ct_vol's dipping method

ct_vol · 09/15/2008, 08:16 PM

There are a lot of nasties out there... Parasites are a natural occurance, however when they are in a closed system such as our aquariums they can create havoc...

Ok, so a bunch of you guys have asked how I dip... I took the time to do a step by step demo of how I dip my corals... You can dip softies, LPS, and SPS this way too... I am not claiming that I came up with this way to treat incoming corals, only that this is the way I choose to do it...

I start out by placing the corals I receive in an old 5 gallon salt bucket with the water they were shipped in...

I then fill the water level so that the bucket is 1/2 to 2/3 full with the tank water I will be putting the corals in...

I use a MaxiJet 400 for circulation... Any small powerhead will suffice, but you want something to be creating water movement...

I loop the power cord around the salt bucket handle so that it stays in place and does not create too much direct turbulence with the corals...

ct_vol · 09/15/2008, 08:21 PM

I then take a VERY SMALL piece of Large Dog Interceptor pill... I used the piece somewhat in the center of this picture... I hold it in front of the powerhead current untill it dissolves so that I know it is in solution... Interceptor will kill Red Bugs, Pods, Crabs and other crustaceans, both good and bad...

I also add a single AP Fluke Tab... This is supposedly affective against AEFW's...

I let the corals sit in the bucket circulating with the Interceptor and Fluke tabs for 4 to 6 hours... Every once in a while I will pick up the corals and shake them vigorously in the water in order to dislodge any nasties that might be holding on...

ct_vol · 09/15/2008, 08:29 PM

After the 4 to 6 hours, I then transfer the corals to a smaller container and add Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure...

You do not have to change containers, I choose to do so in order to save on how much TMPCC I use... I like to overdose the TMPCC quite a bit... I will put in enough to make the water pretty dark... A little lighter than black coffee...

I will let it sit for 20 minutes in the TMPCC bath... Through out the 20 minutes I will blast the corals with a turkey baster...

This treatment does stress out corals... That being said, I have only had a couple of casualties and those I believe were more due to shipping stess... This may cause some corals to "brown out", but they will regain their color in a matter of weeks in proper conditions...

This little acrocrab was a casualty of this dip... I will usually try to dislodge any beneficial crabs such as this one into a small pyrex while dipping if I see them before hand... But this one was down hiding in one of the tables... It is still better to lose one acrocrab than to have a tank full of RB's, have to treat the system and lose all the inverts you can't catch...

ct_vol · 09/15/2008, 08:38 PM

I will usually add the corals in the dark or Actinics only if I'm feeling impatient and want to see them... This is probably unneccesary, but this is what I like to do to minimize an already stressfull shipping and dipping...

A lot of people I respect the opinion of like Revive by TLF... You would use this in place of the TMPCC... But be carefull not to use it too long as it can harm the corals if left untended... TMPCC will too, but I have found that you have a bit of leeway...

Feel free to add any other techniques you all use... Just thought I would throw this out there for the club since there has been interest in dipping and how to do it...

I meant to post pics of the corals after they were in my tank, but I haven't had time to take any... I'll get them posted by the end of this weekend...

acrodave · 09/16/2008, 01:35 PM

What do you have to do it get this thread sticky'd.. I think it should be

Anchovy · 09/16/2008, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by acrodave
What do you have to do it get this thread sticky'd.. I think it should be

I agree

salt newbie01 · 09/16/2008, 08:24 PM

Great job Randy!!!

ct_vol · 09/17/2008, 05:25 AM

I thought more people would share how they dipped... Oh well...

I think Chris can have it stickied if you guys really want...

Runner · 09/17/2008, 05:58 AM

I can also make an HTML page out of it and stick it on our website. This is the kind of stuff our pages need.

salt newbie01 · 09/17/2008, 06:02 AM

My method is similar to yours Randy. I just leave out the steps for the AEFW and red bugs. Since I only keep LPS and zoas/palys I don't see a need in those additional steps. I do (like you) significantly overdose the iodine dip. Right now I an using seachem brand dip. But will go back to TMPCC when it is gone.

ct_vol · 09/17/2008, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by salt newbie01
My method is similar to yours Randy. I just leave out the steps for the AEFW and red bugs. Since I only keep LPS and zoas/palys I don't see a need in those additional steps. I do (like you) significantly overdose the iodine dip. Right now I an using seachem brand dip. But will go back to TMPCC when it is gone.

To be honest, I've never really noticed a difference between TMPCC and Seachem Reef Dip... Seachem Reef Dip is cheaper, but I've always stuck with TMPCC over Seachem more for reputation than anything else...

You might want reconsider at least the red bug treatment though... I had a frogspawn infested with a "white bug" that behaved very similarly to what redbugs do on SPS... The frogspawn would not extend after the lights came on and was starting to recede... It was only upon close inspection that I saw the "white bugs"... After treating with Interceptor the "white bugs" were gone and the frogspawn looked as good as new after a few days... I know Angela in the MTRC had experience with this parasite as well... So there are some "bugs" that will affect LPS as well as SPS...

For you Zoanthid lovers, there is much speculation upon whether some amphipods and isopods eat our polyps... I wouldn't be surprised if there is some type that does... Interceptor is a good treatment for killing any pods that may enter your tank... After treating your tank, it is doubtfull that you will kill them all, but it will knock down the population...

Again I want to reitterate that it is much easier to treat a coral before it enters your tank than to treat your system in its entirety afterwards... This is a purely preventative measure...

It is probably better to place new acquisitions in a Quarantine System... I put a lot of my frags in my 24g Aquapod to observe them for a while if possible... However some of my nicer SPS I don't trust in that system, so they get dipped and then put in one of my displays...

salt newbie01 · 09/17/2008, 09:53 AM

I agree with all the above Randy!! It would be better to qt all incoming livestock both corals and fish. Unfortunately it is not a practicle thing for most reefers. The 24g is a good way to do it. That may be a good excuse for the wife to let me set up a small tank!! Plus I can tell her it was your idea!!

Good info to know about the white bugs...guess I will have to modify my technique a little.

With the money invested in coral it is prudent to be safe rather than sorry!!

gflat65 · 09/17/2008, 08:33 PM

That is essentially my method, too. I might soak them in the Interceptor in the bucket/small tank over night since I likely had a drive to get them (one of fishdoc's method). I knock off bases and reattach (pain for bigger pieces, but worth it to me). Small frags I may not QT for long, but larger pieces are going to sit somewhere for a while and several dips before going in the system.

I wanted to say something really smart about the 'dipping method', but kept my tea bag comments to myself

.

ct_vol · 09/17/2008, 08:42 PM

With the white bugs, I was fortunate in that I didn't have any inverts so to speak in the 75g when I treated the tank... I agree that it is impractical for most people to QT their corals... Which is why dipping is so important!!!

I QT maybe 50% of my corals... I usually only trade with people I know their systems... So I'm safer when I trade or buy from unknown people and LFS/OFS...

For those of you that don't know, the reason that Gary knocks off the bases of SPS corals is because Acro Eating Flat Worms (AEFW) tend to set up shop at the bases of colonies... So the chances of them being at the base is higher than at the tips or branches...

fishdoc11 · 09/18/2008, 04:15 AM

.....and what Randy means by setting up shop is laying eggs

Here are some pictures of parasites and eggs for those that don't know what they look like.

Chris

ct_vol · 09/18/2008, 05:55 AM

lol

OceanDweller · 05/06/2009, 11:15 AM

Great write up.

ct_vol · 07/09/2009, 08:08 PM

After having a discussion with another reefer, I thought I should add that at times if I am extra worried about the source of my frags/colonies, I will sometimes do a Freshwater dip before going into the above treatment...

I will fill a bucket with RO/DI water and shake it vigorously for 15 to 20 seconds...

Freshwater dips are supposed to be effective against flatworms and nudibranchs... They can be stressful to corals as well, so do so with caution...

I am also going to add that I have not had the best results with Revive... I know a lot of people swear by the product, but I have lost a few finicky SPS frags to a dip in it alone... This includes a Lokani that I was really excited about...

fishdoc11 · 07/09/2009, 08:27 PM

If that's the lokani you got from me it is a lot bigger than it was before

Rickyrooz1 · 11/04/2009, 06:58 PM

Nice thread! Have you seen Red Bugs fall off with this method?

fishdoc11 · 11/04/2009, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickyrooz1

Nice thread! Have you seen Red Bugs fall off with this method?

Interceptor at several times the recommended dosage (ie larger than a spec in a gallon or 2) will reliably kill red bugs after a few hours in a dip.

09/15/2008, 08:16 PM	#1
ct_vol Reefing On My Mind Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kempton, IL Posts: 8,083	ct_vol's dipping method There are a lot of nasties out there... Parasites are a natural occurance, however when they are in a closed system such as our aquariums they can create havoc... Ok, so a bunch of you guys have asked how I dip... I took the time to do a step by step demo of how I dip my corals... You can dip softies, LPS, and SPS this way too... I am not claiming that I came up with this way to treat incoming corals, only that this is the way I choose to do it... I start out by placing the corals I receive in an old 5 gallon salt bucket with the water they were shipped in... I then fill the water level so that the bucket is 1/2 to 2/3 full with the tank water I will be putting the corals in... I use a MaxiJet 400 for circulation... Any small powerhead will suffice, but you want something to be creating water movement... I loop the power cord around the salt bucket handle so that it stays in place and does not create too much direct turbulence with the corals... __________________ Randy Volunteers, Blackhawks, Titans, Cubs!!!! Current Tank Info: 185g waiting to be built, 120g SPS/Anemone Reef, 120g SCA in the works, 58g mixed reef w/ 6x39w T5, 125g grow out w/ Reef Breeders

09/15/2008, 08:21 PM	#2
ct_vol Reefing On My Mind Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kempton, IL Posts: 8,083	I then take a VERY SMALL piece of Large Dog Interceptor pill... I used the piece somewhat in the center of this picture... I hold it in front of the powerhead current untill it dissolves so that I know it is in solution... Interceptor will kill Red Bugs, Pods, Crabs and other crustaceans, both good and bad... I also add a single AP Fluke Tab... This is supposedly affective against AEFW's... I let the corals sit in the bucket circulating with the Interceptor and Fluke tabs for 4 to 6 hours... Every once in a while I will pick up the corals and shake them vigorously in the water in order to dislodge any nasties that might be holding on... __________________ Randy Volunteers, Blackhawks, Titans, Cubs!!!! Current Tank Info: 185g waiting to be built, 120g SPS/Anemone Reef, 120g SCA in the works, 58g mixed reef w/ 6x39w T5, 125g grow out w/ Reef Breeders Last edited by ct_vol; 09/15/2008 at 08:31 PM.

09/15/2008, 08:29 PM	#3
ct_vol Reefing On My Mind Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kempton, IL Posts: 8,083	After the 4 to 6 hours, I then transfer the corals to a smaller container and add Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure... You do not have to change containers, I choose to do so in order to save on how much TMPCC I use... I like to overdose the TMPCC quite a bit... I will put in enough to make the water pretty dark... A little lighter than black coffee... I will let it sit for 20 minutes in the TMPCC bath... Through out the 20 minutes I will blast the corals with a turkey baster... This treatment does stress out corals... That being said, I have only had a couple of casualties and those I believe were more due to shipping stess... This may cause some corals to "brown out", but they will regain their color in a matter of weeks in proper conditions... This little acrocrab was a casualty of this dip... I will usually try to dislodge any beneficial crabs such as this one into a small pyrex while dipping if I see them before hand... But this one was down hiding in one of the tables... It is still better to lose one acrocrab than to have a tank full of RB's, have to treat the system and lose all the inverts you can't catch... __________________ Randy Volunteers, Blackhawks, Titans, Cubs!!!! Current Tank Info: 185g waiting to be built, 120g SPS/Anemone Reef, 120g SCA in the works, 58g mixed reef w/ 6x39w T5, 125g grow out w/ Reef Breeders Last edited by ct_vol; 09/15/2008 at 08:41 PM.

09/15/2008, 08:38 PM	#4
ct_vol Reefing On My Mind Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kempton, IL Posts: 8,083	I will usually add the corals in the dark or Actinics only if I'm feeling impatient and want to see them... This is probably unneccesary, but this is what I like to do to minimize an already stressfull shipping and dipping... A lot of people I respect the opinion of like Revive by TLF... You would use this in place of the TMPCC... But be carefull not to use it too long as it can harm the corals if left untended... TMPCC will too, but I have found that you have a bit of leeway... Feel free to add any other techniques you all use... Just thought I would throw this out there for the club since there has been interest in dipping and how to do it... I meant to post pics of the corals after they were in my tank, but I haven't had time to take any... I'll get them posted by the end of this weekend... __________________ Randy Volunteers, Blackhawks, Titans, Cubs!!!! Current Tank Info: 185g waiting to be built, 120g SPS/Anemone Reef, 120g SCA in the works, 58g mixed reef w/ 6x39w T5, 125g grow out w/ Reef Breeders

09/16/2008, 01:35 PM	#5
acrodave REEF NERD Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: maryville tn-- work in knoxville Posts: 4,187	What do you have to do it get this thread sticky'd.. I think it should be __________________ Peace,Dave Superman puts on Tim Tebow pajamas when he goes to bed The Heisman as a sophomore nuff said Less technology more biology Tattoos are the only art you can take to the grave Current Tank Info: 26gal bow,20gal mantis tank/fuge150wHQI,20k AB Seio 620 maxijet1200x's 2 on a wave maker. all sps

09/16/2008, 08:24 PM	#7
salt newbie01 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cleveland,TN Posts: 637	Great job Randy!!! __________________ I love my family but I hate family reunions. Family reunions are that time when you come face to face with your family tree and realize some branches need to be cut off. Current Tank Info: 58 on the way out...120RR cycling as I type!!

09/17/2008, 05:25 AM	#8
ct_vol Reefing On My Mind Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kempton, IL Posts: 8,083	I thought more people would share how they dipped... Oh well... I think Chris can have it stickied if you guys really want... __________________ Randy Volunteers, Blackhawks, Titans, Cubs!!!! Current Tank Info: 185g waiting to be built, 120g SPS/Anemone Reef, 120g SCA in the works, 58g mixed reef w/ 6x39w T5, 125g grow out w/ Reef Breeders

09/17/2008, 05:58 AM	#9
Runner Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 3,196 Blog Entries: 1	I can also make an HTML page out of it and stick it on our website. This is the kind of stuff our pages need. __________________ -Scott "During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." -George Orwell Current Tank Info: 24G Reef cube with Cree LED DIY Retrofit

09/17/2008, 06:02 AM	#10
salt newbie01 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cleveland,TN Posts: 637	My method is similar to yours Randy. I just leave out the steps for the AEFW and red bugs. Since I only keep LPS and zoas/palys I don't see a need in those additional steps. I do (like you) significantly overdose the iodine dip. Right now I an using seachem brand dip. But will go back to TMPCC when it is gone. __________________ I love my family but I hate family reunions. Family reunions are that time when you come face to face with your family tree and realize some branches need to be cut off. Current Tank Info: 58 on the way out...120RR cycling as I type!!

09/17/2008, 09:53 AM	#12
salt newbie01 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cleveland,TN Posts: 637	I agree with all the above Randy!! It would be better to qt all incoming livestock both corals and fish. Unfortunately it is not a practicle thing for most reefers. The 24g is a good way to do it. That may be a good excuse for the wife to let me set up a small tank!! Plus I can tell her it was your idea!! Good info to know about the white bugs...guess I will have to modify my technique a little. With the money invested in coral it is prudent to be safe rather than sorry!! __________________ I love my family but I hate family reunions. Family reunions are that time when you come face to face with your family tree and realize some branches need to be cut off. Current Tank Info: 58 on the way out...120RR cycling as I type!!

09/17/2008, 08:33 PM	#13
gflat65 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Montgomery, Al Posts: 8,720	That is essentially my method, too. I might soak them in the Interceptor in the bucket/small tank over night since I likely had a drive to get them (one of fishdoc's method). I knock off bases and reattach (pain for bigger pieces, but worth it to me). Small frags I may not QT for long, but larger pieces are going to sit somewhere for a while and several dips before going in the system. I wanted to say something really smart about the 'dipping method', but kept my tea bag comments to myself. __________________ Was it for this my life I sought... Maybe so Maybe not.

09/17/2008, 08:42 PM	#14
ct_vol Reefing On My Mind Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kempton, IL Posts: 8,083	With the white bugs, I was fortunate in that I didn't have any inverts so to speak in the 75g when I treated the tank... I agree that it is impractical for most people to QT their corals... Which is why dipping is so important!!! I QT maybe 50% of my corals... I usually only trade with people I know their systems... So I'm safer when I trade or buy from unknown people and LFS/OFS... For those of you that don't know, the reason that Gary knocks off the bases of SPS corals is because Acro Eating Flat Worms (AEFW) tend to set up shop at the bases of colonies... So the chances of them being at the base is higher than at the tips or branches... __________________ Randy Volunteers, Blackhawks, Titans, Cubs!!!! Current Tank Info: 185g waiting to be built, 120g SPS/Anemone Reef, 120g SCA in the works, 58g mixed reef w/ 6x39w T5, 125g grow out w/ Reef Breeders

09/18/2008, 04:15 AM	#15
fishdoc11 catch and release Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Old Hickory,TN Posts: 13,237	.....and what Randy means by setting up shop is laying eggs Here are some pictures of parasites and eggs for those that don't know what they look like. Chris __________________ "Try to learn something about everything and everything about something" -- Thomas H. Huxley Current Tank Info: 70 gallon mixed reef

09/18/2008, 05:55 AM	#16
ct_vol Reefing On My Mind Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kempton, IL Posts: 8,083	lol __________________ Randy Volunteers, Blackhawks, Titans, Cubs!!!! Current Tank Info: 185g waiting to be built, 120g SPS/Anemone Reef, 120g SCA in the works, 58g mixed reef w/ 6x39w T5, 125g grow out w/ Reef Breeders

05/06/2009, 11:15 AM	#17
OceanDweller Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Longview Texas Posts: 294	Great write up. __________________ Brad

07/09/2009, 08:08 PM	#18
ct_vol Reefing On My Mind Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Kempton, IL Posts: 8,083	After having a discussion with another reefer, I thought I should add that at times if I am extra worried about the source of my frags/colonies, I will sometimes do a Freshwater dip before going into the above treatment... I will fill a bucket with RO/DI water and shake it vigorously for 15 to 20 seconds... Freshwater dips are supposed to be effective against flatworms and nudibranchs... They can be stressful to corals as well, so do so with caution... I am also going to add that I have not had the best results with Revive... I know a lot of people swear by the product, but I have lost a few finicky SPS frags to a dip in it alone... This includes a Lokani that I was really excited about... __________________ Randy Volunteers, Blackhawks, Titans, Cubs!!!! Current Tank Info: 185g waiting to be built, 120g SPS/Anemone Reef, 120g SCA in the works, 58g mixed reef w/ 6x39w T5, 125g grow out w/ Reef Breeders

07/09/2009, 08:27 PM	#19
fishdoc11 catch and release Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Old Hickory,TN Posts: 13,237	If that's the lokani you got from me it is a lot bigger than it was before __________________ "Try to learn something about everything and everything about something" -- Thomas H. Huxley Current Tank Info: 70 gallon mixed reef

11/04/2009, 06:58 PM	#20
Rickyrooz1 Acropora Nut Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newtown, PA Posts: 2,453	Nice thread! Have you seen Red Bugs fall off with this method? __________________ 120 Gallon Acropora dominated tank, barebottom, APEX Controller, ATI Sunpower 8x54w, Skimz SM163, Jebao DCT 6000 return pump & two Jebao OW-40. Current Tank Info: SPS Dominated