Sps Acclimation

[Reefs anonymous]

This is my process as of late. I inspect the new sps, I add 1 ml of bayer and frag water to a small cup for 5 mins. Then I wash off sps using water from tank. Then I put towards bottom of the tank.

Btw, where are you guys getting interceptor? Thought it wasn't available anymore.

 

[ksfulk]

My coral acclimation routine is probably a bit more than most people do, but it generally prevents all sorts of nastiness from coming into my tank. Granted, I do not have a seperate QT procedure, but this has worked very well for me after a few years of refinement.

1. Float the corals for about 15 minutes to temperature acclimate
2. Place corals in bag water into a bucket containing approximately 1/2 the total volume of water in an acclimation bucket for ~ 10 minutes. Meaning if you have 2 quarts of bag water from the corals, then you need the same volume of tank water. 2 qts bag + 2 qts tank water = 4 qts total
3. Remove frags from the original bases. Scrub any remaining exposed non coral materials (super glue, rock, whatever) with a toothbrush or other nylon bristled brush. Rinse thoroughly. Attach frag to new plug with super glue. Place in new container of tank water for 5 minutes (its important to draw containers of tank water as you work through this process, rather than all at once, otherwise the temp drop will be too much by the end of the process).
4. Proceed to place frags into a coral dip (I used Bayer at approximately 5-10ml/cup) for 15 mins. At 5, 10 and 14 minutes I use a disposable pipette or small (dedicated) turkey baster to blast the frag with jets of water from the dip to blow off anything that may be adhering to the frag plugs.
5. Rinse in two seperate 250 ml containers of tank water.
6. Place in coral dip for 7-10 minutes
7. Rinse in two seperate 250 ml containers of tank water
8. Place in clean tank water for visible inspection before placing into DT
9. Inspect coral and rock rubble reminants for any visible signs of eggs, algae, pests, etc
10. Place in DT on a frag rack with moderate flow and near the edge of my lighting (for SPS) or low to moderate flow and sand bed level (for LPS and softies)

Ive found that this takes care of 99% of the issues that Ive come across. Moderate flow after all of the handling helps to speed nutrients to the coral tissues, while removing any excess mucous that may be generated. From there, then you can work on acclimating to light.

There's a few pictures I took in my build thread during the last round of acclimation I did for a handful of corals I got at a local swap in case you want visuals: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ksfulks-red-sea-reefer-525xl.263841/page-7#post-3541952

 

[Salty1962]

Place in tank for temperature balance for @20 minutes, then start placing tank water until 50%. Check PH and salinity. If balanced, dip and place in bottom of tank. If PH and Salinity isn't balanced, pour out @50% of water and add more tank water until levels are the same, dip and place on bottom of tank.

 

[DHill6]

Prior post was the method I've been using. New method, I dip in Bayer 10 min, flash rinse in Container with RODI, rinse in container #1 of tank water 15 min, follow with a second rinse in container #2 filled with tank water, the Bayer should be off by now. I found this method here on R2R. Lastly into a warm bath of Interceptor mixed with tank water, pump and heater for 3-4 hrs. Seems to work, SPS look healthy and happy. Along procedure They've been rinsed and bathed using the same tank water as they're going into. I haven't noticed any problem once they're in DT. A lot of different ways people are dipping and different opinions.

 

[DHill6]

Extended post from above...Along the lines of ksfulk above, coral is floated for 15 min to temp acclimate, then removed from plug. It doesn't matter whom you've received the coral, remove it from the plug. Then I proceed as stated above. Before putting back into tank the SPS is looked at very closely,glued onto a new plug. No bugs, Dino's, algae, I haven't found anything, which is good! Please make sure you have the right Bayer if you choose to use it.

 

[Sabellafella]

Please no one dip their sps frags in freshwater

Unhappiness may result

How do you go about doing this correctly. I tryed a couple sps in temp acclimated ro water, and they just seemed REALLY unhappy after about 10-20 seconds or so. Zoas on the otherhand, freshwater is prob the best dip

 

[Leadfooted]

Lot's a great tips in here. I'm going to pass on any RODI dip/rinse (tank water only until that doesn't work), only using Bayer (the correct kind), I'll place on new frag plug, adjustable frag rack, medium light (I have a low light tank to begin with so the bottom sand is too low for an acro I think), moderate/hi flow and I'll have it from delivery to DT within 25 min. Here's the little stick that brought up the thread and I'll post updates too. Thank you

 

[DHill6]

The RODI water is the flash dip, 1-2 seconds and swirl, not long at all. Its step 2, right after the Bayer dip and before the rinse #1 in a container of tank water 15 min., then onto rinse #2 which is another container of tank water. The RODI water doesn't seem to hurt them, I've read on this forum that it takes the Bayer dip off better than just rinsing in tank water.

 

[Jimbo]

I just ordered a rather pricey Acro (JF B33 Bomb) myself and it's my last attempt at another Acro if this one dies (for at least a week ha!). From what I'm reading in here I'm surprised to see I've been acclimation too long it seems. Am I correct the total acclimation period from un-boxing, float, Bayer Dip, FW rinse, second super fast FW dip is only about 20-30 mins (maybe a little more depending on temp)?

I've been slow dripping my acros for about 4-5 hours then dips, then tank. One one Acro survivor out of 5 so far.

I doubt the fact that you drip acclimated your Acro's for 4-5 hours was the reason they died. I'd look for other causes. Good luck with the new frag!

 

[DHill6]

Interceptor is available, a prescription from vet.

 

[DHill6]

Leadfooted, I hope the way you chose works for you. Better not to rush in this hobby.

 

[ylreefer]

So let me ask, you are not concerned about alkanity difference from sellers tank to yours? If the seller keeps their tank at 12 dkh and yours is at 8 dkh, won't that difference really shock the frag?

I think the issue there is that an alk adjustment of 0.5 per day is the recommended maximum. If it came in at 8 and yours is at 12 it would take 4 days to acclimated the coral according to the recommended adjustment which is not a reality. Therefore it a case of the best of the worst options. I used to drop a climate but I switched to just a temp Acclimation followed by a dip. I've not lost any sps doing this way since. I think the most important acclimating comes from the lighting.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I float bags/container and empty into bucket then add tank water every 15 mins for two hours then i turn lights down to blue only to prevent light shock and introduce

 

[Makers Marc]

I wonder in these threads, why no one talks about how things change depending on the source tank of the frag.

We talk all day about pests, dipping, etc.

We also talking about how an alk spike of >.50 dkh over a 24 hr period, in your own tank, can cause issues?

So what do y'all do when the sellers tank keeps alk at 7dkh, and your tank is at 8.5dkh? Or vice versa?

What about if the seller's tank has po4 = .15 but your tank is at NSW levels of .03?

Discuss.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I don’t think parameters from tank to tank in any situation matters. As long as your parameters and nutrients are balanced the corals should transition fine.

 

[Waters]

I wonder in these threads, why no one talks about how things change depending on the source tank of the frag.

We talk all day about pests, dipping, etc.

We also talking about how an alk spike of >.50 dkh over a 24 hr period, in your own tank, can cause issues?

So what do y'all do when the sellers tank keeps alk at 7dkh, and your tank is at 8.5dkh? Or vice versa?

What about if the seller's tank has po4 = .15 but your tank is at NSW levels of .03?

Discuss.

I agree....I have asked this in several posts over the years but have never gotten an answer lol. The smallest of ALK spikes can wipe out a tank......but a single frag, plucked from one tank to another with totally different parameters does not suffer at all. Doesn't make any sense.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I agree....I have asked this in several posts over the years but have never gotten an answer lol. The smallest of ALK spikes can wipe out a tank......but a single frag, plucked from one tank to another with totally different parameters does not suffer at all. Doesn't make any sense.

My alk swings 1 dkh everyday in my DT with zero issues. I checked the alk on my frag tank for the first time in a couple months and it was 5.2. So I brought it up to 8.3 immediately and again, zero issues.

 

[Waters]

My alk swings 1 dkh everyday in my DT with zero issues. I checked the alk on my frag tank for the first time in a couple months and it was 5.2. So I brought it up to 8.3 immediately and again, zero issues.

Well you must have some magic ALK water or something to have it go directly from 5.2 to 8.3 with no issues

 

[SeaDweller]

My alk swings 1 dkh everyday in my DT with zero issues. I checked the alk on my frag tank for the first time in a couple months and it was 5.2. So I brought it up to 8.3 immediately and again, zero issues.

For the past couple of weeks I've turned my CaRx off and have been dosing with straight baking soda to get my CA down from 520; a day flux for me is 1.4 dkh or so and I just drop tsps of baking soda in, in the evening without issue too.

I've plopped frags in from tanks with 9.0 dkh into my 7.5 dkh tank without issue.

 

[SeaDweller]

I agree....I have asked this in several posts over the years but have never gotten an answer lol. The smallest of ALK spikes can wipe out a tank......but a single frag, plucked from one tank to another with totally different parameters does not suffer at all. Doesn't make any sense.

I think in those tanks that "spike", the alk "spike" is the proverbial straw...