To dip or not to dip, that is the question...

[esmithiii]

I will be getting a shipment of Liverock on Friday (170 lbs) and my wife will be adding it to our tank (she is so whipped!) and was wondering how many of you have dipped your LR before placing it in the display aquarium? also in what did you dip it? I have heard of carbonated water as well as hypersaline water (1.030 SG) to clear out the mantis shrimp, etc. I want to keep as much life as I can on the rocks (not to mention that I am pushing things just getting her to put the rock in the tank in the first place.)

Any ideas?

E

 

[esmithiii]

I meant to mention that the reason she will be adding it is that I will be out of town for a couple of weeks.

E

 

[davelin315]

I wouldn't add it to your tank right away, you might want your wife to mix up a batch of saltwater and put the rock in there for a couple of weeks with strong current in it and a skimmer before putting it in your reef. Otherwise, you could get some massive die off (even if it's already been cured). The problem is that shipping will probably take it a day or so, and during that day, you could get some die off and with 170 lbs. of die off, even if it's small, you could get an ammonia/nitrite spike, which could be disastrous for your reef.

That way, you also don't have to worry about how your wife aquascapes your tank.

By the way, does she know you said she's whipped?

[ September 10, 2001: Message edited by: davelin315 ]

 

[lil_ol_me]

To keep with the question......

I like to rinse in fresh SW first, to remove shipping scum, scrub like mad for awhile, to remove nasties, and more SW rinsing. To remove shrimps and worms(if you want), a quick dip in cold RO water usually works, but could kill some of the beneficial organisms in your rock.

Dave

I do agree with the previous Dave, as well.

 

[2poor2reef]

I agree. Why dip the rock? Anything strong enough to disturb pests is likely to kill beneficial organisms also. We pay a lot of money for the "life" that makes rock live. I'd rather deal with the pests once they are in my reef than lose a portion of the good things on my rock. Then again, I've never battled a mantis shrimp. My nemesis has always been aptasia and valonia, neither of which would be eradicated in a dip in my opinion.

 

[esmithiii]

Guys, Sorry I didn't spell it out, but the tank has nothing but SW, the pvc frame to support the rock, a new 4" DSB and two damsels. It is brand new.

Any other comments from non-dippers, dippers,or even double-dippers?

E

 

[davelin315]

In that case, don't dip. Pop the rock in, and if there's anybody in there you want to remove, isolate and remove them before you add your real stuff.