Bringing home a new frag is the best part of the hobby — and also the moment where most preventable losses happen. Rapid shifts in temperature, salinity, pH, or lighting are the leading causes of stress, bleaching, and tissue recession in the first 24–48 hours after arrival. The good news: proper acclimation, a quick pest-prevention dip, and a patient light ramp-up almost entirely eliminate that risk.
Every AstroExoticReef order includes our detailed acclimation guide, and we recommend following it exactly — it's also a condition of our 7-day health guarantee, so getting it right protects both your coral and your coverage. Set aside about an hour up front, then plan on a gradual adjustment period over the following 1–2 weeks.
Step 1: Drip Acclimate Over 45–60 Minutes
Don't just float the bag and dump it in. Water parameters in shipping bags can drift from your display tank, especially pH, salinity, and temperature. A slow drip acclimation lets your coral adjust gradually instead of getting hit with a sudden change.
- Float the sealed bag for 15–20 minutes to match temperature.
- Empty the coral and bag water into a clean container.
- Set up a drip line (airline tubing with a valve, or a commercial drip kit) from your display or sump into the container.
- Run a slow drip — a few drips per second — for 45–60 minutes, roughly doubling the water volume in the container by the end.
Resist the urge to shortcut this step. Slower is always safer than faster, and it's the single easiest way to prevent day-one shock.
Step 2: Dip Before It Goes in Your Display
Even the cleanest, tank-cultured corals can carry hitchhikers — flatworms, AEFW, red bugs, or aiptasia. A quick dip is cheap insurance against an outbreak in your established reef.
- Prepare two clean tubs of tank water: one dip tub, one rinse tub.
- In the dip tub, use a reef-safe dip (Coral Rx, Revive, or similar) per the product's label instructions — never exceed the stated time.
- Gently agitate with a turkey baster to dislodge debris and pests; inspect closely and manually remove anything visible.
- Move to the rinse tub for a couple of minutes to rinse off dip residue before placing the coral in your tank or quarantine.
If you have the space, we recommend quarantining new arrivals for 2–4 weeks before introducing them to your main display — it's the most reliable way to catch anything a dip might miss.
Step 3: Start Under Low–Medium Light
Once acclimated and dipped, place the frag in a low-to-medium light zone of your tank — lower on the rockwork, in partial shade, or under dimmed intensity if your fixture allows it. Corals that were farmed or shipped under different lighting conditions than your tank can bleach or show stress if placed directly under strong light on day one. Moderate, indirect flow is ideal at this stage — enough to prevent detritus buildup without blasting stressed tissue.
Step 4: Ramp Up Intensity Over 1–2 Weeks
Gradually move the frag higher or increase light intensity over the course of 1–2 weeks, watching polyp extension and coloration as your guide. Good signs of adjustment include normal polyp extension, stable or improving color, and no tissue recession. If you see bleaching, paling, or retraction, back off intensity and give it more time before increasing again.
It's normal for polyps to stay tucked for the first 24–48 hours, and some corals go through a brief "ugly phase" before settling in — patience here pays off in color and growth down the line.
After That: Keeping It Thriving
Once your frag is settled, stability is what keeps it growing:
- Test parameters regularly (alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, nitrate/phosphate) — consistent is more important than "perfect."
- After 1–2 weeks of settling in, target-feed LPS and SPS with coral foods or amino acids to support color and growth.
- Keep an eye out for pests during routine maintenance, even after a clean dip.
Why This Matters
This isn't just a general best practice — it's the single biggest factor in first-week coral survival. Skipping acclimation, skipping the dip, or rushing the light ramp is the most common cause of avoidable loss we see, and it's also why our 7-day health guarantee requires that the included acclimation guide was followed. Taking the time up front protects your investment and your coral.
Every order from AstroExoticReef ships with a printed copy of this guide. Questions about acclimating a specific species — LPS, SPS, zoas, or mushrooms all have slightly different light and flow sensitivity? Reach out any time at astroexoticreef@gmail.com.
