How To Dip Corals

Why Dip Corals?

One habit that all reefers should adopt is dipping new corals before adding them to the display tank.  Dipping corals is the easiest and most effective way of reducing the likelihood of introducing unwanted pests into the tank.  Dipping corals is easy, safe, and takes only minutes.

How to Dip Corals

 

There are many coral dips on the market and they all work in a similar manner.  In store we use Revive Coral Dip made by Two Little Fishies and find it to be very effective.  The first step in dipping corals is to accurately measure the amount of salt water that will be used, making sure the water has been warmed to the appropriate temperature.  Using either 500ml or 1000ml of water makes it easier to do the math and add the appropriate amount of coral dip.  After measuring the right amount of coral dip, add it to the salt water and stir gently.  Follow the instructions on the bottle regarding how long the coral should be left in the dip.  Make sure to move the frag around gently in the solution as much as possible.  Any pests that were present on the coral should fall to the bottom of the container.  Before placing the newly dipped coral into the tank, it is important to rinse it in a container of clean salt water.  All of the above steps take less than 10 minutes and can save hours of time spent trying to eradicate pests that can hitchhike on new corals.

Other Reasons to Dip Corals

 While preventing pests from entering the tank is the common reason for dipping corals, there are some other times when hobbyists may choose to dip corals.  A coral that is beginning to look unhealthy may have a pest problem that can be addressed by dipping.  Iodine dips are also sometimes used after fragging LPS corals in order to reduce the risk of infection.

 

There is a popular saying that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and dipping corals is an easy, cheap and safe way to reduce the likelihood of introducing unwanted pests into a home aquarium.