1st Acro - Dip and Acclimate?

Cheeze · Jun 28, 2022

Hi all!

My first Acro frag is expected to arrive this Friday from Cherry Corals (along with a few other frags, including a Porite), and I was looking to learn what the acclimation process should be.

I've read a bunch of posts in this great forum with varying suggestions, but none I could find that really answered:
1) is it safe to dip Acros (and Porite) before placing in the tank? I use Coral RX and Lugol's
2) do shipped Acros need to be light acclimated, or can they go right to their permanent spot?

I will temp acclimate by floating the bags in my tank with lights off before doing anything.

My tank is established, and I already have a few "easy" SPS and LPS in there with all doing well (knock on wood), but this would be my first Acro.

Orito · Jun 28, 2022

I usualy dip only on revive wich seen's to be the same as coral rx, i would skip the lugol.
light acclimation is a good idea, also ditch the plug.

Dburr1014 · Jun 28, 2022

Cheeze said:
Hi all!

My first Acro frag is expected to arrive this Friday from Cherry Corals (along with a few other frags, including a Porite), and I was looking to learn what the acclimation process should be.

I've read a bunch of posts in this great forum with varying suggestions, but none I could find that really answered:
1) is it safe to dip Acros (and Porite) before placing in the tank? I use Coral RX and Lugol's
2) do shipped Acros need to be light acclimated, or can they go right to their permanent spot?

I will temp acclimate by floating the bags in my tank with lights off before doing anything.

My tank is established, and I already have a few "easy" SPS and LPS in there with all doing well (knock on wood), but this would be my first Acro.

Yes, temp, dip, then in. I don't drip anymore at all.
Is the Porites a Christmas tree Rock? (with the worms) if it is, I wouldn't dip that.

Cheeze · Jun 28, 2022

Orito said:
I usualy dip only on revive wich seen's to be the same as coral rx, i would skip the lugol.
light acclimation is a good idea, also ditch the plug.

Thanks Orito! And yes, I always ditch the plugs or as much of them as I can, and glue my frags onto a small rock frag that I substitute for a plug before puttying them into the tank rockwork.

Noted on skipping the Lugols!

Cheeze · Jun 28, 2022

Dburr1014 said:
Yes, temp, dip, then in. I don't drip anymore at all.
Is the Porites a Christmas tree Rock? (with the worms) if it is, I wouldn't dip that.

It's a Darth Maul porite, so I don't think it has the feather worms? But I'll research to make sure, and definitely won't dip if the case.
I've ordered from Cherry Corals before and they've been mostly pest free, but I've dipped anyways to be fully safe & sure.

Uncle99 · Jun 28, 2022

Not just dip, but closely inspect under magnification.
The concern would be “red bugs” which is resistant to all dips except Bayer.
Typical Acro pest.

Gatorpa · Jul 28, 2022

Uncle99 said:
Not just dip, but closely inspect under magnification.
The concern would be “red bugs” which is resistant to all dips except Bayer.
Typical Acro pest.

Freshwater dip doesn’t kill red bug?

Camaro Show Corals · Jul 28, 2022

What acro is it?

Dburr1014 · Jul 28, 2022

Gatorpa said:
Freshwater dip doesn’t kill red bug?

No, do not freshwater dip an Acro unless you want to kill it.

HudsonReefer2.0 · Jul 28, 2022

Cherry corals have quality clean stuff but I always dip in potassium chloride. KCL. No offense @Acro76 Easy on sps and effective. Revive and coralrx are harsh dips.

Cheeze · Jul 28, 2022

Thanks all for bringing this post back to life! I see it's been 1 month since I got the Acro (it's a "white rose" acro) and it's still alive and kicking!

I dipped it in only Coral RX, but did put it under a magnifying glass to inspect for bugs before and after. (Didn't see any!)

Happy to say that none of the corals I received from Cherry Corals that day had any pests of any kind drop off after I dipped them all!

Falc! · Jul 28, 2022

All my Acros get temp acclimate in bag. Then plug gets removed and then dipped in bayer, then in revive. New plug and then on frag rack

thatmanMIKEson · Jul 28, 2022

Gatorpa said:
Freshwater dip doesn’t kill red bug?

No and freshwater dips are not a good dip for coral in general.

Uncle99 · Jul 28, 2022

Cheeze said:
Thanks all for bringing this post back to life! I see it's been 1 month since I got the Acro (it's a "white rose" acro) and it's still alive and kicking!

I dipped it in only Coral RX, but did put it under a magnifying glass to inspect for bugs before and after. (Didn't see any!)

Happy to say that none of the corals I received from Cherry Corals that day had any pests of any kind drop off after I dipped them all!

That’s great to here!

Gatorpa · Jul 29, 2022

Dburr1014 said:
No, do not freshwater dip an Acro unless you want to kill it.

I’ve never had red bugs but the original LFS I dealt with would dip acros in fresh RODI and it never killed their acros. Now certainly the length of dip makes a difference.

Gatorpa · Jul 29, 2022

HudsonReefer2.0 said:
Cherry corals have quality clean stuff but I always dip in potassium chloride. KCL. No offense @Acro76 Easy on sps and effective. Revive and coralrx are harsh dips.

What % KCL do you use

thatmanMIKEson · Jul 29, 2022

Gatorpa said:
I’ve never had red bugs but the original LFS I dealt with would dip acros in fresh RODI and it never killed their acros. Now certainly the length of dip makes a difference.

A fresh rodi water dip on coral is not a good method, it works for fish and gill flukes, pure fresh water is very harsh on coral, especially acropora.