Acclimate?
- Thread starter rico
- Start date
jond
Member
There are many opinions on this subject. First obviously is your water quality. It needs to be in tip top shape. I usually turn off the lights, float the bag for ten minutes, add one cup of my tank water to the water in the bag. Then float for another ten minutes. I then pour all but a very small amount of water into a bucket (to dispose of) and slide the new addition into the tank. Leave your lights off and let the timer bring them back on the next day.
Good luck
Good luck
blueberryboomer
Active Member
Hi rico and Welcome to a Great hobby, What I do is float the bag for 10 minutes, add 1/4 cup tank water, let float for 2-3 mins. add another 1/4 cup tank water, I do this until bag is almost full, then I pour almost all out and start over, when the bag is almost full again I introduce the new member of our family to the tank. I leave the lights out for 3-4 hours so he can adjust without anyone picking on him. Its a long process, but well worth it, we haven't lot a fish yet. LOL L-lots O-of L-luck Lisa 
slowest is fastest
Member
If you can begin by acclimating the new addition to a quarantine tank not your main tank(but thats another topic)
As for the acclimation process there are several ways to due it and IMO doing it correctly can make or break whatever you are adding. Floating the bag to equalize the tempature in the bag with your tank is a good idea and making sure you have as near perfect water and conditions is definately a good idea BEFORE you buy anything. To answer your question though it really depends on what you are buying as everything tolerates acclimation differently. Here are a few factors to consider.
1. What is the salinity of the water in the bag? Often the LFS will maintain a lower salinity than you have at home. If it is significantly different adjust your acclimation time accordingly. Something that has been kept at 1.020 for a week or more suddenly added to water at say 1.024 after only ten minutes will definately not be good for it. Will it die? It can, it might not but why stress it more than you have to.
2. If you buy a fish, how is it holding up in the bag. Often if it was just fed it will throw up(sorry) in the bag and ammonia will spike. Look for very heavy breathing. If the fish looks overly stressed for any reason, speed up the acclimation a little.
3. Some corals, fish and inverts are more sensitive to salinity changes than others. A blue linka starfish will die in a short period of time if not acclimated slowly to any change in salinity.
Bottom line is spend as much time as you can acclimating slowly. While the results may not be easily seen believe me your new addition appreciates it and will be better off because you took the extra time.
As for the actual procedure adding one quarter cup of water every 10 to 30 minutes until full, discarding half the water and repeating several times will work. I personally increase the drip from my makeup water and start a new drip using a piece of airline into a 2 gallon cylinder that contains the bag opened. I drip 5-15 drops per minute until the bag it full. I then split the bag and release whatever i bought into the container and continue dripping water from the quarantine tank until the container is almost full. I then check the salinity and empty water and repeat as often as necessary to match my QT. Sometimes this takes an hour or I have spent over 12 hours acclimating. This is rare and probably overkill but it is one of my pet peevs.
I suggest doing some reading in addition to the responses you get here and decide what is right for you. Hope this helps.
SiF
PS also check PH
As for the acclimation process there are several ways to due it and IMO doing it correctly can make or break whatever you are adding. Floating the bag to equalize the tempature in the bag with your tank is a good idea and making sure you have as near perfect water and conditions is definately a good idea BEFORE you buy anything. To answer your question though it really depends on what you are buying as everything tolerates acclimation differently. Here are a few factors to consider.
1. What is the salinity of the water in the bag? Often the LFS will maintain a lower salinity than you have at home. If it is significantly different adjust your acclimation time accordingly. Something that has been kept at 1.020 for a week or more suddenly added to water at say 1.024 after only ten minutes will definately not be good for it. Will it die? It can, it might not but why stress it more than you have to.
2. If you buy a fish, how is it holding up in the bag. Often if it was just fed it will throw up(sorry) in the bag and ammonia will spike. Look for very heavy breathing. If the fish looks overly stressed for any reason, speed up the acclimation a little.
3. Some corals, fish and inverts are more sensitive to salinity changes than others. A blue linka starfish will die in a short period of time if not acclimated slowly to any change in salinity.
Bottom line is spend as much time as you can acclimating slowly. While the results may not be easily seen believe me your new addition appreciates it and will be better off because you took the extra time.
As for the actual procedure adding one quarter cup of water every 10 to 30 minutes until full, discarding half the water and repeating several times will work. I personally increase the drip from my makeup water and start a new drip using a piece of airline into a 2 gallon cylinder that contains the bag opened. I drip 5-15 drops per minute until the bag it full. I then split the bag and release whatever i bought into the container and continue dripping water from the quarantine tank until the container is almost full. I then check the salinity and empty water and repeat as often as necessary to match my QT. Sometimes this takes an hour or I have spent over 12 hours acclimating. This is rare and probably overkill but it is one of my pet peevs.
I suggest doing some reading in addition to the responses you get here and decide what is right for you. Hope this helps.
SiF
PS also check PH
sonny
Member
If you are acclimating fish you have ordered through the mail, I think you really need to do a drip method. Use an airstone in the bucket. I let mine drip for about 2 hours, until the volume of the water has more than doubled. The airstone is important to keep the water oxygenated. After more than doubling the volume of water, I net the fish out of the bucket and put him in the tank. By doing this, you avoid adding the ammonia that is into the tank. This method works because it is SLOW, and does not shock the fish as bad.
Sonny
Sonny
N
nick17
Guest
What exactly is the drip method? You guys say it's the best..
I've used the the other method (adding tank water slowly). I have a small 5 gallon tank just laying around. Could I use that as a QT tank? (If so, how would I add the fish or whatever to it? Would I just drain the LFS water into the sink, and drop the fish into the QT tank? Or how would that work?)
I only have a 29 gal tank.. so the fish won't be big at all. I am also sump/refugium-less too.. I just ordered some lights, and that has eaten a bit out of my wallet. (Hence I'm only 17) And a sump/refugium and QT are in the process.
Thanks,
-Nick
I've used the the other method (adding tank water slowly). I have a small 5 gallon tank just laying around. Could I use that as a QT tank? (If so, how would I add the fish or whatever to it? Would I just drain the LFS water into the sink, and drop the fish into the QT tank? Or how would that work?)
I only have a 29 gal tank.. so the fish won't be big at all. I am also sump/refugium-less too.. I just ordered some lights, and that has eaten a bit out of my wallet. (Hence I'm only 17) And a sump/refugium and QT are in the process.
Thanks,
-Nick
overanalyzer
Active Member
drip method - take a clean bucket or container and a piece of airline hose. start a syphon from the main tank in the airline hose and then knot the end going into the bucket. this should slow the syphon from a flow to a drip. let it fill up about halfway and scoop half the water out with a cup or what not. You can drip aclimate for a long time - but the key is to have fresh water already pre-mixed for your display tank.
I do not drip my fish - just my corals and inverts
I do not drip my fish - just my corals and inverts
N
nick17
Guest
Thanks
I really was unsure about it.. I heard SOMETHING about it..
-Nick
I really was unsure about it.. I heard SOMETHING about it..
-Nick