Coral dipping is mandatory for any new coral going into a reef. Common dip products: Bayer Advanced (insecticide - kills AEFW, red bugs, bristleworms), CoralRx (iodine-based, kills + dislodges flatworms + parasites), Two Little Fishies ReVive (iodine + cleaning), Lugol's solution (very strong iodine - careful), formalin (last resort). Standard procedure: 1) Place coral in clean container with tank water. 2) Add dip per product instructions. 3) Agitate gently for 5-15 min. 4) Use turkey baster to blast off pests + slime. 5) Remove coral, rinse in clean tank water, place in display or QT. What dipping kills: AEFW (acro-eating flatworms), red bugs (Tegastes acroporanus), nudibranchs, planaria, hitchhiker shrimp + crabs, some polyp-eating snails. What dipping doesn't kill: bacteria embedded in tissue (brown jelly), parasitic worms, virus. Timing: dip new arrivals before placing in display. Quarantine in separate tank for 4 weeks if possible to catch any survivors. Caveat: sensitive corals (zoanthids in Bayer, Sarcophyton in formalin) can melt from over-dipping. Use the gentlest dip that's effective for your target pest.
Reviewed by the Fast Aquatics husbandry team · Updated May 2026
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Whatever specific topic brought you here, four fundamentals govern long-term aquarium success: water quality, parameter stability, biological filtration, and species-appropriate husbandry. Skip any one and the others struggle to compensate.
Water quality: ammonia + nitrite at zero, nitrate under 30 ppm freshwater + 10 ppm reef. Test weekly with API or Salifert kits. Use our water parameter checker to score your readings against your tank type.
Parameter stability: stable wrong parameters beat fluctuating ideal parameters. Most fish tolerate a wide pH range if it's stable. Sudden swings of 0.4+ pH or 5+°F kill fish faster than chronic suboptimal values. Use temperature controllers (Inkbird) + automated dosing for consistency.
Biological filtration: the bacterial colony on your filter media + rock + substrate is the engine. Never replace all media at once. Use our filter turnover calculator to size correctly.
Species-appropriate husbandry: research adult size, territoriality, diet, and tankmate compatibility before purchase. Use our tank stocking calculator + compatibility guides.
How long does an aquarium take to set up? 4-6 weeks for full cycling + first stocking. Use our cycle ETA calculator + how long does cycling take.
What's the best aquarium for beginners? 20-gallon long. Big enough for parameter stability, small enough for budget + space. See beginner picks.
How often should I do water changes? 25-30% weekly. See water change frequency Q&A + water change calculator.
Why does my fish keep dying? 5 leading causes: uncycled tank, wrong species pairings, no quarantine, undersized tank, neglected water-change schedule. See full diagnosis.
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