acclimating corals

[ntswift]

I know this is a dumb question but i wanted to clearify because I've heard mixed things. How do I acclimate corals? Do I just let them float for a half hour then let them go or do the drip method? I have been doing the drip method but I've heard from a few people that you can just float them and they'll be okay. TIA

[tjara03]

Drip em'!!

[seaham358]

I have only dripped one coral... Is it a bad idea to drip no.. Is it always necessary, IMO no..
Thats just me... Anemones, inverts and fish a must..

[ntswift]

Cool, thats what I thought! Thanks!

[Brenden]

I drip everything. Especially corals.

[ntswift]

Yeah this is where the confusion begins! I guess I'll just drip them.

[Brenden]

My LFS drips corals and just temp acclimates there fish.

[Fluff]

I drip acclimate everything for no less than 3hrs. Then temp acclimate them. Call me paranoid but this works best for me and I've never lost a fish, coral or mobile invert due to temp, salinity or ph shock.

[ntswift]

Well I guess I'll just be safe and drip them. As far as spacing corals out, seaham i've noticed that you have hammer coral in a really close area to other corals. Dont they sting each other? Can i keep my corals close together also or is there a rule of thumb or anything like that as far as spacing goes?

[Brenden]

seaham i've noticed that you have hammer coral in a really close area to other corals

That is a hammer and a frogspawn. They will not bother each other but will sting other corals.

[ntswift]

What about the sinularia and mushrooms that are next to it?

[seaham358]

The hammer stings the Finger leather some and like Brenden states the hammer and FS get along fine.. But a Torch and hammer do not.. The torch wins that battle
The sinularia stings what ever it can touch with the polyps/upper branches... The base the shroons and and sinularia are fine.. Its a lot of trial and error.. When there small it not a big deal but as they grow you need to watch them and try and plan ahead. Some of my corals can not be moved any longer so I need to rearrange the smaller ones around them..
Fragging is in my future..

[reefmaster]

my LFS says all i have to do is just put the corals in with no acclimation (soft corals) Am i getting wrong directions? they seem to be doing fine.

[Jermz79]

I know several people who haven't QT'd any corals, myself included. I dont know but to me it seems like more stress to leave them sitting in that bag for longer than needed. I get home, float em for a few minutes and then drop them in ... well don't drop them, place them nicely where you'd like!!

I have yet to lose a one coral and all of them are doing well!

[ntswift]

-seaham358, Thanks for the help and clearification on that! I'm just having a hard time placing corals around because of my hammer coral. The stupid 6in sweeper tenticles are killing my scenery and are limiting what i can put in my tank and where i can put it. I'm going to reaquascape my tank this weekend and try to make something work out.

-reefmaster, I'm not sure about not even floating them first, but hey, if it works for you and you havent seen any ill effects of it then cool. Just be careful. Good luck-

-Jermz79, As far as QT my corals I dont do that either because I dont have a QT tank and I'm not allowed to have any more tanks in my dorm room, so I'm kinda SOL on that. I wish i could but i can't. I just pick the fish out that looks the healthiest and hope for the best.

Thanks guys for all the help!

[Jermz79]

oh crap ... I meant acclimation! Not QT. Sorry

[Brenden]

Jermz all I have to say is that you have been VERY lucky then.

[ntswift]

-Jermz79-, No problem. Thats what i thought you meant but i wasnt sure. I agree with Brenden though. You have been very lucky. I'd at least float them if not anything else.

[dreams]

i put the bag in my tank and secure it with the algae magnet....then slowly add water over a 3 hr period.....if the animal is a little more fragile, i will do it for a longer period of time w/ less....also, if it is going to be an extended amount of time i will put a bubble wand in the bag

i feel like not only does it acclimate, but also gives a heads-up to all the other tank citizens

[jasno999]

Put it this way the drip method is by far the most safe way to do it. YOu can take your chances and do it other ways. I have with hardy corals like mushrooms and polyups. But I think if I purchased somethign that was less hardy or somehting tha was very expensive then I woudl do everyhting to make sure it was acclimated to the best of my abilities so that I did not lose the coral.