how do you "dip" it

[mario4254]

i never diped any of my corals before ....but after reading lots of "horror stories" i think i will start........
what do you do when get new corals? how to "dip" it properly to try avoid introducing unwanted pest into your tank?

 

[Ding2daDong]

You take the coral and the water it is in from the LFS and put it in a bucket/small container. You then use some sort of medication/chemical like revive per instructions and dip your coral in the solution for the amount of time it says. Some dips are quick while others need a lot of time, powerhead in the bucket and small heater. It really all depends on the pest you are trying to kill.

hth

-Matthew

 

[MechEng99]

Exactly. It pretty much depends on the pest you are trying to kill. I start with a general dip in Coral Rx first (used to use Lugol's, but it was just too harsh sometimes). If I find anything, I'll treat further. For example, if I buy a coral, I'll break the base off (to prevent nuisance algae & montipora eating nudibranch eggs), dip it in Coral Rx per the instructions, and if I find flatworms, I'll dip it again in something like Salifert's Flatworm Exit just to be extra safe. Or, if I find red bugs, I'll use Interceptor. Etc.

But yes, just use the water from the LFS in a container, add the dip solution per the instructions (or instructions found online like in the case of treating zoanthids with Furan 2). You can treat more specifically a second time if you find something.

I still recommend quarantine after dips though. You never know what you'll miss in a dip until it's too late.