Off the shelve Red Bug and Pest dipping solution

[reefkeeper]

Folks, I'd like to share a recent finding and let you know that I've tested out an off the shelve pest dipping solution that's been noted on Reef Central and has received good results. Over the last year, I've viewed this RC thread several times and I was reluctant to try it out.

But just recently, I was in south Florida for a business trip and I purchased 10 pieces of ORA frags and during my visit I noticed an employee in where I purchase the corals was using some insect killer solution from off the shelf to dip all the corals they recently received in.

She stated they've been using this solution for a while now and it's achieved tremendous results for them. She claimed this product is a great red bug and other hitchhiker pest killer and it's used by several LFS's and hobbyist in the Florida area.

During my stay at this LFS, I had the experience to exhibit the product in use and I was simply amazed. While driving home from Florida, I stopped at a local Home Depot store in Orlando and purchased a 40 oz bottle of BAYER Advanced Complete Insect Killer. It cost me just over $10. After driving more them 11 plus hours I got home and mixed up the formula just like the young lady used at the LFS and I dipped the corals for the amount of time she did. Well the results were nothing to brag about, I didn't see anything that came off the frags and it's what I expected since there system was pest free.

Well just the other day I made another business trip within the state and brought home some additional Acros in which I purchased and performed the same process and Walla!! the same dipping formula and dipping time resulted in killing several Acro killing nudi branches and some other hitchhikers in which I was not able to identify.

Again the product is BAYER Advanced Complete Insect Killer and it's in a blue bottle. There are two types of products you will find on the Home Depot shelve, one of them I believe is the concentrated version in which I used and the other is the straight heaver solution in the spray bottle. You will need to view the Reef Central thread and read all the results in which members used different formulas and dipping times with the different products.

My formula was bit conservative and I could have made it a little stronger but it netted results for me on the second try. I use 10mm to 2 cups saltwater for just over 5 minutes of the concentrated version.

I've attached a photo of the two different products you can purchase off the shelve. Please, I am not an expert on this subject and I will just refer you to the Reef Central thread. I will however warn you that you will end up reading about all the different results each person tried and you'll need to make a decision on what you want to do.

I know some of you have experienced Red Bugs or other damaging pests in your system and it's not fun to get rid of them and more importantly it's very costly. I'm at a point in my system in which my Acro’s and other corals are striving and I'm not willing to take a chance on something so stupid as putting an infected coral in my system. I'm hope you’all feel the same way.

Thanks for reading this and I hope you found this worth reading and try it and achieve good results as I did.....

Dave "Reefkeeper"
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[indecloudzua]

I've read about this and wanted to try it.

 

[ralph atl]

The last frag I put in my tank (maybe a year ago?), I used this. The only negative is that it seemed to me to take longer for the frag to recover and acclimate in my tank. anecdotally.

 

[sewer urchin]

Hey Dave, came across this thread a while back,

http://www.socalireefs.com/forums/showthread.php?33899-Bayer-Insecticide-as-a-coral-dip">http://www.socalireefs.com/forums/showthread.php?33899-Bayer-Insecticide-as-a-coral-dip</a>


and it had some pretty good directions. I haven't tried it myself, I just saved it for when I need it, so I don't have any feed back. I'm tinking of a tear down and rebuild soon ( at the rate I'm going that means sometime this decade;-).

Hope it helps!

 

[reefkeeper]

mysterybox;933678 wrote: The last frag I put in my tank (maybe a year ago?), I used this. The only negative is that it seemed to me to take longer for the frag to recover and acclimate in my tank. anecdotally.

I haven't seen that Ralph when I dipped mine. I dipped over 13 new frags and all of them recovered and the polyps are all out and doing well. It maybe be something to do with how much you dose and also the dipping time. I'm very please and I was able to kill those Nudi's. I've never seen Red Bugs but from what the young lady told me at the LFS in Florida, you will see them clearly at the bottom of the bowl once you dip them in the Bayer.

Edit:

Sewer Urchin;933680 wrote: Hey Dave, came across this thread a while back,

http://www.socalireefs.com/forums/showthread.php?33899-Bayer-Insecticide-as-a-coral-dip">http://www.socalireefs.com/forums/showthread.php?33899-Bayer-Insecticide-as-a-coral-dip</a>


and it had some pretty good directions. I haven't tried it myself, I just saved it for when I need it, so I don't have any feed back. I'm tinking of a tear down and rebuild soon ( at the rate I'm going that means sometime this decade;-).

Hope it helps![/QUOTE]Cool Ben, I've seen that one too. Thanks!! The Reef Central thread has allot of detail on how people experimented and what different dosages they use with what product. It's a good read and it assists you on what not to do. I'm very please and I will continue to use this dipping method in the future. In the past I was using CoralRX but from what I was told that does affect the Red Bugs.

 

[reeferman]

been using it for well over a year and IME,its more gentle on corals than any of the available coral dips.kills redbugs and aefw.
you really cant overdose the stuff either.ive used 20x the recommended dip strength with no ill effects.
i use 10ml per cup of dip water.so milky you cant see through it at all.never lost a coral due to dipping in it.

 

[indecloudzua]

What's the best way to rinse it off?? Multiple rinse stations? Or just one rinse cup?

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[reefkeeper]

indecloudzua;933812 wrote: What's the best way to rinse it off?? Multiple rinse stations? Or just one rinse cup?

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Yes, just one clean cup of saltwater will do.

 

[cosigner]

I was going to go this route also, instead of using some over priced reef product. Glad to see so many success stories.

 

[racinrevo0818]

I've used it on some acros with the mix being 10 ml per 4oz of water for 15 min, with no side effects. The coral was sensitive to dips and with bayer it wasn't even effected. It was the Pacman acro which I was told to not even dip. I've lost a nice Hawkins frag by dipping in revive, for the money I haven't found anything better. Guess if it works at less of ratio then I might have wasted some but it's so cheap, doesn't seem to be a problem.

 

[guerry]

I use the Bayor as well, 10ml per cup for 10minutes then rinse. I've dipped hawkins but at 50% dosage with no problems but haven't been brave enough to try a dragon yet

 

[reeferman]

dipped several dragons at full strength with no problems at all

 

[ff337]

reeferman;933785 wrote: ive used 20x the recommended dip strength with no ill effects.
i use 10ml per cup of dip water.so milky you cant see through it at all.never lost a coral due to dipping in it.

This is the gospel.

And I dip in ridiculous strengths too with no problems.