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AWESOME Zoo Dip Instructions from RC

I use this treatment from Reef Central for Zoanthids. I even hang a printed copy on the wall in the basement with other treatments I cannot memorize, with this OLD BRAIN of mine. If there are encrusted SPS or LPS with the zoos, remove that first or death will be imminent. Mushrooms and Rics fare fine.


QUOTE:
Zoo Dip
I take no credit for this, it's really no big deal to do. All of the items used are most likely underneath your cabinet already. I have performed this for years on hundreds, yes, hundreds of zoos and it has worked every single time. No I'm not being cocky or anything like that, this really and truly works as many RC members have PM'd me directly saying so. No I'm not looking for a that-a-boy or anything, I just see that a lot of reefers have ask about it so I thought I would post it in its own thread.

Each and every zoo that goes into my tank, healthy or not, gets a dip. This dip has worked for most every ailments my zoos have had. Some will require a bit of surgery and in some rare cases where I have received a colony with a very nasty fungus, I have deviated slighlty and placed several drops of Lugols Iodine directly onto the infected colony after a bit of surgery. I see that a lot of people are dealing with the whitish, opaque to yellowish fungus or some sort on your colonies. For some reason this happens alot during shipment and I'm sure a lot of you will concur. The key to saving a colony with this issue is to act immediately. You must remove all of the fungus with tweezers outside of your tank. Now using a very sharp razor blade, cut down and around the entire area that was affected. If you have a large rock and you want to be sure that you have irradicated the problem, remove 2 or 3 rows of good zoos around the area that was infected. Rinse the colony well with tank water using a turkey baster or the like, still outside of your reef, now perform the dip with the dipping brew below. I sent it to someone last week so i just copied and pasted it below.

"Here's the dipping brew that I have used and most people on RC are using it now as well. If it is performed as soon as you see the signs in the proper manner, success is always attained.

1. Using a 5 gallon white bucket, add 3 gallons of RO water.
2. Now add 1 or 2 drops of Lugol's Iodine per gallon of RO water.
3. Set your PH to 8.2
4. Set your water temp. at 78 degrees
5. If you have some Flatworm exit made my Saliferts, add
2 drops per gallon to the RO water to kill any Flatworms

Place the colony in the white bucket right side up. Leaving it there for about 5 minutes. Then grab the rock and invert it and place it in the water 3 inches below the water surface. Now twist the rock as fast as you can in a clockwise and counterclockwise motion for at least a minute. While the rock was sitting still in the RO water, it was killing off all bristle worms, Nudibranchs, flatworms and parasites. It will not kill off any Nudibranch eggs so you will have to inspect the rock for what looks like a tiny white 1/8 of and inch curly white piece of thread. They won't detach from the rock as the sack is very sticky. Inside this egg sack is up to 40 or so eggs just waiting to hatch. If you see one, just remove it with tweezers before placing the rock back into your reef. By the way, once you have finished twisting the rock in the water for a full minute, pull it out the water and dunk it back into the water a few times, splashing and swooshing is good, it dislodges anything that didn't fall off in the twisting motion. You are going to kill off a few copepds as well, but this is ok, as you have tons more already in your reef tank and your sump/fug. The dip will not kill your zoos, trust me, if you do exactly as stated above, you will be fine. If your colony is in declined and has been for some time, it may be too late to save them, but if you always do a dip on the first or second day of the problem, I have had a 99 % success rate at saving my own. I don't care what anyone else says, I know what has and will always work for the above issues. Zoos are all I know and I truly like to help out if and when I can.

Oh, I forgot, once you place the colony back into your reef, make sure they receive some current as they will be a little stressed and might slim a little, but that's ok, they will be fine. Your zoos will open in minutes.Always, ....always run your actinics only for the rest of that day. Actinics will encourage them to open. Try not to introduce any food into the system as well until the following day. On the following day, go back to your normal photoperiod. As I said, the zoos will be a little stressed and your 10 or 12k lighting will only try to encourage them to fully expand when they really don't want to right now because of what they have just experienced. I believe the bright lighting after a dip has and will discourage them from opening as soon. Trust me, you will not kill them my friend."


It would be great if any of you who have tried this would post your results below. I know of several who have emailed or Pm'd me, but I prefer that you mention your experience with the above dip.

Safe reefing everyone

Mucho

PS, I chose Lugols for its medicinal/antiseptic properties. Please remember to wear reef safe gloves. The white bucket will allow you to see everything that you have just killed off. Two drops of Lugols will not hurt or harm the zoos. I use two drops most of the time myself. Best of luck to all of you.
 
Thanks for this. Two questions: 1. The 2 drops of Lugis you recomend is much less then what they recomend on the bottle. Why? 2. To be clear after the dip and before putting them back in the tank is where you suggest cutting away any of the unwanted polyps?
 
Efrank said:
Thanks for this. Two questions: 1. The 2 drops of Lugis you recomend is much less then what they recomend on the bottle. Why? 2. To be clear after the dip and before putting them back in the tank is where you suggest cutting away any of the unwanted polyps?



cut, rinse, then perform the dip. renee thanks for taking the time to write this all down, i see this has been up since last year, unfortunately have not read till now, i've seen pics of your zoos, and have met you, and will adopt this practice.... sounds like good practice
 
Efrank said:
Thanks for this. Two questions: 1. The 2 drops of Lugis you recomend is much less then what they recomend on the bottle. Why? 2. To be clear after the dip and before putting them back in the tank is where you suggest cutting away any of the unwanted polyps?
because it is a fw dip it will stress them more if u put too much lugol. lugol is iodine and can harm them when to much is present. it is 3 drops in a 75 tank weekly for a dose. so imagine.. minimal stress = healthy zoas
 

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Should be able to buy it at your local drug store. However, since Uncle Sammy started regulating it a couple years ago, you can only find it in small little bottles. If you can't find it locally, you can find it on amazon.com. It's like French perfume.....little bottle, a lot of bucks.
 

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Maybe I'm missing something but how do you set your Ph to 8.2 with ro water?

My guess is a small volume of alk??? Water on its own has no buffering capability and therefore the pH will be dictated by whatever buffers you add. I would think a few drops of alk (or a pinch of baking soda), would do it.
 

mnat

Officer Emeritus
Staff member
Moderator
Baking soda is pretty easy to use to bring your RO up to tank levels. We have done it a few times with dips.
 

TanksNStuff

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Thanks guys. With all the instructions given for this "recipe" you would think that would be noted after this direction. Sometimes people assume some minor details are known but it's not always the case.
 

mnat

Officer Emeritus
Staff member
Moderator
We probably need to update some stickies, this was posted in 2008 and while it is still good there is a ton of stuff that could be added. I am working on doing a ton of content upgrades after the elections.
 
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