PolypLab Reef-Primer Coral Dip 180g | Saltwater Reef Coral Conditioner & Pest Treatment

PolypLab Reef-Primer Coral Dip (180g) is the saltwater hobby's go-to potassium-based coral dip — used to remove pests, parasites, and pathogens from coral frags before they go into your display reef. Gentler than iodine dips like CoralRX, simpler than pesticide dips like Bayer, and effective against a wide range of nuisance hitchhikers. The 180g size yields 4 full-strength dips — perfect for buyers who quarantine multiple frags. Browse all our saltwater supplies or check out the single-use 45g Reef Primer Shot if you only need one dip.

What It Treats

• Acropora-eating flatworms (AEFW) — adults, not eggs
• Red flatworms
• Zoanthid-eating nudibranchs
• Montipora-eating nudibranchs
• Zoanthid-eating spiders
• Bristleworms on incoming frags
• Filamentous hair algae hitchhiking on frag plugs
• Bacterial infections and tissue necrosis (RTN/STN) — early-stage

Won't kill: Pest egg stages — for full eradication of AEFW or nudibranchs, repeat-dip incoming frags every 5 days during quarantine. Also not effective against red bugs (Tegastes acroporanus) — Bayer or Interceptor is the standard treatment for those.

Why Reef-Primer (vs. Other Dips)

• Potassium-based, not iodine. Lower odor than CoralRX or ReVive, no yellow staining, and no shock to sensitive corals.
• Not a pesticide. Unlike Bayer Advanced, Reef-Primer is a hobby-formulated potassium salt — easier to dispose of, gentler on coral tissue.
• Safe on every coral type — LPS, SPS, soft corals, zoanthids, mushrooms, anemones. Marketed as "no stress response" on dipped frags.
• Powder form — no leaking bottles, indefinite shelf life when sealed and dry.

How to Use

1. Mix 45g (8 capfuls) of Reef-Primer powder into 1 US gallon (~4 L) of clean saltwater from your tank or freshly mixed at your tank's salinity. Stir until fully dissolved.
2. Place coral frag in the dip solution. Constantly agitate the water (gentle stirring or wand) for the duration of the dip.
3. Dip for up to 5 minutes maximum. Larger or stressed corals: shorter end of the range. Tough hitchhikers: full 5 minutes.
4. Place coral directly into your display tank. PolypLab does not specify a rinse step, but many hobbyists rinse in clean saltwater for peace of mind.
5. For pest eradication during quarantine, repeat the dip every 5 days for 3–4 cycles to catch hatching eggs.

Specifications

Recommended Pairings

• PolypLab Reef Primer Shot 45g — single-use 1-dip pouches if you don't need the 4-dip bulk size
• Polyp Lab Medic — reef-safe ich and velvet treatment for new fish from the same brand
• Browse all aquarium medications and treatments
• Browse all water care and maintenance supplies
• Shop live corals

FAQ

Do I need to dip every coral I add to my reef?
Yes — quarantine and dip every incoming coral frag, even from trusted vendors. Pests like AEFW, red flatworms, and pest nudibranchs are catastrophic in established reef tanks and are nearly impossible to eradicate without full quarantine. A 5-minute Reef-Primer dip catches the vast majority of hitchhikers.

How many dips do I get from a 180g container?
About 4 dips at the standard 45g per 1 US gallon dose. Larger frags or extended quarantine procedures (multiple dips per frag at 5-day intervals) will use more. If you only need one dip, the single-use Reef Primer Shot 45g is more economical.

Will it hurt my coral?
No, not when used correctly. PolypLab specifically formulated Reef-Primer for low-stress coral dipping — it's safe on LPS, SPS, soft corals, zoanthids, mushrooms, and even anemones. Don't exceed 5 minutes; visibly stressed or already-bleached corals should get the shorter end of the dip time.

Does it kill AEFW eggs?
No — AEFW egg stages survive any coral dip currently on the market, including Reef-Primer, CoralRX, and Bayer. To eradicate AEFW, run incoming Acropora through quarantine with repeat dips every 5 days for at least 3 cycles to catch newly-hatched flatworms before they reproduce.

How does it compare to CoralRX, ReVive, or Bayer?
Reef-Primer is the gentlest of the four — potassium-based instead of iodine (CoralRX, ReVive) or pesticide (Bayer). It works well on a wide range of pests but is less aggressive on tough cases like red bugs (use Interceptor instead). For everyday quarantine of new frags, Reef-Primer is an excellent low-risk choice; Bayer is reserved for known infestations.