Acclimation and dipping

[Texas Reefer]

Just wanted to update on how the dipping went. I was not home to receive the box from the shipper, but my husband was, and he immediately opened the box and put the bags in the sump. I got home a few hours later and started setting up my dipping station. To acclimate the coral to my water parameters I opened up each coral bag and introduced about 5 mL of my tank water into each bag every 5 minutes for an hour. My dipping station consisted of: one 16 oz cup, with 10 oz of tank water and 10 mL of Bayer, per frag; one tub of tank water with a water pump, and one more tub of tank water. As I took each frag out of its bag I broke it off its plug, inspected frag and plug for eggs/pest with a magnifying glass, and put it into a 16 oz/Bayer cup. I let each frag sit in the Bayer solution for 5 minutes, then, using tongs, took the frag out of the Bayer solution and put it into the tub with the water pump. I moved each frag around in the high flow from the pump for a few minutes, then placed each frag into the last tub. It was then time to eat a couple of slices of pizza! Then I placed all the frags into my DT.
Outcome: Electric Blue Acro: Lost all its flesh within two days. Pretty sure its dead, but the skeleton is still in my tank.
Bam Bam Zoas: Haven't opened and I think will slowly wither away. I've moved them around in the tank hoping to get a response. None yet.
Duncans: Looked good for 5 days, now won't open.
Red People Eater Zoas: Look good!
Raspberry Chalice: Looks good!
a free Acan, so I don't know its name: Looks good!
Rainbow Monti: Looks good!
I did not see any pests when I did the first inspection, and haven't seen any new pests in my system. I believe the online vendor who I bought these pieces from did a good job, and any death is my responsibility.

 

[Dustyboots]

Ugh I feel bad. I don't acclimate my corals per my best lfs advice, not lost any yet. This again is only my opinion: why stress out the corals more after being in a bag for hours on end when you don't see any visible pests? Why treat a problem that may not be there? Maybe you need to get a quarantine tank. Not trying to be hurtful, just hoping to help! Best of luck to y'all.

 

[CWMorrow]

Quarantine is probably a good idea. You are right, they have been under stress in a mailed bag. Even coral I bring back from the frag class at the LFS is under stress from being whacked off and brought home.
Being dipped into poison is not good for them, although concerning pests, "You should see the other guy."
Perhaps quarantine and a dip a week later would be a good idea.

 

[Dustyboots]

I tried a couple of corals and a clam via Ebay and was disappointed. Of course I acclimated the clam, it was chilly but after a 30 minute "cup" acclimation it opened up beautifully. The corals I just glued in immediately, they're great. I live in Tampa and I'm lucky to have some great LFS here. The trouble I had with ebay was not the health but the WYSIWYG photos; none were accurate. I feel that if your LFS is reputable and clean you shouldn't have many issues with pests or hitchhikers, and if you do get a few I think it just comes with the territory.

 

[Jonreefer]

hmmm so all that acclimating and stuff and the acro died. I wonder what the outcome woulda been to just remove them from the contaminated water and put into tank water. Or a fresh bowl of tank water to do the quick dip and then into the tank. I bet the outcome would have been better. The paranoid people can scoff at this way all they want. I have been doing it for years with hundreds of corals and never had an issue. From SPS to softies

 

[Texas Reefer]

So... Last week I got a blue Loripes? coral from my LFS. I did my normal acclimation routine (float bag, add water in increments and put frag in sand for a few days). Five days after purchase I attached with super glue the frag to a rock, and it has suffered almost total RTN within 2 days. I have a birdsnest that loves my tank, I also have a milli that's doing OK. But I'm killing acros.

 

[Texas Reefer]

Oh, no Bayer this time.

 

[Jonreefer]

what are your tank parameters Alk/Cal/Nitrate/Phos
are you dosing anything? Salinity?
Maybe something is way off killing the acro. Also any fish/crabs in tank that are nipping at it?

 

[Texas Reefer]

Caclium=490
Alk=7
Salinity=1.025
Phosphate =0
Nitrate=? I will test tonight
I dose buffer when needed.
My LFS told me to dose iodine every week, but I don't have a test kit, will be getting one soon.
I have plenty of hermits, one Halloween hermit that needs to go who is eating my purple coraline algae, 3 Emerald crabs... None of my fish nip at my coral. I do have a clown goby who will sit in the corals, but I haven't seen him nip.

 

[Jonreefer]

i wouldnt dose iodine if not testing for it. Dont quote me but I think you can OD iodine easy. if you have zero phosphates and your nitrates turn up zero as well your tank may be starving for nutrients. You will have to supplement for them. My tank i am running bio pellets and I have a .04 phos and between 0-.25ppm nitrate so i supplement with Red Sea reef energy, Acropower and feed my corals reef chili about twice a week.

 

[Texas Reefer]

Zero! In just this last week my 'trates got to zero. I'm excited, and also concerned. I will definitely have to feed my corals more, maybe buy the Cardinals I've been eyeing. I noticed my Clown goby nipping at my acro that has RTN. Maybe just eating dead flesh?

 

[Texas Reefer]

 

[Texas Reefer]

Meanwhile, my duncans are doing much better after I moved them out of the low flow/light area.

 

[Texas Reefer]

Oh, and I meant nitrate and Phosphate are zero. I believe nitrite has been zero for a long time.