Newer to the hobby and wanting to go mixed reef with some higher end acros in the mix. I have seen some corals at LFS that I really like, but almost every store I go in, I see tanks with algae issues and aiptasia. What can be done to eliminate these things. The only store that I am not seeing this stuff in doesn't have the higher end stuff.
Dipping questions
- Thread starter drcole
- Start date
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ZoWhat
10K Club member
Hmmmm. This is a hard one to answer.
Personally I wouldn't buy from a LFS who has poor maintenance on their systems. If you buy a coral, it's already been stressed out due to poor conditions.
1) so you're already starting in a hole trying to heal a uncared for coral
2) you could be introducing microorganisms to your tank you cant even see with your own eyes as hitchhiker spores that can & will invade your tank. I introduced a coral 2yrs ago and I've now been fighting a majano outbreak ever since. It might take years for these spores to die off.
I suggest highly sought-after R2R Vendors who do Live Sales on R2R.
https://www.reef2reef.com/categories/sponsors.5/
To many of these Vendors, this is their livelihood and it's a requirement for them to have superbly clean growth tanks. They cant afford a nationally recognized BAD reputation of having corals arrive with hitchhikers. The US reefers would shame their biz into bankruptcy.
I almost exclusively buy from Vendors listed as Sponsors to R2R. Go and read the Vendor list. Read their online review posts.
Look for seasoned Vendors who have lots of discussion threads... a higher # than average
Unfortunately most small family owned LFSs doing OTC sales are starting to give up on the dying biz....
I certainly would not support a LFS with algae and Aiptasia filled reef tanks. Signs that the biz is quickly dying.....just like the corals they are selling
.
Personally I wouldn't buy from a LFS who has poor maintenance on their systems. If you buy a coral, it's already been stressed out due to poor conditions.
1) so you're already starting in a hole trying to heal a uncared for coral
2) you could be introducing microorganisms to your tank you cant even see with your own eyes as hitchhiker spores that can & will invade your tank. I introduced a coral 2yrs ago and I've now been fighting a majano outbreak ever since. It might take years for these spores to die off.
I suggest highly sought-after R2R Vendors who do Live Sales on R2R.
https://www.reef2reef.com/categories/sponsors.5/
To many of these Vendors, this is their livelihood and it's a requirement for them to have superbly clean growth tanks. They cant afford a nationally recognized BAD reputation of having corals arrive with hitchhikers. The US reefers would shame their biz into bankruptcy.
I almost exclusively buy from Vendors listed as Sponsors to R2R. Go and read the Vendor list. Read their online review posts.
Look for seasoned Vendors who have lots of discussion threads... a higher # than average
Unfortunately most small family owned LFSs doing OTC sales are starting to give up on the dying biz....
I certainly would not support a LFS with algae and Aiptasia filled reef tanks. Signs that the biz is quickly dying.....just like the corals they are selling
.
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I started using polyp labs dip, I can't say it's any better than coralrx but I thought I'd give it a try
https://clearchoiceaquatics.com/collections/additives/products/reef-primer-shot-coral-dip-45g
https://clearchoiceaquatics.com/collections/additives/products/reef-primer-shot-coral-dip-45g
bluprntguy
Well-Known Member
I agree with @skimjim. I don't buy anything from any store that isn't maintaining their tanks. It's not worth the risk. That pretty much means I mail order everything these days.
I've purchased from @Battlecorals and @FraghouseCorals most recently and their frags were pristine. I've also gotten some great frags and anemone from @Cultivated Reef in the past.
We don't see their tanks, but they've all gotten phenomenal reviews on this site. If any of them had pests in their propagation tanks, I think we'd hear about it.
I'd also add that I still dip corals and put them through a invert only quarantine for 45 days to monitor for pests and to insure that I'm not transferring diseases.
I've purchased from @Battlecorals and @FraghouseCorals most recently and their frags were pristine. I've also gotten some great frags and anemone from @Cultivated Reef in the past.
We don't see their tanks, but they've all gotten phenomenal reviews on this site. If any of them had pests in their propagation tanks, I think we'd hear about it.
I'd also add that I still dip corals and put them through a invert only quarantine for 45 days to monitor for pests and to insure that I'm not transferring diseases.
bluprntguy
Well-Known Member
No. Anything that would kill aiptasia would kill the coral.
