How to Acclimate and Dip New Corals
The first hour after your corals arrive matters most. Proper acclimation reduces stress, and dipping keeps hitchhiking pests out of your tank. The whole process takes about 30 to 45 minutes.
We monitor the local weather up to the day of shipping, from our shipping origin to your delivery destination, to ensure your coral arrives as safe and healthy as possible. We also include a heat or cold pack, weather dependent.
What you'll need
- Two clean containers, used only for your aquarium
- A coral dip, dosed per its label (shop coral dips)
- A turkey baster
- Gloves and eye protection
- Water from your display tank
Step by step
- Turn off your lights or dim the room before opening the box. Corals that have been in the dark for hours stress less when light returns gradually.
- Float the sealed bags in your tank or sump for 15 to 20 minutes to match temperature.
- Prepare the dip. Fill one container with tank water and add dip at the dose on the label. Fill the second container with plain tank water for rinsing.
- Move the coral into the dip without pouring shipping water into it. Discard the shipping water; never add it to your tank.
- Agitate for the time on the label, usually 5 to 15 minutes. Use the baster to blast water gently over and around the coral to knock pests loose.
- Inspect closely. Check the tissue, the underside of the frag plug and any rock for flatworms, nudibranchs, eggs or tiny moving specks. Scrape off any egg clusters you find.
- Rinse the coral in the clean tank water to remove leftover dip.
- Place it low in the tank, in moderate flow and lower light. Move it toward its final spot over 1 to 2 weeks as it opens up.
Check the dip water
Look at the bottom of the dip container after you're done. Visible pests mean the coral needs a second dip in a few days, since dips usually don't kill eggs.
What to expect after
It's normal for a new coral to stay partly or fully closed for 2 to 5 days. Avoid moving it repeatedly during that time. If it's still closed after a week, check our guide on why corals close up.
Quarantine: the extra step
A separate quarantine tank, where new corals sit for several weeks before going into your display, is the most reliable way to keep pests out. It's not required, but it's worth considering if you keep high-value colonies.
Our guarantee and arrival policy and how you can contact us about a problem on arrival. Click here: Arrive Alive & DOA Policy
