Getting a new coral is an exciting time. The temptation to just throw it right into your display tank might be strong but there are proper steps to take first. This article will cover some important steps before that coral ever goes into your tank!
Acclimating
The first step to take with any new coral is to acclimate the coral. Start by gloating the bag in the tank, still closed up, for at least 15 minutes. This allows the water inside the bag to reach the same temperature as the tank slowly, preventing shock to the coral.
Now it’s time to open the bag. Check the salinity of the corals water and compare to your own tank. Most corals I have gotten have been around a specific gravity of 1.025 which is where I keep my tank at also. If the levels are close I just move on to the next step. If levels are lower than 1.023, for some reason, I add 1/2 cup of water to the bag every 3 minutes or so until the bag is full.
Dipping
To start the dipping process put some of your tank water in a small container. Next add some dip to the water. Today I am using Revive coral cleaner.
Take the bag with your coral and drain all the water into a bucket to be dumped later. You don’t want to use the water the coral came from as we don’t know what that water could have. Take your coral out of the bag and simply place it in the container with the water and dip mixed. Let it soak for a few mins. I will be doing 5 minutes with Revive. Every now and then use a turkey baster to blow on the corals and see what comes off. Before removing be sure to give the coral a nice shake in the water.
Rinsing
This step is easy. Place the coral into a new container with only fresh saltwater, no dip here. Let it soak for 5 minutes, blowing on it with the turkey baster again. Before removing, give it another shake in the water to help dislodge pests. This is also the time to do a detailed inspection of your corals. Check closely for signs of eggs or bite marks from flatworms. Eggs can be found usually at the base of a coral and, if seen, a toothbrush works well to knock them off. Dips will NOT work against eggs.
Placing the coral
Now it’s time to move our coral to our tank. My coral will be going into a quarantine tank as it was a wild harvested coral. Normally I place new corals on the sandbed of the display tank for a couple days before moving to a permanent spot. If you have a frag tank, that’s a great place to observe your corals for a few days before putting into your main tank.
That’s all there is to it! Dipping is an easy process that can save you a huge headache down the road.
Mountain Corals 