Specific Gravity Swing

[fio1022]

I recently purchased a few fish from LFS.I usually try to drip acclimate for about an hour.
I keep my QT tank at 1.025 sg but the LFS water measured 1.015.
Is that too much of a sg swing in that amount of time?

[worm5406]

I would prob go over two hours.

Also after first hour take out 1/2 the water in the drip acclimation and throw it out.

I am glad you are QT'ing this fish. If they have it that low I wonder what they are trying to keep down in their tanks with hypo-salinity.

[Palting]

Yes, that's a large swing. Bring your QT down to 1.015, at least down to 1.017. Slowly raise it up to the DT sg over a week period. Keep it in observation for whatever time you usually do. Unless you want to do hypo, in which case bring it down to 1.009 over 24 hours and keep it there for 4-6 weeks. That's what I do.

EDIT: Just saw your post below mine. Fish do not tolerate a rapid rise in sg of more than .003 in 24 hours. That's why it takes over a week for me to bring my sg from 1.009 to 1.026 when I do hypo.

[fio1022]

I've had several fish die and I'm wondering if this is the cause.?
All fish appeared fat and healthy at the time.

[Spyderturbo007]

I lost a fish that was acclimated from 1.018 to a 1.025 SG QT tank and ever since then I changed my acclimation process. I can't pinpoint the SG swing as the problem, but I couldn't find any other reason.

I do what Palting does an match my QT to the bag water. Make sure you have some up to temp RO/DI water or you'll be waiting around for the water to come up to temperature. You could also call ahead and ask what the LFS keeps their salinity at, but be sure to check for yourself just to be sure.

Flat the bag for about 30 minutes and then check the pH. If it's within about 0.3 units of the tank, I just throw in the fish. If not, I'll do a quick acclimation and then add the fish.

I then let the SG slowly rise over the next few weeks by topping off with salt water. I go very slowly since the fish is going to be there for 4 weeks.

Then I do the same when transferring to the DT. If the temp, SG and pH match, I just scoop them out of the QT and drop them in the DT.

[fio1022]

I have one small fish in there now.safe to lower it while he's in there?