Coral Acclimation Question

[rk4435]

We are returning home from vacation tomorrow and my wife found a couple of (allegedly) rare frags that she had to have. The store packed them up with extra O2 and in a shipping container that they get items in cross country. By the time I get home they will have been boxed for 24 hours, much like an internet overnight purchase.

I know to float them for a while to get them to the tank temp slowly. I am confused about putting them in after acclimation with my lights still on. Would it be better to keep them in the dark since they will have had 24 hours of darkness or go ahead and put them in the tank, my RB LED will be winding down with low level blues by the time I complete the drip acclimation.

Please don't blast me for not having a proper QT; I'm poor. I am including a link that shows one of the frags, they are both Leptos if that matters.

 

[lsu_fishfan]

I would say starting the floating process in a darker area (maybe the sump) should be fine. After the acclimation processes is finished they should be good to go. Maybe try to have the bucket used for acclimation in an area that receives some of the ambient lighting from the LEDs.

As for having a QT, I don't think very many members QT their coral. Most will just give the coral a dip using bayer or coral Rxl

 

[tbub1221]

I don't quarantine coral , but I know a few ppl that say they quarantine everything including cuc

 

[rdnelson]

Running coral through a QT process is definitely a good idea. Coral dips get a lot of stuff but not all. Having said that, I would agree not many people do it.

In your situation, I think you will be fine. Float them in the sump and when they go in the tank, start them out on the sand bed. Over the next week or to slowly move them up to where you want them. This will reduce the possibility of bleaching.

 

[hiimsean]

You could stick them in your sump after dipping.

 

[camellia]

You stated acclamation being floating them to get to the tank temp but you also want to slowing get them acclimated to your water parameters.
That's by dripping your tank water into a container that has the coral and corals current water. Then you pour half of that water out and do it again (to get it adjusted to your water parameters). Keeping the temperature steady to your water temperature while doing this is easier in the sump or you can use a doubled container (make shift double boiler).

It is important to at least dip corals (coral dips listed above) and rinse before putting them in your tank. I am one of those people that 9 times out of 10, quarantine coral.

Nice Lepto!!! I wouldn't call it rare, but not cheap

Acclimating corals for lighting really depends on the lighting that they've been under before you purchased it. With intense LEDs it is always better to start them a little lower (if you don't know the par that it's been growing under). 24 hours of darkness won't make any difference to the coral.

 

[rk4435]

Thanks for the advise guys, both frags seemed to have made it fine thus far, I'll have to watch close for bleaching on these rare to Chattanooga corals.