Acclimation and Dipping Guide

Your new coral has been on a journey. Now it needs a calm start in its new home. Have your supplies ready, take a close look, and give it time to settle in.

The big rule: never pour shipping water into your aquarium. The same goes for acclimation water, used dip, and rinse water. Transfer the coral itself and discard the water.

This guide is for corals. Fish, clams, anemones, and other invertebrates may need different care. Follow any instructions included with your order or provided for a particular animal.

What you will need

• Clean containers used only for aquarium care
• Prepared saltwater, a thermometer, and a calibrated salinity tester
• A measuring cup, timer, and airline tubing or a small cup
• A coral dip suitable for your coral
• Gloves, splash goggles, and a gentle bulb syringe or turkey baster
• A secure frag rack or a suitable spot in an established aquarium

1. When the box arrives

Bring the box inside and open it promptly. Keep the bags out of direct sun and away from bright aquarium lights.

Check for leaks, broken bags, loose frags, and obvious damage. If something concerns you, take clear photos and contact us promptly with your order number. Keep the packaging for your photos when it helps show the problem.

Handle the coral by its plug, rock, or exposed base when possible. Avoid squeezing its living tissue.

A coral may look smaller, stay closed, or have less color after its trip. That alone does not mean it is dead. Tissue peeling away or rapid deterioration needs attention.

2. Match the temperature

Dim or turn off your aquarium lights. Float the sealed bag in the receiving aquarium for about 15 to 20 minutes. Keep it away from pumps and overflows.

The goal is to bring the bag close to the tank's temperature. The clock is a guide, not proof that the temperatures match. Check closely if the shipment is unusually hot or cold.

Keep the bag sealed until you are ready for the next step. Prepare your containers and equipment while it floats.

3. Check salinity and decide whether to drip

Once you are ready, open the bag and compare its water temperature and salinity with the receiving aquarium.

If they already match, a long drip is unnecessary. Move on to inspection and your dip or quarantine plan.

If there is a difference, make a gradual adjustment. But do not leave an overnight-shipped coral sitting in its old bag water for a long drip. Waste can build up during shipping, and a change in pH after the bag is opened can make ammonia more harmful.

For a small adjustment, prepare a clean container of new saltwater matched to the bag's temperature and measured salinity. Transfer the coral into it without pouring in the shipping water. Keep the coral covered and the container warm.

You can add aquarium water slowly with airline tubing, or use a small cup. Here is an example for a small adjustment:

• Start with 500 mL of prepared saltwater in the container, enough to cover the coral.
• Slowly add 500 mL of aquarium water over about 15 minutes. If using a cup, add 100 mL every three minutes.
• Check temperature and salinity. If they still need a small adjustment, remove and discard half the water while keeping the coral covered, then repeat once.
• Check again before moving the coral. Doubling the water does not automatically mean the salinity matches.

Use a siphon starter if using tubing. Never start a siphon with your mouth. Do not allow the container to overflow into the aquarium.

A large salinity difference, cloudy or foul shipping water, a delayed shipment, or a badly stressed coral needs a plan for that situation. Contact us rather than forcing it through a timed routine or leaving it in poor water.

4. Inspect and dip

Before dipping, look over the coral and frag plug under clear white light. Check the base and underside for flatworms, nudibranchs, egg clusters, unwanted hitchhikers, and damaged tissue.

A dip can help remove some pests, but it will not reliably remove every pest or its eggs. An established coral quarantine tank gives you time to watch new arrivals before they reach your display. A frag rack in the display is useful for placement, but it is not quarantine.

Choose a dip made for corals and suitable for the animal you received. Common options include coral pest dips such as Coral Rx or DipX and iodine-based products such as Reef Dip. They are different products, not steps to combine.

Follow the label on your dip for the amount, water volume, timing, compatible animals, and aftercare. Some products call for a dip of several minutes, while others use different times. Do not guess the dose, exceed the label, mix products, or use household cleaners. Some dips can harm crabs, shrimp, snails, clams, or other animals living on a coral.

To dip:

• Prepare a separate container of saltwater at the appropriate temperature and salinity.
• Measure and mix your chosen dip exactly as the label directs.
• Place the coral in the solution and start a timer.
• Gently move water around it as directed. A gentle puff from a baster can help dislodge pests, but do not blast fleshy tissue.
• Watch the coral throughout. If it reacts badly, remove it, follow the product's rinse instructions, and contact us for advice.
• When the label's time is up, transfer the coral to a separate container of clean, matched saltwater for a gentle rinse. Follow any product-specific aftercare instructions. A second clean rinse can reduce carryover.
• Transfer the coral by its plug or base. Discard the dip and rinse water as directed on the product label. Never pour either into your tank.

If a coral is badly stressed after shipping, ask us about letting it recover in an established quarantine system before dipping. Do not assume that an immediate dip is always the gentlest choice.

A safety note for zoanthids and palythoas

Some zoanthids and palythoas contain palytoxin, which can cause serious illness. Wear gloves and splash goggles, cover cuts, and keep children and pets away. Avoid splashes and aerosols, and keep the coral underwater during handling when practical.

Never boil, steam, pressure-wash, or pour hot water on these corals or their rock. Do not cut, crush, or scrub them as part of routine acclimation.

If you suspect an exposure or develop symptoms after handling them, seek urgent medical advice and mention possible palytoxin exposure. For trouble breathing, seek emergency care.

5. Find a gentle first spot

Start with subdued light and flow suited to the coral. Avoid putting a new arrival directly under intense light or blasting its tissue with a pump.

Secure the frag so it cannot fall or rub against rock. Leave room between it and its neighbors. Corals can expand, grow, and reach out with stinging tentacles.

A lower-light position or frag rack can help, but the bottom of every tank is not automatically the right light level. Use your coral's care guide to choose its longer-term home and adjust gradually.

6. Watch the first 48 hours

Give your coral time. Some open quickly. Others stay tucked in for several days. Check that the tissue remains intact and look for a gradual improvement rather than expecting an instant reaction.

Keep temperature and salinity steady. Check your usual water parameters, and avoid making several big changes at once. Do not repeatedly dip, move, or heavily feed a coral just because it is closed.

Contact us promptly if you see tissue peeling or melting, an expanding area of bare skeleton, rapid widespread color loss, brown jelly-like material, or damage from a neighbor or strong flow.

A clear photo under white light helps. Please include your order number, arrival time, tank temperature and salinity, plus the name of any dip you used.

7. If you think a coral arrived dead

Please do not wait until the end of the 48-hour observation period. File a claim with a photo at reeftogo.com/doa within 24 hours of receipt, and include your order number. You can also text (737) 250-7050 or email hello@reeftogo.com.

A careful start, clean water, and a little patience give your new coral a chance to settle into its new reef.