Ok,I was wondering what are some good one to use I have never used any of the stuff but now that I have more expensive corals and getting into the hobby A little more intense I dont want an outbreak of any nastys..Thanks Sal
Best dip or anti parasite to get ?
- Thread starter Malibu361
- Start date
- Location
- South Florida
FW for most things works really well.
- Location
- Vernon, NJ
- Location
- Dingmans ferry PA
dont do a fw dip.the temp ,ph will be different and you might shock them more then help.i use seachems reef dip coral disinfectant
- Location
- South Florida
I do short water dips sometimes, and it works for me. But a QT is the most important thing. The 20 gallon aquarium kit from walmart for $35 is the best investment you will ever make. start cycling it soon. It will save you the trouble of byropsis, aiptasia, bubble algae, hydroids, etc.... that might come on frags or coral rocks
chessmanmark
Experienced Reefer
- Location
- Putnam County, NY
You’ve read about the benefits of quarantining your corals but you haven’t made the commitment because of space or time considerations. The next best thing is to use preventative dips to protect your precious investment (financial and emotional) in your reef tank.
I use a 5 ? gallon tank to dip all new arrivals that will go into my display. I mix up some new salt water when I know I’m going to receive new corals. I take about 3 gallons of water out of the display and fill the 5 ? gallon tank, then replace this water volume with fresh SW in the display. I have a heater and a low flow powerhead for this temporary quarantine tank.
First I temperature acclimate the new corals. Once they are acclimated to the temperature the next step is to treat with Salifert Flatworm Exit. This product treats any incoming corals for planaria flatworms. It’s relatively easy to treat your entire tank for these pests, however if you treat your corals before placing them in your tank you will avoid infecting the entire display. Flatworm Exit is not harsh on your corals so you can leave it in the water for as long as you treat your corals.
The next step for acropora corals is to treat for red bugs with Interceptor. Interceptor is beef flavored heartworm medicine for dogs. It kills microscopic red bugs from your acropora corals. Red bugs irritate acros and you will not see good polyp extension if you have them. I found the best way to know if you have them or not is to take lots of macro photos of your corals. Then enlarge the image for better inspection. Interceptor is a prescription drug that must be prescribed by a veterinarian. Find someone who has a large dog to get this product for you. It is important to crush up the pill. I use a razor blade to cut it into a fine powder. I like to let acroporas sit in an Interceptor dip for 12 hours. I let them stay in this medicine over night and then continue treatment the next day. Don’t worry if you go longer with this step as Interceptor is mild on your corals. This is another treatment option that is easy enough to utilize for your entire tank, however the idea of the dip is to prevent red bugs from infesting your display.
Step three for acropora is to dip for Acro Eating Flatworms (AEFW.) Many products will kill off the flatworms but they will not kill the eggs that may linger on a coral. That’s why a visual inspection is a good idea. Pick up a magnifying glass to get a good close look. To treat for AEFW I use Fluke tabs. These are sold over the counter and can be found on most online e-tailers. I crush up two tablets and let the coral soak for 1 ? hours.
At this point you may want to use a product like Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure (TM PCC) or coral ReVive. I have used TM PCC and it is very harsh on corals so I decide to use, or not use this step depending on how healthy the coral looks. I dip them for no more than 5 minutes and often double the recommended dosage. I use TM PCC on all montipora corals that I put in my display.
When you finish your preventative dips it is a good idea to give your corals a good rinse with water taken out of your tank in a separate container. Use a turkey baster to blow off anything that may be on your coral and give it a good rinse.
If you search the web you will find lots of information on these products and how to work with them. I wrote this post to share what I do from the point of view of an average hobbyist who has been keeping a reef for five years and learned a thing or two along the way. Good luck with your reef and I hope you are able to keep it pest free so you can enjoy the growth of your corals.
I use a 5 ? gallon tank to dip all new arrivals that will go into my display. I mix up some new salt water when I know I’m going to receive new corals. I take about 3 gallons of water out of the display and fill the 5 ? gallon tank, then replace this water volume with fresh SW in the display. I have a heater and a low flow powerhead for this temporary quarantine tank.
First I temperature acclimate the new corals. Once they are acclimated to the temperature the next step is to treat with Salifert Flatworm Exit. This product treats any incoming corals for planaria flatworms. It’s relatively easy to treat your entire tank for these pests, however if you treat your corals before placing them in your tank you will avoid infecting the entire display. Flatworm Exit is not harsh on your corals so you can leave it in the water for as long as you treat your corals.
The next step for acropora corals is to treat for red bugs with Interceptor. Interceptor is beef flavored heartworm medicine for dogs. It kills microscopic red bugs from your acropora corals. Red bugs irritate acros and you will not see good polyp extension if you have them. I found the best way to know if you have them or not is to take lots of macro photos of your corals. Then enlarge the image for better inspection. Interceptor is a prescription drug that must be prescribed by a veterinarian. Find someone who has a large dog to get this product for you. It is important to crush up the pill. I use a razor blade to cut it into a fine powder. I like to let acroporas sit in an Interceptor dip for 12 hours. I let them stay in this medicine over night and then continue treatment the next day. Don’t worry if you go longer with this step as Interceptor is mild on your corals. This is another treatment option that is easy enough to utilize for your entire tank, however the idea of the dip is to prevent red bugs from infesting your display.
Step three for acropora is to dip for Acro Eating Flatworms (AEFW.) Many products will kill off the flatworms but they will not kill the eggs that may linger on a coral. That’s why a visual inspection is a good idea. Pick up a magnifying glass to get a good close look. To treat for AEFW I use Fluke tabs. These are sold over the counter and can be found on most online e-tailers. I crush up two tablets and let the coral soak for 1 ? hours.
At this point you may want to use a product like Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure (TM PCC) or coral ReVive. I have used TM PCC and it is very harsh on corals so I decide to use, or not use this step depending on how healthy the coral looks. I dip them for no more than 5 minutes and often double the recommended dosage. I use TM PCC on all montipora corals that I put in my display.
When you finish your preventative dips it is a good idea to give your corals a good rinse with water taken out of your tank in a separate container. Use a turkey baster to blow off anything that may be on your coral and give it a good rinse.
If you search the web you will find lots of information on these products and how to work with them. I wrote this post to share what I do from the point of view of an average hobbyist who has been keeping a reef for five years and learned a thing or two along the way. Good luck with your reef and I hope you are able to keep it pest free so you can enjoy the growth of your corals.
Wow that was super informative thanks ..Do you only use a powerhead and no filtration durin the 12 hour QT?As per the steps in your quidelines do you add all of that stuff to the same tank of water and are all of these treatment safe for all corals?Thanks Sal
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