Important question! Please read I need help!

[aelene]

Hey guys, I'm hoping to catch Beth before she logs, but if anyone knows the answer to this please throw out some suggestions. I have had my fish in quarantine since 9/19 and I'm very happy to say that they have all lived through the QT process! (Even Oscar!!) Here is a link to the thread in case you are interested in knowing full details:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/179866/beth-am-i-doing-this-right
The main tank is at 1.024 and the QT tank is at 1.021 right now (refractometer measurements) I need to get the fish back in the main tank ASAP as I am moving in a few weeks and I don't want to stress them out more than is necessary. I have to move that QT tank first so I can give it time to cycle if necessary (at the new place) before moving them back in there while I break down the main tank. I'd like them to have a couple weeks to get settled back into the MT, cool down from the stress of that move, before moving them again. I would be really upset to baby them for this long only to have them die while I move

Now here is my question:
Can I drip acclimate them back into my main tank tonight, even though there is a .003 difference?
Will that be too stressful for them? I really really want them back in there tonight if possible, any help is appreciated, ty ty ty!!

 

[unleashed]

i would up the gravity to 1.024 within a couple days time not just over nite remove some of the water from the qt and use the water from the main tank and acclimate them to the MT water in the qt if you do this in a matter of a day or so by the time they are fully adjusted to the water you can just place them right into the main tank by net.les stress for the fish IMO

 

[aelene]

That's what I've been doing... 20% water changes and replacing it with water from the MT... I guess I just have to wait a little longer.... UGH! Ty for the advice.

 

[beth]

Well, I guess its the next day already, so don't know what you decided to do. Better, however, to just acclimate them over the next 24 hours. Its more stressful to acclimate up, then to acclimate down, so don't push it.

 

[aelene]

I haven't done anything yet. I definitely don't want to stress them out. I figured I would wait another day then do another water change. By then they should be at approx the same levels. I'm just being impatient because I'd really like them to be able to go back home. I'm sure they can't wait either! :happyfish

 

[beth]

Better to do several small water changes, that a few larger water changes.

 

[aelene]

My water changes have been between 10-20% and never over 20% (5 gallons) I have slowly been raising the salinity back up for over a month so I think they are in pretty good shape.. I hope I fought with the ammonia for quite awhile at first (.50 max), and the nitrates have hit 40ppm as a max. It hasn't been a vacation on them that's for sure. I think that is what adds to my desire to get them out of there asap.
Overall though this is the 12th week they have been in quarantine. My MT has been empty that long as well, I want this to be my only run in with ick. I have a quarantine now and after all of this I promise I will be using it all the time

 

[tjake68]

i can only tell u my method witch works for me i only put my main water in my hospital tank my hospital is 10 gallons i set it up by taking water out of my main tank when i did a water change it always runs weather in use or not every time i do a water change in my main tank i take some water out of hospital and replace with my water from main tank its only 2 -3 gallons and its never dirty because i do regular water changes my point is both tanks are as close to each other as i can possibly get them in levels and salinity so any time i need to move fish aclimation is very easy i dont know if this the correct way but its been working for me for a long time with no bad effects lol

 

[aelene]

Well, I added the fishies back to the main tank this morning and so far everyone is doing great!!! There was a .001 difference in specific gravity and a difference of about 2 degrees in temp, but I'm moving this week coming up so I couldn't wait any longer. Luckily they are all troopers and did great. They started eating 15 minutes after I did the switch so I was very, very happy.
I want to say a great big THANK YOU to everyone on these boards that have helped me out over the last few months, especially Beth.

I'm so happy that my little guys are ok.
OH!!! And Oscar has already found his old rock with his cubby hole in it. He wouldn't stay in it for me to take a pic though, so this one will have to do. Thanks again guys.. I'm sure I'll be posting in the next couple days with any questions about the move. Hopefully I have the procedure down