hads will be a mess, but nothing a litle scraping wont take care of. actually with that many frags, i just did the same 2 days ago, ide scrub the hands every few batches.

I have endless access to gloves, but dont know if i trust latex, nitrile, vinyl or other medical style gloves and its components in my tank. other commercial for fish tank ones are too bulky for fine work, imho.

 

[AquamanE]

sorry triple post, these darn i pads!!

 

[AquamanE]

sorry double post.

 

[AquamanE]

I think you are over complicating things. I never acclimate corals, other than light acclimate. Dip and either put in quarantine or straight to display.

Rovster- I don't know that I agree. As i mentioned before, i certainly don't take it to that extreme, but nothing wrong with half hour to hour for ph, temp, sg, also. I used to worry about light also, but lately not, no ill effects noticed.

Additionally, last time i saw reefraft prices, each frag is a few hundred bucks so ide acclimate for ten days if i spent that kind of money, lmao!!!

 

[rovster]

I hear ya Eddie. Just posting my experiences. My tank is loaded with sps frags. Never lost one.

 

[Reefers4U]

Aquaman has expressed my feelings correctly. I spent way too much on these corals. They need to propagate correctly. It would be just my luck to have hidden red bugs or some flatworm.

It really only took an extra 30 minutes. I already had the probes n all. And I'm an excel wiz so plotting the data and computing the conditional relationship was easy. But Rovster seems to know me! I do make things complex - hey, the good things in life tend to be complex.

The gloves I have are from CVS made of polyvinyl chloride - no powder. I'm cool with a little glue on my hands.... chicks like that right?

I'll go grab some dip and hook these corals up on Tuesday. Place back in QT and then add them to the display on Friday.

@Lacy, i forgot to ask, you mentioned "snips" - what are those, like scissors? Sorry my google is broken )) hahaha - thought I better beat you to it!

btw - in case anyone wants a good read - I get most of my acclimation advice from Bob Fenner's website, WetWebMedia. He's got a search function, if you type in "acclimation" you'll find what you're looking for

 

[AquamanE]

I'll go grab some dip and hook these corals up on Tuesday. Place back in QT and then add them to the display on Friday.

IMHO i would do it quicker than that unless you QT has appropriate lights and flow.

Dip on Tuesday with an appropriate chemical, rinse with SW from your tank and place in DT.

Other wise you are adding another week for these corals to be out of proper care. ie DT.

 

[rovster]

Lol, I could tell by the verbiage and format of your post you like it complicated. Nothing wrong with that. Now that I think of it, I think if I got a shipment of several online frags, I might drip acclimate them as well. No harm really. But all the testing I still think it's complicated. You are still gonna drip them Good luck with everything. Hope they grow into huge colonies so you can spread the love locally

 

[marke]

I think you are over complicating things. I never acclimate corals, other than light acclimate. Dip and either put in quarantine or straight to display.

I kind of agree with colorful Rovster. This hobby needs to be fun and over thinking and reacting can kill the fun. Unless like you said your a wiz and you enjoy it. Like Ed said if you can do it it's better. But like Rovster it may be over kill and brings other issues. Like is your qt tank similar in water quality, flow and lighting as your display? If not once they finally adjust to your qt water they get moved and have to adjust again. If your display has better water then get them there. What I do and have done for years is first dip!! Coral Rx revive even lugols iodine diluted works. I have been using Bayer now for over a year and think it's the best dip. Just an opinion. After a dip and a rinse I glue them in place and try not to move them around from place to place as that adds stress. This is not the scientific method your reading about but it has worked for me without issues Yes sometimes corals don't make it. But that could be for many reasons not our acclimation process. I also don't think gloves are needed unless you have very sensitive hands. At the end of the day do what you feel comfortable with not what others do. It all works!!

 

[Stylo328]

+1 on the bayer dip.

I have been dipping everything in a concentration of 20ml of bayer per cup of tank water for 15 minutes. I've dipped zoas, chalices and lots of SPS in this fashion and haven't lost a frag yet. (Fingers crossed).

 

[Lacy]

People use a variety of things for snips. I have several different kinds.
I agree with the others about not putting them in qt after they have been dipped. If you were to do this you would have to completely clean out the qt because you might have gotten bugs in there from the first time. Even if your google isn't broken it's all good. :beer:
I don't usually wear gloves, but if you are working with zoas then it is a very good idea. Also, I would wear protective eye wear. I was always really bad about this at work. I would normally wear my glasses so I thought I would be fine. One day I got a squirt from a zoa and it went right under my glasses in the eye. That is some of the worst pain ever. I now wear protection. Those pretty little things can cause some serious issues.

Below is from Tropical Reef Keeping
"WARNING***:*Zoanthids and related corals, excrete a powerful toxin known as "palytoxin". Palytoxin is one of the most toxic substances known. In order to protect yourself, gloves should always be worn when handling these corals and hands washed afterwards. Avoid handling if possible, if you have any cuts on your hands or arms. Special precautions should be taken when fragging (read below for more info).This is very serious, as palytoxin is more than capable of killing a person if no treatment is received. Symptoms of poisoning include: a metallic taste in the mouth, nausea, rapid breathing,breathing difficulty, chest pains, muscle spasms & convulsions. It has a very rapid progression, and symptoms can start within minutes to hours of the palytoxin entering your body. Hospital treatment is urgent and doctors/nurses should be directly told about the possibility of the toxin."

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/saltw...oceans-wonders-diy-coral-propagation-kit.html