The BEST Pre-Display Tank Dip

ClownReef® · #1 12/07/2007, 03:21 PM

..and you run in all excited without your wife/gf/fiance noticing what you have in the bag, knowing perfectly well you shouldnt have spent that much on a new SPS.

You float the bag, wait a few minutes..and carefully pick the perfect spot for this new coral..VOILA! it looks perfect!!!

Next morning, you wake up and there they are...little redish bugs crawling all over your new prized coral..

That has happened to us a couple of times..and we all have different ways to prevent it..the question is, by blending ideas..

WHAT IS THE BEST DIP/FORMULA/TREATMENT TO USE BEFORE YOU PUT THAT NEW CORAL IN YOUR TANK?

Is it a mixture of things? Is is closely inspecting it with a magnifying glass?

Lets see what everybody has to share and maybe we can come up with the best way to treat corals before they go in the display.

killagoby · #2 12/07/2007, 03:28 PM

Maybe FWE in a QT tank?

Kinetic · #3 12/07/2007, 03:32 PM

This is the way to do it:

1. 15 minute dip in Providone / TMPCC
2. 12 hours in a small tank with spot on water parameters, laced with interceptor, flatworm exit, furan-2 (if zoanthids)
3. QT Tank for a 2 weeks, also laced with interceptor

tanya72806 · #4 12/07/2007, 05:19 PM

I agree w/ kinetic BUT the thing is not everyone has a QT tank. I know I dont. And not for any other reason but I have NO room what so ever for one

tanya72806 · #5 12/07/2007, 05:21 PM

Also I think the best thing to do is 1-2x a year to do 3 Interceptor treatments even if you dont see anything. just for piece of mind. Wish there was a in-tank AEFW treatment

Kinetic · #6 12/07/2007, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tanya72806
I agree w/ kinetic BUT the thing is not everyone has a QT tank. I know I dont. And not for any other reason but I have NO room what so ever for one

do you have a spot for something 11" wide / long and 15" tall? Just get a 5g bucket from home depot for $5, a cheap little eheim jager heater, and a small maxijet 1200 for under $20. Maybe invest in a small 70watt halide (nice cheap ones that are good at illuming dot com)... and walla, QT tank =)

it doesn't have to be big for corals. just keep the water in check.

Given your 12 hours in a bucket with interceptor etc. is good enough, you probably don't need a long term QT tank.

tanya72806 · #7 12/07/2007, 05:35 PM

lol you dont know the size of my house

Kinetic · #8 12/07/2007, 05:36 PM

it was a suggestion in case you were thinking of something like a 10 gallon AGA tank, rather than a critical finger pointing scoff.

Marko9 · #9 12/07/2007, 05:42 PM

I do 10 min revive, 30 min levamisol and 4 hr interceptor. I then get the flahlight out and maagnifying glass and take a closer look.

I also don't really buy wild and only trade with a few people. I believe levamisole is a must for my tank.

I also have a 29 qt that is the garage, but to be honest, it is more to house my growing zoanthids.

I agree that a qt tank is a good thing to have. Why do we want to spend all this money and not take the right precaustion in protecting it.

Nothing is 100%.

tanya72806 · #10 12/07/2007, 05:59 PM

Kinetic the

is a smiley winking incase you didnt catch that on the end of my post not a mad face or a finger pointing. Again pal

Kinetic · #11 12/07/2007, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tanya72806
Kinetic the is a smiley winking incase you didnt catch that on the end of my post not a mad face or a finger pointing. Again pal

it's hard imagining a house that's that small with a 120g tank... unless that's the only thing that can fit

tanya72806 · #12 12/07/2007, 06:26 PM

lol yeah my husband thinks its ridiculous.

ClownReef® · #13 12/07/2007, 06:27 PM

The idea is for a quick treatment before putting the coral IN the display tank. This is for people who:

-Dont have a QT tank
-Dont have the time to keep up with one
-Dont have the space to have one
-Or just simply dont want one.

So, this is to come up with the BEST and most effective dip possible to prevent/kill any bugs/pests.

Kinetic · #14 12/07/2007, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ClownReef®
The idea is for a quick treatment before putting the coral IN the display tank. This is for people who:

-Dont have a QT tank
-Dont have the time to keep up with one
-Dont have the space to have one
-Or just simply dont want one.

So, this is to come up with the BEST and most effective dip possible to prevent/kill any bugs/pests.

but that gives people a false notion of security in the "BEST" when there's absolutely no way to avoid pests with a simple and quick dip. The answer becomes clear when people start suggesting QT's, or 4 - 12 hour interceptor treatments.

So if you:
-Dont have a QT tank: You need to get one
-Dont have the time to keep up with one: should you be in the hobby of keeping corals and expect to not have any pests?
-Dont have the space to have one: it's rare that people don't even have space for a small 5g bucket or smaller. I mean, put your trashcan outside and you'll have at least that much room, seriously.
-Or just simply dont want one: then you simply have a high probability to get pests some day.

If you're in the hobby of keeping healthy corals without pests, then you'll want the right answers, not a compromise that promises absolutely nothing but false promises.

Marko9 · #15 12/07/2007, 06:44 PM

With the state of our hobby and the amount of threads you see in this forum (that does not count the amount of people who do not post), Why would you trust any coral you get?

I want to get the most potent stuff out there to help me sleep at night once my corals go in my tank. It is all prefernce, but there are countless threads just like this one.

ClownReef® · #16 12/07/2007, 06:59 PM

Ok, so there goes the thread. Thanks.

Marko9 · #17 12/07/2007, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ClownReef®
Ok, so there goes the thread. Thanks.

I am not following you

Kinetic · #18 12/07/2007, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Marko9
I am not following you

I think he was looking for an easy fix, and can't come to terms that there is no such fix?

We did give him the best dips, just added some methods in there.

Maybe only Norcal people have pest problems... o.O

Quote:

Originally posted by ClownReef®
Lets see what everybody has to share and maybe we can come up with the best way to treat corals before they go in the display.

That's what he said, and that's what we gave him. But he's not happy that there's no such miracle treatment that's good enough =(

rynon · #19 12/07/2007, 07:12 PM

I don't QT or do anything drastic......perhaps my day is coming? The only thing I do is dip in lugols for 10 minutes then call it good. I also inspect the snot out of every coral I buy. NO FISH go in my tank without QT. I as of now have had no problems. I have 10 acropora's 4 montipora's and other assorted SPS. QT is BEST by far, I'm taking my chances and only buy corals from stores/people I REALLY trust. Thread NOT over

ClownReef® · #20 12/07/2007, 07:44 PM

Not an easy fix..trust me, ive been in the hobby for a while..

More along the lines of a dip. Not a QT tank, not a coral intensive care unit.. I could have posted that myself.. Simply, a "DIP" as a preventive way to reduce the risk of maybe getting red bugs or AEFW or any other pests..

Marko9 · #21 12/07/2007, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Marko9
I do 10 min revive, 30 min levamisol and 4 hr interceptor. I then get the flashlight out and magnifying glass and take a closer look.

I also don't really buy wild and only trade with a few people. I believe levamisole is a must for my tank.

This is what I do. I do not believe this is the only way, but through trial and research, I have found this to work for me.

HTH

rynon · #22 12/07/2007, 07:49 PM

Yeah I know. I work at a LFS and have seen red bugs, etc.....I'm very careful, that does not mean my day is not coming. It's worked up until now. I don't plan on adding much, my tank is pretty well packed. BTW I have had issues, ICH, thankfully I am rid of that.

SDguy · #23 12/07/2007, 07:59 PM

I think if people would like to turn this into a "how to QT SPS, not just dip" thread, then they should start one on their own.

ClownReef® · #24 12/07/2007, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SDguy
I think if people would like to turn this into a "how to QT SPS, not just dip" thread, then they should start one on their own.

FINALLY!

Anyways, back on topic.. How has Luglos solution worked for you guys?.. To bust a myth..it doesnt stop RTN/STN (lol..i fell for it...didnt work for me..LOL)..

But as far as treating for bugs??

Philwd · #25 12/07/2007, 09:10 PM

Well Clownreef from someone who dipped every single coral in interceptor for 10 hrs and STILL got RB and did TMPCC on every coral once it was available and STILL got AEFW I would say there is no such thing as a reliable dip. Even the new dip Coral Revive I think needs multiple dips to make sure you get them all.

Why do I think that? Too much variation from treatment to treatment. And the eggs. Let me explain. Interceptor I believe loses potency once it's opened. So unless you use a new pill every time you'll never know what the potency is. TMPCC gets some maybe most pests but not all. Again depends on concentration, length of dip, maybe bottle to bottle.

The eggs can be anywhere and are often extremely well hidden. I found a single line of eggs in a very thin line of recession from where the coral receeded from mounting with super glue. The coral had not yet fully grown over and had formed a little ridge. They laid eggs under that ridge. Almost impossible to find.

My regimen was 10 hrs very high strength interceptor followed by 15 min TMPCC. Like I said above didn't get them all. Both RB and AEFW got through(although with the AEFW it is very possible I missed an egg).